mossy835 Posted July 12 Report Share Posted July 12 i have the old key meter, and now its not working,so we are on free electric they said we will have to have a smart meter,not happy about it what do you think of them, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weihrauch17 Posted July 12 Report Share Posted July 12 9 minutes ago, mossy835 said: i have the old key meter, and now its not working,so we are on free electric they said we will have to have a smart meter,not happy about it what do you think of them, It is the only type you can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted July 12 Report Share Posted July 12 Well, the latest "smart Meters" are built in to the electricity meter and send readings every half hour. Had mine fitted last week by a lovely chap sub contracted to EON. Consequently you only ever pay for what you have actually used. Simples............................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westward Posted July 12 Report Share Posted July 12 We were dubious at first but now, with the Agile tariff from Octopus, we can set things like dishwasher and washing machine to run at times when the price is really cheap. Sometimes prices even go negative and we end up getting paid to use energy, yes really... And sometimes we get reward points for not using energy at certain times. Nett result is we pay less per annum for energy now than 3 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted July 12 Report Share Posted July 12 34 minutes ago, Westward said: We were dubious at first but now, with the Agile tariff from Octopus, we can set things like dishwasher and washing machine to run at times when the price is really cheap. Sometimes prices even go negative and we end up getting paid to use energy, yes really... And sometimes we get reward points for not using energy at certain times. Nett result is we pay less per annum for energy now than 3 years ago. I have not got one, in part because the earlier ones are not so smart and until recently these tariff options were not generally available. I would be sorely tempted now, if I lived at home but I know i would become obsessed with the numbers. 😊 The power wall would already be on order. As it is I generate most of my own power when living off grid using solar pv. Sad but nothing more exciting than returning home to see x generated for the day 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggy74 Posted July 12 Report Share Posted July 12 You can arrange to have your own installed if you really dont want a smart meter but you still pay the standing charges regardless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted July 12 Author Report Share Posted July 12 well buy the end of june 2025 we will all have them, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rim Fire Posted July 13 Report Share Posted July 13 I keep getting emails saying they are in my area and want to change mine but like oowee I didn't trust the early ones that came out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmaxphil Posted July 13 Report Share Posted July 13 We went onto a tariff that required a smart meter but when the chap came to fit it he realised it wouldn't fit in the gap, so we got the tariff but no smart meter 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigbob Posted July 13 Report Share Posted July 13 We have both smart meters for gas and electric two weeks ago the guy fitted the smart meter for the gas then said i cant get it to connect they said they will get back to you , The wife said they said that about the electric one four years ago we are still waiting .LOL , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted July 13 Report Share Posted July 13 (edited) Although I have a smart electricity meter, it doesn't actually seem to work reliably (in that they only seem to get readings 'now and again') and I therefore get asked to send in a reading monthly (which I do and takes all of about 2 minutes). They have been (twice) now to fit a smart gas meter, but have been unable to do so as they don't have the right training/qualification to replace my old meter (which is apparently a type U16) and there is no smart 'like for like' so a 'more qualified' man is needed to authorise and approve the change of meter type. Despite many many calls and two visits, this has proved to be beyond their capabilities. Edited July 13 by JohnfromUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted July 13 Report Share Posted July 13 Well I guess I have just been lucky so far then........................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted July 13 Report Share Posted July 13 2 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: just been lucky so far then They haven't called you yet? 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted July 13 Report Share Posted July 13 8 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said: They haven't called you yet? 🤣 Only thing that needs to be done now is for a couple of seals to be replaced, that will be done on Tuesday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samboy Posted July 13 Report Share Posted July 13 I've got 2 smart meters which register what i am using but don't relay the readings back to the supplier. So i text them the readings myself which i shouldn't have to do but it saves me getting an estimated bill. 3 times they have been coming round to fix them but i'm still waiting. Must be over a year now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted July 13 Report Share Posted July 13 12 minutes ago, samboy said: I've got 2 smart meters which register what i am using but don't relay the readings back to the supplier. So i text them the readings myself which i shouldn't have to do but it saves me getting an estimated bill. 3 times they have been coming round to fix them but i'm still waiting. Must be over a year now. Unfortunately, that means you (like me) can't benefit from the agile smart tariffs which need to know accurately usage and 'time of usage' to take advantage of (usually night-time) periods of surplus capacity on the grid. Very useful for those