Smart Meter ...

[Harry Bloomfield]

Smart meters can be turned off remotely for bad debt(or for any reason the supplier sees fit), just as a normal meter can be turned off and isolated manually for bad debt.

They are not allowed to just switch them off and certainly not without a very good reason. There is no practical difference between the process of old meters and Smart Meters, other than that they can remotely switch SM's off, rather than sending a guy round to cut the supply.

SM are better able to withstand energy thieves, in that they have detection circuits and can phone home is interfered with.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Get him to switch suppliers, I do every so often, save a lot more than having a smart meter(which would be 0).

Part of the T&C's of most suppliers is that you have a SM fitted. Switching often helps a little, but when you live in an expensive energy area, all suppliers will cost more.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

For comparison, I am presently paying for energy...

Electric SC 23.100p per Kwh 11.910p
Gas SC 24.990p pw Kwh 2.100p

 

[Ihavenojob]

For comparison, I am presently paying for energy...

Electric SC 23.100p per Kwh 11.910p
Gas SC 24.990p pw Kwh 2.100p

That's cheap.

 

[EFLImpudence]

The cost of smart meters was said to be 11 billion pounds - it will be more now because of the cock-ups.

Divide that by the number of households.

 

[Dangee]

Where was it said?

 

[EFLImpudence]

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-4846700/Smart-meters-cost-household-420.html

https://www.telecomtv.com/content/s...in-the-uk-project-cost-up-by-2-billion-36363/

Plenty more.

 

[Dangee]

Where?

 

[noseall]

Divide that by the number of households.

Phew! Thank goodness its not just those taking up that pay.

There isn't a single sensible reason for not having a SM, that I've seen on here. I'm guessing that all meters need upgrading at some point. Who on here would insist that they upgrade to an old style meter as opposed to a smart meter - and why?

(The cost thing is moot by the way).

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The cost of smart meters was said to be 11 billion pounds - it will be more now because of the cock-ups.

Divide that by the number of households.

Maybe unfair to blame all of that on SM installs. Meters old or new SM's are supposed to be replaced anyway, after a few years. Once old ones are replaced with SM's, there is (was (1)) no need for a meter reader to have to go out to read them.

(1) I presently, due to my SMETS 1 meters not being remotely readable, do occasionally have a meter reader pop in to manually read mine.

 

[ellal]

Who on here would insist that they upgrade to an old style meter as opposed to a smart meter - and why?

Personalised/timed billing in the future...

Plus the risk of hacking/data abuse...

But hey, if someone wants one far be it for me to point out that 'smart' meter = dumb consumer

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Personalised/timed billing in the future...

Plus the risk of hacking/data abuse...

But hey, if someone wants one far be it for me to point out that 'smart' meter = dumb consumer

I considered all of that and discounted it all as highly improbable. I have no wish to be a part of the foil hat brigade, but I do take sensible precautions - like avoiding FB collecting any of my details, having an AV in place and setting my own routers security up.

 

[ellal]

I considered all of that and discounted it all as highly improbable.

'highly improbable'?

"Smart meters will reach a "Star Trek phase" - when the technology works to the financial benefit of consumers, a minister has promised.
Climate change minister Lord Duncan of Springbank told a committee of MPs that the controversial system will allow "technology to be our friend".
Eventually, residents would be able to choose real-time tariffs, to switch on appliances when energy is cheapest."

"The "Star Trek phase" of the technology would allow residents to "run the laundry" at lower-cost times of day, owing to tariffs that allowed for a change in cost every half an hour, business minister Lord Duncan of Springbank told the Business Committee of MPs."

Did you spot the bit about "owing to tariffs that allowed for a change in cost every half an hour"?

That's individually. So given that the meters can transmit the 'power cycle' and thus analyse what is used and when, then that 'half an hour' change data could be very useful to an energy company in determining when and how to charge individual households

Think about it some more before you discount the possibilities/eventualities!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

"The "Star Trek phase" of the technology would allow residents to "run the laundry" at lower-cost times of day, owing to tariffs that allowed for a change in cost every half an hour, business minister Lord Duncan of Springbank told the Business Committee of MPs."

Did you spot the bit about "owing to tariffs that allowed for a change in cost every half an hour"?

No, not at all. There is a certain company already doing exactly that - offering variable rates. They advise the customer 24 hours before, what the rate will be for the next day and you can then decide when is a good time to have your immersion heater on, your storage heaters and car charging. Rates per Kw have even gone negative, so they pay you to use it. Once Smart Appliances become more widespread, they should be able to decide for themselves when to switch on.

E7 has you trying to use Kw between certain fixed times, the Smart Meter is similar, except without the fixed times to charge.

 

[bernardgreen]

This reminds me of the energy monitoring "clock" in the control room of a sky scraper office block in London. Large blank clock face with a black hand and a red hand. The black hand moved at a constant speed as a indication of the energy the building could use, this rate was set by the London Electricity Board as part of the contract. The red hand followed the black hand and was the indication of energy being used. If the red hand got too close to the black hand then energy consumption had to be reduced to prevent the red hand overtaking the black hand, that would result in an expensive surcharge on the bill. But also if the black hand over took the red hand then there were other surcharges because the building was not using enough electricity.