Tony Davis Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 After (yet another) dispute with my electricity provider about billing mistakes I am going back to my old supplier. They are offering me a Smart Meter which - apparently - will bring joy, happiness and massive financial gain to my hitherto joyless, unhappy, poverty ridden existence. But will it? Anybody got one of these things, and found it a boon? Anybody got one and wish they didn't? Thanks Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 12, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 12, 2017 One word. Don't. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelp Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 There are some strange conspiracy theories in the USA regarding smart meters! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4630 Posted April 12, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 12, 2017 I try to avoid 'me too' posts - but in this case I'm going to make an exception and echo Mike's word in post #2. Don't Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick G Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 Don't do it, I had a lucky escape! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dunsignalling Posted April 12, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 12, 2017 According to someone interviewed on a consumer programme the other day it will be better to wait - there is a second generation smart meter on the way that will work better - the ones fitted so far will need a software upgrade in a year or two to make them compatible with the revised standard. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jub45565 Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 While I can understand that the supposed benefits of smart meters may not be as good as claimed - what possible downsides are there to a free upgrade that does not tie you to any supplier? (Or tarriff?). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 (edited) I worked in the gas industry (gas distribution side) all my life - leaving school to retirement a few years ago. Smart meters have there uses, for both consumers (not many) AND suppliers (very many). The suppliers WILL in the not to distant future, price by the hour using TOU (time of use) tariffs. Peak load (Teatime) will be more expensive, a way of reducing demand for both gas and electricity. Coal power stations are closing and no nuclear replacements will be ready anytime soon. Wind won't supply base (electric) load. Smart meters will "make up the difference" by price forcing energy use reduction at peak times. I won't voluntarily have them installed until forced to do so. Brit15 Edited April 12, 2017 by APOLLO 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted April 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 12, 2017 Why are they bad? We got a new meter last week, was surprised they didn't install a smart one. Would have preferred one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Davis Posted April 12, 2017 Author Share Posted April 12, 2017 Thanks guys, With regards to Pete's (post No 7), I had heard that the present technology effectively locks one to the supplier of the meter, but I haven't seen anything definite thus far. I have also heard that there may be some sort of charge. Would anyone care to share (without naming and shaming, obviously) any of the experiences that have lead them to be so anti? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 Given I slurp down 14kW/h every night I want smart metering & off-peak pricing! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jub45565 Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 (edited) The suppliers WILL in the not to distant future, price by the hour using TOU (time of use) tariffs. Peak load (Teatime) will be more expensive, a way of reducing demand for both gas and electricity. Coal power stations are closing and no nuclear replacements will be ready anytime soon. Wind won't supply base (electric) load. Smart meters will "make up the difference" by price forcing energy use reduction at peak times. Thanks - and yes I agree that could be bad, but if properly regulated would be a good thing. There are plenty of things which we could do to balance the energy useage more evenly - a blast of heating (in the winter) prior to peak time, and another blast later on, leaving energy at teatime for making tea. If the prices were regulated so that an average user would pay the same, and those who plough on regardless paid more, then thats fine. I agree that the problem is that energy suppliers would try and cash in, much like our rail operators... People hate(d) the idea of water meters, but I save money hand over fist against not having one, though I will admit that that should be the case in my circumstances. We as a country do need to do something, and there are lots of people in cloud cuckoo land not wanting nuclear, not wind farms in the back garden, but still want to use power willy nilly (this is not aimed at you Brit btw!). edited to also answer Anthony - I believe that initially the suppliers tried to enforce the line of attack of locking you in, but that they have been prevented from doing so. Edited April 12, 2017 by Jub45565 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted April 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 12, 2017 But presumably people provide meter readings to their supplier anyway, so unless you're lying to your supplier I genuinely don't understand what could conceivably be bad about smart meters...? It's not really like water meters at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Davis Posted April 12, 2017 Author Share Posted April 12, 2017 Forgot to mention that we are on a Night Rate/Day Rate meter, so would that make a difference? There are only two of us here, so our energy usage isn't terribly high. We have found the water meter to be a good thing, so I wonder if more people in the home skews opinions for and against? I initially welcomed the idea, as I mentioned in the original post we have had so many arguments with our present supplier over disputed energy usage, we can't enter meter readings online, as we did with our old supplier, and any 'phone call means a long, long wait listening to horrible, distorted music as "we are experiencing a high volume of calls at the moment", that's why I'm interested in examples of why I should look the gift horse in the mouth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jub45565 Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 (edited) Njee - did you read Apollo15's post?! Your current readings dont give any TOU stats. By the sounds of it Anthony your main issues would be solved by switching supplier regardless of the meter types! My old supplier got quote shirty as I was never in to let them take a reading during the middle of the day. How do they expect us to pay for our useage if we dont go to work to earn it... the mind boggled, so I ditched them. Edited (sorry - I dont normally feel the need to go back so much!) to say that I do think the water meter analogy is valid. None metered water bills take a random guess at your useage based on the type of house. Current energy suppliers on most tarriffs take a random guess at when you use power, even if not how much. Therefore if you give them the stats, but adjust your useage slightly, it could work in your favour. Edited April 12, 2017 by Jub45565 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PaulCheffus Posted April 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 12, 2017 Njee - did you read Apollo15's post?! Your current readings dont give any TOU stats. By the sounds of it Anthony your main issues would be solved by switching supplier regardless of the meter types! My old supplier got quote shirty as I was never in to let them take a reading during the middle of the day. How do they expect us to pay for our useage if we dont go to work to earn it... the mind boggled, so I ditched them. Edited (sorry - I dont normally feel the need to go back so much!) to say that I do think the water meter analogy is valid. None metered water bills take a random guess at your useage based on the type of house. Current energy suppliers on most tarriffs take a random guess at when you use power, even if not how much. Therefore if you give them the stats, but adjust your useage slightly, it could work in your favour. Hi We have had one since July last year and it hasn't changed our bills at all. You won't have a choice come 2020. Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
asmay2002 Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 While I can understand that the supposed benefits of smart meters may not be as good as claimed - what possible downsides are there to a free upgrade that does not tie you to any supplier? (Or tarriff?). Well for a start you will have a device controlling the power in your house that is suceptible to computer viruses in a way that a simple mechanical meter simply isn't. There is no way imaginable that that is a good thing. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Davis Posted April 12, 2017 Author Share Posted April 12, 2017 How do these devices communicate with the energy provider? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 No smart enter for me at the moment, the very frequent advertising talks about getting Gas and Leccy under control. Don't people get that if something is switched on it's using energy so, to me at least, simple answer is if you don't need it on switch it off! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted April 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 12, 2017 Njee - did you read Apollo15's post?! Your current readings dont give any TOU stats. Yep, but didn't think it through. Makes sense. Ta. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 How do these devices communicate with the energy provider? They have a SIM card and the same bits as a mobile phone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted April 12, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 12, 2017 (edited) How do these devices communicate with the energy provider? Sim card Edit. beaten to it. Edited April 12, 2017 by chris p bacon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 Interesting http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18407340 Brit15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Davis Posted April 12, 2017 Author Share Posted April 12, 2017 Sim card, well, that will be interesting as most mobile 'phones don't work in my house, they work across the street, but not in my location. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted April 12, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 12, 2017 We've got one, had it for about 2 years, had it as part of a meter upgrade when both the electric and gas meters needing replacing (along with the main street fuse). We're not wasteful with power/gas so it doesn't make much difference what's fitted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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