charging electric vehicles. Without the 'full operation' - you are not really getting any of the benefits that smart meters and tariffs in theory make available. Currently there is a 3 tier system; Those who don't have a smart meter (either through choice or not being available in their situation) - cannot access the full range of tariffs Those who have a smart meter, but it isn't functioning fully - cannot access the full range of tariffs Those who have a fully functional smart meter - gives additional tariffs that may be very financially advantageous to people who have the right circumstances and use the range of tariffs wisely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyshooter Posted July 13 Report Share Posted July 13 Our served an extra purpose ! Whilst we were away on holiday a circuit breaker tripped on our consumer unit and shut the downstairs sockets off. This was detected by us after seeing a drop in our daily consumption as shown on our EON account. A friend reset the breaker ( which restored power to the fridge, freezer and router ( hence our cameras were offline ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 Awareness needed over usage of driers etc in the night.... some firebrigades not impressed from a safety point of view? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 2 minutes ago, old man said: Awareness needed over usage of driers etc in the night.... some firebrigades not impressed from a safety point of view? Very much so. Those appliances that use heat (washing machines, dishwashers, tumbler driers etc.), and therefore use a large amount of electricity are the ones on which the greatest savings can be made by using cheap rate electricity. However, they are also among the highest fire risk appliances (along with refrigeration). Clearly, refrigeration has to be a 24 hour a day function, but unattended clothes and dishes washing and drying can be done unattended at night and most machines have timers to enable this - but doing so does carry risk. Slightly aside - I replaced my 25 year old tumbler drier last year with a 'heat pump' type. It is MUCH more economical and also use lower air temperatures, so is (I think) a lower fire risk. Having said that - I don't use any of these things at night. I did look into it and on my (very low) usage of electricity, the savings on the tariffs available to me were going to be very low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 22 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said: Slightly aside - I replaced my 25 year old tumbler drier last year with a 'heat pump' type. It is MUCH more economical and also use lower air temperatures, so is (I think) a lower fire risk. Having said that - I don't use any of these things at night. I did look into it and on my (very low) usage of electricity, the savings on the tariffs available to me were going to be very low. Thats interesting, never heard of such a thing. Can you notice a significant difference? How does it work? Do you need to run it for a long time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 Just now, oowee said: Thats interesting, never heard of such a thing. Can you notice a significant difference? How does it work? Do you need to run it for a long time? There are quite a few on the market. Mine happens to be a Miele (the previous washing machine and tumbler drier were both Miele and ran totally fault free for nearly 25 years, so I was keen for same level of reliability again!), but most of the 'big names do them'. Yes, big difference. Old one (standard electric heater type with internal condenser) used around 3 - 4 KWh to dry a load of washing (3 KW for around 1 to 1.5 hours). New one uses around 0.75 - 1.2 KWh. Although it uses less power, it does take a bit longer as it operates at lower temperature - in theory around 1 - 1.5 times as long, but I have found in practice very little longer. It makes around the same level of noise as a normal drier. It works by using a heat pump to create warm dry air that is blown through the washing, then passed over a condenser to condense the water - which is then pumped away to the drain hose. This is what heat pumps do well - make one end (the warming and drying the air part) hot and the other end (the condense the water and dry the air part) cool. The upside is that they are a lot cheaper to run at around 1/3 of the electricity and are a lower fire risk (allegedly) and 'kinder' to the clothing/washing die to lower temperatures. The downside is that they are expensive to buy (especially the better energy rated ones) and take a little longer. They do also I believe need a minimum ambient temperature of around 45 Fahrenheit (heatpumps don't work well in cold ambients), so might not suit going in a garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udderlyoffroad Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 12 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said: The upside is that they are a lot cheaper to run at around 1/3 of the electricity and are a lower fire risk (allegedly) and 'kinder' to the clothing/washing die to lower temperatures. The downside is that they are expensive to buy (especially the better energy rated ones) and take a little longer. They do also I believe need a minimum ambient temperature of around 45 Fahrenheit (heatpumps don't work well in cold ambients), so might not suit going in a garage. Another vote for heat pump driers, had mine for about 5 years now. It's a Beko, not quite in the Miele range, but was about the same money as a mid-range conventional drier IIRC. Pre-pandemic, you understand. Given the current price of electricity, you'd have to be nuts to buy a conventional model, if you were in the market now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 @JohnfromUK@udderlyoffroad Its pretty impressive stuff 👍 If I was at home more i would definitely be on the energy efficient road. I have solar pv system on my boat and managing power use and generation is a constant juggling act. Always playing with the numbers 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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