Re: Smart meters
 

Bulb have just started sending me emails saying, we are installing in your area book now. Etc

Re: Smart meters
 

I never took one when I was offered, I just do not trust them, a few people I know have just not plugged them in ,so what is the point, I read my own meter every month,

Re: Smart meters
 

They can't just be plugged in, they have to be fitted by your energy supplier.

Re: Smart meters
 

My electricity one has never worked properly and I still get estimated bills. The gas people want me to have one. No way Jose.

Re: Smart meters
 

I’ve been lucky - both mine work fine, and send twice daily readings to the supplier.

Re: Smart meters
 

The present non-smart meters read kilowatt hours (kWh).

Due to some complicated effects by how you use the electricity in your home, this means power companies lose power, and therefore money.

They would much rather we all change to kilovolt amperes (kVa) and put that extra cost onto consumers.

https://scottiestech.info/2018/02/27...tor%20of%201.0.

Re: Smart meters
 

Commercial users have to pay an extra charge if their PF* (Power Factor) is less than 1. Before smart meters the installation included a non-user resettable PF meter that recorded the lowest value.

Partly because the losses in the electricity transmission system depend on KVA not KWatts

Smart meters show this KVA total value as "Imported reactive power" if you can work out which buttons to press on the main meter to get this display. Domestic users are currently billed for "Imported active power"

On the domestic front the low PF items are fridges and freezers due to the induction motor that runs the compressor. According to my own energy monitor they can be as low as 0.6

If you have solar cells then the power you send to the grid is shown as "Exported active power"

* PF = Real power (KWatts) / Apparent power (KVA)

Re: Smart meters
 

PF of some LED lighting has been measured low as 0.35.

Not so attractive if they started charging for kVa.

A very techie read if you can't sleep. http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Power_factor

Yes and are MUCH BETTER.. The power companies have just gotton greedy and want every penny!! (They dont care if its not the best for us)