Smart meter - no trust

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I'm curious to know if it's perhaps a reasonable idea to have a secondary private meter fitted somewhere between the smart meter and consumer unit to see if the energy consumption displayed on the smart meter is actually what is being used? I've heard through the grapevine that energy companies have at times attempted to overclock smart meters, i.e. the energy used by the homeowner is actually less than what the smart meter is reporting due to tampering. Thoughts ?

This would probably be a good time to say as well that during the process of upgrading to a smart meter the engineer reported a fraudulent meter reading which was quite some kW more than what it actually was and what I have proof of as I took a photo of the old meter just before it was removed which the engineer didn't know I had. My trust of energy companies is at an all time low as a result of this.
 
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I'm curious to know if it's perhaps a reasonable idea to have a secondary private meter fitted somewhere between the smart meter and consumer unit to see if the energy consumption displayed on the smart meter is actually what is being used?
I realise that some people have suspicions, concerns of even 'paranoias', but what makes you feel that there might be a reason to do that with a 'smart' meter but not with a non-'smart' one?

The consumption-measuring parts/technology of a 'smart' meter are exactly the same as they are for a non-'smart' meter.

Kind Regards, John
 
The calibration between them are different. And not in the consumers interest.

Is there just 1 number different between your photo and the entered reading?
 
I realise that some people have suspicions, concerns of even 'paranoias', but what makes you feel that there might be a reason to do that with a 'smart' meter but not with a non-'smart' one?

The consumption-measuring parts/technology of a 'smart' meter are exactly the same as they are for a non-'smart' meter.

Kind Regards, John

It would give me peace of mind to know that the energy I am being billed for is the correct amount.

If it is a private meter I would use it to cross-reference and the energy company can claim no rights over it.

Distrust and paranoia, yes. I have no trust or faith in the energy companies in this country to do what is right.
 
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The calibration between them are different. And not in the consumers interest.

Is there just 1 number different between your photo and the entered reading?

How so?

No a difference of over 500kWH. Fraud.
 
The calibration between them are different. And not in the consumers interest.
What do you mean by that? All electricity meters are required to be calibrated with an acceoptable degree of accuracy.

Kind Regards, John
 
What do you mean by that? All electricity meters are required to be calibrated with an acceoptable degree of accuracy.

Kind Regards, John

If manufactured to British standards, which it would be
 
It would give me peace of mind to know that the energy I am being billed for is the correct amount.
Yes, I understand that - but what I don't understand why you want that peace of mind in relation to a smart meter, but seemingly didn't feel the need for the same peace of mind with your non-smart one (which would have been just as likely to develop inaccuracies or be used 'fraudulently').

Kind Regards, John
 
No a difference of over 500kWH. Fraud.
That sounds like a simple error in meter reading to me.

There's no credible way in which a meter reader/changer could personally benefit by recording 'fraudulent' meter readings, and it would be an unbelievably daft one who would risk ending up in prison so that his employer could make a financial gain!

Kind Regards, John
 
Old meters had poor tollerances, so to prevent suppliers over charging, they were calibrated on the low side which benefited customers.

With Newer meters having better tollerances, this is likely to lead to customers paying more!
 
Old meters had poor tollerances, so to prevent suppliers over charging, they were calibrated on the low side which benefited customers. With Newer meters having better tollerances, this is likely to lead to customers paying more!
I don't know to what extent that is true but, if it is ...

... you appear to be saying that, because of lower levels of accuracy, older meters were calibrated such that they were, on average, persistently undercharging customers, whereas newer meters are resulting in customers being charged closer to what they should always have been paying.

Whilst, if true, that would indeed mean that 'customers would be paying more' with newer meters, at least in moral terms it would surely be a case of "correcting a decades-long anomaly", rather than "a scam" wouldn't it?

Kind Regards, John
 
Whilst no pragmatic advice has been offered with regards to what I intend to have done it nevertheless will be done and the discussion here is interesting nonetheless.
 
I don't know to what extent that is true but, if it is ...

... you appear to be saying that, because of lower levels of accuracy, older meters were calibrated such that they were, on average, persistently undercharging customers, whereas newer meters are resulting in customers being charged closer to what they should always have been paying.

Whilst, if true, that would indeed mean that 'customers would be paying more' with newer meters, at least in moral terms it would surely be a case of "correcting a decades-long anomaly", rather than "a scam" wouldn't it?

Kind Regards, John

Disagree. Two wrongs don't make a right.
 
That sounds like a simple error in meter reading to me.

There's no credible way in which a meter reader/changer could personally benefit by recording 'fraudulent' meter readings, and it would be an unbelievably daft one who would risk ending up in prison so that his employer could make a financial gain!

Kind Regards, John

Nonetheless, after sending the photo of the meter reading and offering to report the energy company for fraud I have received a settlement.
 

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