The smart meter, it seems 10% don't work, well it may be more!

[ericmark]

I don't have have solar and I get a cheaper tariff at targeted times. That works for me.

I am genuine interested in how without solar, batteries, (which includes storage radiators) or an EV how you use variable tariffs to save money? The peak rate for me is 32.277p/kWh where with a flat rate it would be more like 26p/kWh so to save money I have to ensure I use a lot more off-peak to peak. My batteries assist in this, I can also run the big three overnight, washing machine, tumbler drier, and dishwasher, but that would not ensure I use enough off-peak to off-set the high peak price. The immersion heater is set in winter to use off-peak, summer it uses excess solar, but in winter the central heating also heats DHW no option to turn it off, so the immersion does very little in winter.

Pretty sure that meter instructions will be available on the internet, somewhere...

Yes, I tried, it seems it never does the same thing twice, it comes up with do you want to change settings, and I press the NO button, and with some attempts it will show all three readings, but never it seems at the same time.

One question that I'd like answering by someone independent but in the know - does every reading go through one central point before the supplier receives it?

I would assume it does, as you don't need to have the same supplier/receiver for import and export, you have two MPAN numbers assigned to the meter, so you could in theory buy from one and sell to another, however, the deals offered means one in practice would not do this.

Even then the in home display only works occasionally.

If with Octopus they give you a special in home display which also connects to internet in some way, so you can see a lot more, I have not asked for one, as my solar software does it for me.

Can anyone agree or disagree?

The standing charge, was an insignificant amount 20 years ago. But last month import £38.77 including standing charge and £17.07 without, and export £51.76 so all in all, they owed me money, so I was not that worried about the standing charge.

But the point is, getting power to my house, must cost money, even if I use nothing, so it does seem fair I am charged to have the option to use grid electric. However, that cost will not change whatever tariff I select, so why should the standing charge change with different tariffs, that bit should be static.

You can't be forced, they can fit them in "dumb" mode.

Correct, if you don't want a variable tariff or payment for export, you don't have to accept a smart meter, but if you want off-peak or export payment, you now need a smart meter, only way around it is if a smart meter will not work.

But with the old meter, I had no problem getting it to display the reading, no buttons to press, no scrolling display, it was simple, I just read the numbers on the meter. But with the smart meter it is gobby-gooke what does Act Imp mean?

It seems I should by pressing the A button only get "Rate 01 Act Exp", "'Rate 01 Act Imp" and "Rate 02 Act Imp" I have got readings, but never all three on the same day.

So if my meter was set to dumb mode, I could not read it. The bill, tells me how much I used every half hour, and it has the readings for export but for import no meter reading, just how much I have used, so even if I did read the meter, I have no referance point to work out how much used.

 

[denso13]

am genuine interested in how without solar, batteries, (which includes storage radiators) or an EV how you use variable tariffs to save money?

They offer cheap usage hours, sometimes they pay you, negative rates, at certain times of the day.

Some also have incentives where the will give you target hours to use power and if you do you earn cashback, which comes of your bill.

All of which needs a smart meter.

 

[denso13]

But with the old meter, I had no problem getting it to display the reading, no buttons to press, no scrolling display, it was simple, I just read the numbers on the meter. But with the smart meter it is gobby-gooke what does Act Imp mean?

Like my old black and white telly, much simpler, only three channels, non of this smart TV app download/ upload nonsense. Bring back the old days ...

 

[ericmark]

Oh, I did see something when the eclipse happened. If I signed up and used less energy I got something, but could not use less than zero.

I am not into living my life around the power I use and when, if I want a coffee, I put the kettle on.

While the app works no problem, I know what I am using, if app fails, I would only have the solar software.

 

[denso13]

But with the smart meter it is gobby-gooke what does Act Imp mean?

Total import of all rates.

 

[denso13]

did see something when the eclipse happened. If I signed up and used less energy I got something, but could not use less than zero.

No, but I have no solar so worked for me.

 

[ericmark]

Bring back the old days

Yes, had the single channel BBC like it or lump it, then ITV, then BBC 2, which you had as default, so everyone thought you were posh, then channel 4 and finally had someone return your set so you could get channel 5.

Today not a clue how I watch TV, it may come from an aerial, or a dish, or even the internet, and the TV works it all out for you, no changing the coils in the truant tuner. Clunk click every change.

