Smart Meter, Yae or Nae?

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by peanut

So do you plug it in just before the meter reading is due and that's it? Then pay for the usage of that month? - That would work for me too.

The Smart meters are built into the gas and electricity meters and feed back the information to my energy supplier (currently Shell).

You get a stand-alone display that you can plug into any power socket and it displays the meter reading on it on an ongoing basis day and night if you want to, but it's optional. I choose not to but the readings still get sent. See https://www.shellenergy.co.uk/blog/p...play-explained

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by peanut

So do you plug it in just before the meter reading is due and that's it? Then pay for the usage of that month? - That would work for me too.

I have smart meters but don't have the separate display. I either log in to see my usage on the website, or I use the app from loop which connects to my smart meters and I can check my usage at anytime. I don't worry or panic I've used to much, it just let's me see what's used. My meter actually updates usage almost hourly so I get a decent view of when I'm using the most energy and the app even gives an estimate to your phantom load(always on stuff)

Oddly though I get a monthly electricity bill but on gas it's quarterly from British gas.

[peanut]

Thank you both for the info, it does change my misconceptions quite a bit. And now gives me a much better understanding of them. But mainly it does now opens up a few more options to what I can now do rather than just disregarding them completely.

Anything is better than bi-annually bills at the moment which is something do need to get out of so I will consider changing now. As for gas I'm happy with the dumb meter as I know I'm better off at the mo.

[roughbeast]

Originally Posted by peanut

I don't disagree that's there's more to life, but this thread is about smart meters therefore you're wrong to shut it down.

Smart meters was on BBC news this morning. The result was it's not the smart meters that's the problem but it's dumb companies.

Some people have been told that they have to pay to replace their non working meters. That's wrong to start with. I don't have a problem with smart meters, but they should do the job they're designed to do. But they aren't.

There's is a for and against. One of the reasons I won't have one is I do not want to have something I would keep watching for the fear of watching the costs of something I use every day. This could be helpful for a lot of people that are struggling but for me it'll just add to my anxiety and would be pointless. Without a smart meter I get a bill, I pay for it, so no worries and no anxiety or stress. But now you hear of people turning off their fridge freezers due to the amount they cost to run due to having access that monitors such items.

What I do object to is that I get a bill bi-annually. I pay direct debit monthly and every 6 months I get a bill and hope that I've paid in enough to cover any excess. The problem is I can't give a meter reading say 3 months in just to get a statement to see if I'm on target incase I need to increase (or decrease) my monthly payments. That's made the company dumb in my eyes. If I could give a meter reading at any point and get a statement but not a bill, then that would be better than a smart meter for me.

I have Tapo smart plugs that tells me the wattage of whatever I plug into them. That is helpful and has changed my usage of certain things. But smart meters I can certainly do without.

First of all, Hello to a fellow City supporter. Premier League, here we come, with or without Vardy.

I wasn't trying to shut the conversation down, only expressing the view that I have few feelings about smart meters as long as they work. I get it that you have particular anxieties about billing and being over aware of energy use. I would argue that if we are to conserve energy and keep our bills down we need a touch of anxiety. My parents were always right on it in the days of old meters.

You expressed the negative side of being aware of the consumption levels of certain household items. Isn't that mostly a good thing, rather than something that creates excessive anxiety? We still have a 60 inch, 3D Plasma TV that just won't die. We noted on our smart meter how much juice it uses up. Anyone who leaves the room empty without switching off the TV now gets a right rollocking! We don't suddenly stop using something we really need, just because it uses multiple KWs. We just modify our use, like not emptying out the kettle every time and filling it with fresh, icy cold water. I remember my parents doing that even before smart meters. They used to draw my attention to the wheel whizzing around on an old-style meter when a kettle was on.

I know that sometimes smart meters fail or stop working properly. We agree that the cost of replacement must fall to the grid owner or the energy provider. Also, we can override the automated meter read and billing, by reading the metre monthly and entering it on the provider's web site.

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by Paul

I read my meter once a month, thats as "Smart" as it gets atm.

Its 32 years old, I'm sure they'll be trying to get me to replace it at some point [again].

Just keep denying it mate if they do!!

[Ms NTL]

I am in favour of smart meters as I pay 30-40% less with Agile Octopus/ gas tracker. I have the latest model (I think)

Meter type:Smart (SMETS2)
Made by:Kaifa MA120B

It has failed to communicate with Octopus this month- this is the fourth failure in 8 months....

My mother in law (the same model smart meter) got an ~£8000 monthly bill and she ain't growing weed.

Octopus does not know what the problem in either case.

[Dude111]

Im glad ya havent had any problems! (Knock on wood)

[downquark1]

According to a poll by money saving expert. https://twitter.com/MoneySavingExp/s...20842868928585

Almost half the metres aren't working properly. Granted this isn't a scientific poll but that is a very high amount.

[richard-john56]

On Wednesday I got an e-mail from Octopus who have now booked a repair or replacement gas meter for 12-01-024 from their meter people.

[Taf]

Scottish Power has started grumbling again.

Important information about the smart meter rollout



We're obligated by the government to install smart meters in our customers' homes
Please book your installation today


Book online >




Hello,


The smart meter rollout in the UK has been designed to build a foundation for a smarter, more environmentally friendly energy system that will benefit us all, now and in the future. As part of this nationwide effort, all energy suppliers are obligated by the Government to install smart meters in their customers' homes.

Therefore, please book a smart meter installation appointment as soon as possible.

[mrmistoffelees]

They can grumble all they want, no legal requirement. I told them this on the phone and they said they wouldn’t contact us about it again

[Taf]

Whether we want one or not, when a meter neds to be changed for "calibration purposes" it will be replaced by a Smart meter.

[peanut]

Originally Posted by Taf

Whether we want one or not, when a meter neds to be changed for "calibration purposes" it will be replaced by a Smart meter.

That does sounds like a ploy to me too.

With EDF they at least they let you 'opt out' of the constant bombardment of notices that they want / need to install a smart meter. (You have to dig deep to find the opt out option though).

I'm expecting OVO to tell me at some point that they need to replace my meter.
Its an old E7 meter that relies on the transmitted signals to switch, they stop soon.

Thing is, I dont use E7 anymore, both meter readings are charged at the same rate, and all that will happen is the night readings will stop going up, and all usage will get logged on the day reading. Final result, no change.

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

They can grumble all they want, no legal requirement. I told them this on the phone and they said they wouldn’t contact us about it again

Isnt it nice when they nicely go away??