Electric Meter

[Bosswhite]

which links to https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/the-truth-behind-smart-meter-myths-aoJeW4L7Fwmj

That article has no mention of any type of disconnection. The word "disconnect" does not appear in the article.

It does say that remote access to the meter is possible to remotely "repair" issues

""if it can't resolve the issue remotely, it should send someone round to inspect it for you""

Thanks for that information , I note that an Electric Company does not have a legal right to change meter as they have said in an Email to me , they can only legally change the meter if damaged, and I still have the option of having the wi fi turned off .[ I live in a rural area where mobile phones do not work ]
(living in a 312 year old stone thatched cottage].

 

[motorbiking]

As I said in my first post, they have no legal right to force you to have a smart meter. The alternative is not an analogue meter. I think all options are digital now.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks for that information , I note that an Electric Company does not have a legal right to change meter as they have said in an Email to me , they can only legally change the meter if damaged, and I still have the option of having the wi fi turned off .

Or out of calibration. Calibration is (I understand) good for 10 years after they were originally installed, after which they have a legal duty to swap them out.

 

[Old Salt]

Or out of calibration. Calibration is (I understand) good for 10 years after they were originally installed, after which they have a legal duty to swap them out.

Calibration depends on the type of meter, some have more and some have less than 10 year life. Its based on various factors, those that get replaced are tested to determine the calibration status and then other factors are taken into account to assess the expected life before recalibration becomes necessary. The old black meters could be refurbished and returned to service, until the newer small meters (not smart meters) took over. These newer small meters are cheaper to buy than the refurbishment costs of the old black meters so became dispososable.

Then we come onto smart meters and this is where I bow out. One of my previous roles was working on the smart metering programme for a company whose ultimate head office is based in Paris. Having seen some of the rubbish spouted about smart meters on this and other forums I am not getting involved. Suffice to say that I would not entertain a smets1 meter but now that smets2 meters are in use, yes I do have one.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Suffice to say that I would not entertain a smets1 meter but now that smets2 meters are in use, yes I do have one.

For what reason, because the smets1 has calibration issues, or some other reason?

 

[Old Salt]

For what reason, because the smets1 has calibration issues, or some other reason?

Smets1 were only designed to work on the one data system of individual suppliers. Whilst smets2 were supposedly designed to work with the central data collector. The data collector then divvies up the data to your supplier and you get the bill. In theory it should carry on being smart when you change supplier.

But please note that the energy suppliers never instigated smart meters. Smart meters are the spawn of the EU trying to get countries to meet their carbon reduction targets. Governments then forced smart meters onto suppliers, with targets to complete the roll out which have still not been achieved. Of course, every country wanted slight differences for the meters so increasing costs for the suppliers, who couldnt even agree what they wanted. These costs are borne by everyone who receives an electric bill whether they have a smart meter or not.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Smets1 were only designed to work on the one data system of individual suppliers. Whilst smets2 were supposedly designed to work with the central data collector. The data collector then divvies up the data to your supplier and you get the bill. In theory it should carry on being smart when you change supplier.

Which is now, the way my smets1 works - via the central data collector.

I think my phone app, must tap directly into that central data, because it doesn't get it from BG.

So, essentially - there is no difference between a smets2 and a smets1 which has been made to report it's data to that central data collector?

 

[Old Salt]

Which is now, the way my smets1 works - via the central data collector.

I think my phone app, must tap directly into that central data, because it doesn't get it from BG.

So, essentially - there is no difference between a smets2 and a smets1 which has been made to report it's data to that central data collector?

The difference is that if you change supplier with a smets 1 meter it may no longer be smart. Not guaranteed but possible. I have been retired for a number of years now so things may have changed.

 

[gas112]

It was not unusual to take a smet1 gas meter out only to see it continue to register usage. 7 years ago bg were already into starting to change 500,000 smet1 gas meters due to their unreliability. While well into this programme a lot of issues were meant to have been sorted by a software upgrade

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The difference is that if you change supplier with a smets 1 meter it may no longer be smart.

That was the case, but they worked out what was supposed to be a work-around, all the reading are sent to the intermediary, then the supplier has them forwarded.

My first two smets1 meters, had to be swapped out, when I did my annual change of supplier. The provision of the replacement smets1 took so long to implement, that the meters were only smart for a few weeks/months, before I swapped supplier again - with me chasing the supplier yet again, for my meters to be smart.

My last supplier swap was an enforced one to BG. In the meantime, the 'intermediary' must have been sorted, because they quite quickly became smart again, without need for a meter swap.

Once I was working with the intermediary, I was able to use a completely independent of my supplier phone app, to watch my consumption data.

 

[noseall]

As I said in my first post, they have no legal right to force you to have a smart meter. The alternative is not an analogue meter. I think all options are digital now.

Force, lol.

FFS, anyone would think they give you cancer and spy on you whilst your beating the dog or rogering the Missus.

They just meter your electric for goodness sake.

 

[motorbiking]

This is what IT people call the high level Architecture. All the usual suspects involved, Logica, Capita, BT... Sure there's no data being collected, honest. No need for these authorised 3rd parties to want access then.

 

[denso13]

Sure there's no data being collected, honest.

"They" know all they need to know about you. If you were so concerned you wouldn't have bank acount, mobile phone or any electronic devices in your home. You would also never leave your home for fear of someone finding out a little bit more about you.

People complained that SMETS1 meters didn't work properly so the process you posted was to enable SMETS2 meters as a better solution. But no, now it's a bigger conspiracy because the evil Capita etc are there to steal your last secrets.

It's a metering device. Get a grip.

 

[motorbiking]

I wonder how many data processing agreements you've accepted without reading. I worked on a case a few years ago where a smart scale was collecting and selling consumer's data to health insurers to enabled them to map obesity by zip code. All anonymised of course (but not in an entirely unrecontstructable way).

As I said at the start, I'd be happy to have a Smart Meter Device because the benefits out way the cons (for me). But If I was struggling to pay my bills and didn't want a pre-pay, I think I'd not be so keen.

 

[noseall]

Get a grip.

He's an RWR and a Tory. They are renowned for being susceptible and receptive to Wail-esque bullshít.