I remember the mains dropper failing, think around 90Ω, could not find one, but a 650 watt 240 volt appliance was around 90Ω, so fitted a socket across where the dropper should be, and we would plug in the iron or toaster to watch TV, but if you forgot to turn up the temperature, it would pop up just at the exciting bit, and TV would need to warm up again, those were the days.

But when I think back it means a TV was using close on a kW, could not afford to run them today.

The old Wylex fuse box had a 60 amp isolator and whole house ran on a 60 amp DNO fuse. The lights alone often exceeded the 5 amps used for lighting back then, but today I use around 12 kW per day and most of that used with freezers, as wife seems to think she needs 4 of them.

 

[Rodders53]

Smartme suggests Act = Active and has the instructions via drop down boxes for getting to (for dual rate tariffs):
'Rate 01 Act Imp' (Active Import Register 1)
'Rate 02 Act Imp' (Active Import Register 2)
and
Total Act Export (Active Export Register).

Which register is day and which night can be a variable feast (reading MSE forums).

Of course all the Units that meter displays are in Kelvin Watt hours (KWh) and not the correct kilo Watt hours (kWh). Unforgivable for an Engineering Company like L&G (imho).

 

[SUNRAY]

In the 50 odd years I've been paying energy charges I'm pretty certain in the 1990's or maybe the early 2000's there was a time when the standing charge was incorporated into the unit charge - I'm pretty certain it only last around 12 months as the users found it was more expensive in the long run or they used even less energy.

Can anyone agree or disagree?

The only thing I recall was the standing charge was never more than the energy usage. IE when my gas consumption was 32p for two quarters the meter reader informed me he'd arrange a refund as I'd already paid 2 estimated bills. I explained I was happy to raise some credit in advance of the heavy winter period. He explained I could leave the credit in place but he'd arrange to get the bill corrected so I'd not be paying the standing charge unnecessarily... Seeing the amended bill to 64p from something like £20 was rather lovely and then the next quarter was something under £1. I was refurbishing the house at the time and not living there.

 

[SUNRAY]

Yes, had the single channel BBC like it or lump it, then ITV, then BBC 2, which you had as default, so everyone thought you were posh, then channel 4 and finally had someone return your set so you could get channel 5.

Today not a clue how I watch TV, it may come from an aerial, or a dish, or even the internet, and the TV works it all out for you, no changing the coils in the truant tuner. Clunk click every change.

I remember the mains dropper failing, think around 90Ω, could not find one, but a 650 watt 240 volt appliance was around 90Ω, so fitted a socket across where the dropper should be, and we would plug in the iron or toaster to watch TV, but if you forgot to turn up the temperature, it would pop up just at the exciting bit, and TV would need to warm up again, those were the days.

But when I think back it means a TV was using close on a kW, could not afford to run them today.

No chance, chances are there was only 300mA valve heater current flowing through that 90Ω so 8W.

Back in the day I used to take the back off a new set and read/measure the resistances of those dropper resistors and note them down (usually on a piece of cornflake box and left under the set) to make future repairs easy after the writing had burnt off. I had to repair for every segment bar 1 in our first colour set, something like 6 -8!. We then passed the set on to friends when we upgraded and received a note via them from their repairer man thanking me for the information.

 

[ericmark]

No chance

I may have got the rating of toaster and iron wrong, it was a long time ago, around 1978, but I know I replaced the dropper with the iron.

We have over the years used less and less power, except for the down lights era, where we would use maybe 10 x 50 watt down lights where a 58 watt fluorescent would do the same job.

We also got the 500 watt quartz where a 70 watt metal halide would do same job.

But in the main other than lights, we have used less and less. As to my own living room, I have to admit 8 x 6 watt main light, and cabinet lights of 50 watts, and up lighters, yes the use of power for lights has got a bit silly. I must be using more today on living room lights ever used with tungsten.

But for rest of electric, the power used today must be a lot less.

 

[mikehammer69]

They were bad old days

The days of dodgy metal appliances and tvs and burnt lamp holders and 2-bar electric heaters

Then came the disaster of open halogen fittings with trafos and dimmers etc

Boards and cabling and appliances are all much safer now .
Off the top of my head , main hazard round the house seems to be all the gadgetry that's permanently connected

I've no issue with the smart metering since I got mine . I don't do usage monitoring so the app is handy for keeping track and a text alert if usage is excessive on any day