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Smart Meters- Unsurprising?


HW95J
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We had a smart meter installed last year............because the energy company, N.Power, made it look in their communications as though we had to have one.

It was only when the fitter came to install it that he told us that we could have refused if we had wanted to.

Not very pleased with N.Power that's for sure.

 

 

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I find it hard to see how a smart meter can better than common sense, unless it can switch off lights and appliances that are not needed. These meters are not going to make your tumble drier more efficient. It is very easy to work out your consumption by finding out how much you are paying per KWH and how many you have used in fact a power do this for you on a monthly basis with their online energy tracker. What these so called smart meters do, do is stream information on how we use our electricity and live our lives, so that these companies can work out more clever ways of how to bill us and develop more cunning tariffs.

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As you state Mr Gen, it is hard to beat the hands on approach of knowing what the gas or electrical units cost and to monitor what you are using.

The smaller power companies are not handing out Smart Meters, I have been with the smaller companies and change whenever there is a better deal.

I will no doubt get a Smart Meter one day, but it will only back up what I currently do to manage the costs.

Edited by TIGHTCHOKE
Spellage
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38 minutes ago, Mr gen said:

I find it hard to see how a smart meter can better than common sense, unless it can switch off lights and appliances that are not needed. These meters are not going to make your tumble drier more efficient. It is very easy to work out your consumption by finding out how much you are paying per KWH and how many you have used in fact a power do this for you on a monthly basis with their online energy tracker. What these so called smart meters do, do is stream information on how we use our electricity and live our lives, so that these companies can work out more clever ways of how to bill us and develop more cunning tariffs.

This - or there are cheap apps for iPad/iPhone and no doubt Android as well that enable you to input readings and get a graph/statistics should you want to.

My meters are all (electricity, water, gas) very easily accessible - and so I do use an app.  The findings are;

  • Electricity is roughly constant throughout the year at an average of about 9 KWhrs (roughly £1.10 exc standing charge) a day (used for lighting, refrigeration, cooking, towel rails etc.)
  • Gas is minimal in summer (average about 4 KWhrs a day (roughly £0.16 exc standing charge)) heating water, but hugely variable when heating and gas fires are used in the winter (up to 240 KWhrs a day (roughly £7.00 exc standing charge), but average probably about 90 KWhrs (roughly £2.60 exc standing charge) a day)

Conclusion would be that there is little saving to be made on electricity (I have all LED lights, efficient modern fridge/freezer, induction cooker etc. and use litte electricity for heating (always a heavy user)).  Gas is also fairly obvious - you heat a lot - it uses a lot of gas. 

Easy to keep a check on by reading meter manually if you want to.

Edited by JohnfromUK
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I had a guy on the phone yesterday(mobile) who was persistent with his claims about the benefits I would have having a smart meter.  The only advantage I could see is my not having to take readings myself when I am out when meter reader calls.  Had to be rude eventually to get rid of him.

 

Blackpowder

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The main argument i.e that they provide accurate readings compared to estimation is undone when you just submit them online occasionally. British Gas even ask for a reading before our bill goes through. I can see how an app would be useful in managing/comparing use. The key benefit of new meters is to the suppliers and no doubt some politicians with shares in them! 

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1 minute ago, HW95J said:

The key benefit of new meters is to the suppliers

I suspect the key advantage (and it will be to the suppliers) will be further down the line - when they introduce variable pricing.  This will charge based on overall demand - i.e. when they are having to buy in electricity (or gas) at high 'spot prices' to meet demand, the price will go up, and when there is a surplus (mainly at night) it will come down.  This is more important as we move from reliable constant power stations (mainly fossil fuel powered or nuclear) to unreliable sources like wind and solar.

The idea of the (now discredited) 'night storage' systems was to use the 'cheap' surplus electricity at night, and save at peak periods.  It was cheap to install, but ineffective had poor controls and expensive to run, and is now little used.  It did however allow a better 'balance' of demand on the supply system.

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When we have smart tariffs (ultra high peak rate and ultra low off peak to save on power stations) we will all want a smart meter. Till then they are only likely to increase costs as more accurate than old meters. I asked my supplier why we would not get a reduced bill having one fitted as it saves the company meter reading costs. :)

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2 minutes ago, oowee said:

When we have smart tariffs (ultra high peak rate and ultra low off peak to save on power stations) we will all want a smart meter.

I can't see how they can introduce 'smart tariffs' until you have a smart meter (because with an old 'non smart' meter, they won't know when the fuel/power was used).

More likely is that they will hike up the 'non smart' tariff (or possibly the standing charge) to coerce people to change to smart.

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1 minute ago, JohnfromUK said:

I can't see how they can introduce 'smart tariffs' until you have a smart meter (because with an old 'non smart' meter, they won't know when the fuel/power was used).

More likely is that they will hike up the 'non smart' tariff (or possibly the standing charge) to coerce people to change to smart.

I suspect you are quite correct, I was trying to get a colleague to understand that as he is on a pre-paid meter in his new flat, he will be paying more per unit of energy than if he had a direct debit set up.

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4 minutes ago, norfolk dumpling said:

In deepest Norfolk where both wifi and mobile accessibility is carp I don't see how we can ever accommodate one. Perhaps when 5G hits us - i gather this will work through a box on every or every 5th telegraph pole?

There is a dedicated network (called DCC) being installed.  See https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/media/338770/15574_building_a_smart_metering_network_v3.pdf

However - as is so often the case with government (taxpayer) funded projects, it is near impossible to find out what progress has been made (i.e. a coverage map, or similar)

 

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2 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, there is no law to say you have a smart meter, the Goverment MPs think we are all idiots and we can save £15 a year, oh big deal, far better to swop supplier,

just to add i would suggest they all need smart meter readers, seems they could not read mine, stated not accessible, only on the front of the building!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Despite what may happen further down the line, what happens when the smart meters they are presently fitting become obsolete, and they need to be replaced by an upgraded mk2, mk3, mk4 or mk5 model? Will customers have to pay for these, or will we get these for "free" too? Lol!

How much will the providers save when the sack all the meter readers, and don't have to buy/lease a fleet of vehicles for them to use, or pay for fuel, RFL, insurance, servicing and other employee related on-costs?

They are lying by claiming they are "free".............we have already paid for them by inflated bills! As apparently they are when the claim reliable nationwide coverage!

This smells like another whizbang idea to extract more money out of the customer............for less cost! Equalling more profit!

What do we get out of it? £15 quid and the satisfaction of knowing how much energy we are uising! Lol!

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14 minutes ago, panoma1 said:

How much will the providers save when the sack all the meter readers, and don't have to buy/lease a fleet of vehicles for them to use, or pay for fuel, RFL, insurance, servicing and other employee related on-costs?

Nothing (or at least not much) : There still has to be an inspection at least every 2 years (safety and integrity of anti tamper seals).  In practice my meter now is read only about every 2 years anyway (I submit readings monthly).

Smart Gas meters also need a battery - which has a life of 'several years', but there seem to be quite a lot of cases of early life battery failure.

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