# Not so smart meter



## mjvw (Feb 5, 2020)

Changed energy suppliers now using dual fuel supplier, deal was struck with the incentive of a smart meter being installed the services provider was duly changed and as promised smart meter installed, spent a couple of days watching the pounds and pences ticking over and getting a good overview on my bad habits for gas and electric use, Then after about a week it stopped working saying lost connection.
I rang the suppliers customer service number and after a 15 minutes wait spoke to a representative and after some trouble shooting was told it was connected at their end and was sending data (meter reading etc) so all was well, and the problem would be passed on to the tech team to investigate remotely and this could take up two weeks
I informed Customer service i was not happy about the length of time and a working smart meter was the clincher to changing over, as i wanted to do my bit for the environment and my pocket anyone had similar issues?


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## molly 2 (Feb 5, 2020)

Oh yes , took months to get a replacement  loads of emails  they even asked  for a video of it not working  .as long it was working at their end they could not care less  .worst service I've ever had.


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## Minisorella (Feb 5, 2020)

Annoying for you but they're right in essence. The smart _meter _itself is working fine and doing its job sending signals to the mothership. It sounds as though what's not working is the monitor that sits in the house? I actually left mine unplugged once without realising and the batteries ran down... I thought for sure it had broken! Mine also goes to 'sleep' for several hours a day... you can set which hours in the menu. Not saying this is the issue with yours, which they've probably diagnosed as a faulty unit. Anyhoo, you can probably login to your supplier online and check the sort of information that you should be seeing on the monitor until they get yours fixed. It's quite addictive (and enlightening!) keeping an eye on those pennies, isn't it?  Hope they don't take too long getting it sorted.


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## mjvw (Feb 5, 2020)

molly 2 said:


> Oh yes , took months to get a replacement  loads of emails  they even asked  for a video of it not working  .as long it was working at their end they could not care less  .


Looks like it be a long wait


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## jacquigem (Feb 5, 2020)

We had same problems with Scottish Power . Never worked from inception , had to keep sending manual readings then it started to work and payments increased . We asked for a test to make sure the readings were accurate . Refused. So now with British Gas . They say meter not working so sending manual readings . Have to see how it goes . Our advice , dont touch them with a barge pole .


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## yeoblade (Feb 5, 2020)

Yes they have big problems. I have one installed,2 years ago, changed supplier and continued to give new supplier the reading from it, turned out they over billed me by £1200!. Once you change suppliers they don't work any more ! In the bin now.
Did you know you have to press the number '9' on it's keypad to get the reading from the actual meter, well that's intuitive . I didn't .
And their TV promo's well, Started out lying, telling us how much £ we would save. Now their adds  admit our Electrical supply system is out off date and the smart meters help THEM try to prevent blackouts (well they don't actually put it that way)
Rant over    
Smart meters good idea, but messed up by getting all the technical stuff wrong.


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## Tonybvi (Feb 5, 2020)

I’d love a smart meter as I could then switch to a cheap night time tariff for charging the electric car.  However we have no mobile signal at all here so electricity suppliers don’t want to know!


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## Tezza33 (Feb 5, 2020)

I had smart meters fitted over six months ago, the gas one works fine but the electric meter stopped working the day after it was installed, it isn't showing anything on the display or sending anything to them (Shell Energy), I have to read the meter and send them the reading every month, they keep saying they are trying to start it remotely when I ring them to complain but last time I told them that I was leaving them because I live in the countryside and there is enough bull sh1t here without them adding to it,


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## QFour (Feb 5, 2020)

Tonybvi said:


> I’d love a smart meter as I could then switch to a cheap night time tariff for charging the electric car.  However we have no mobile signal at all here so electricity suppliers don’t want to know!



It's really amazing that we have so many areas in the Uk with no reliable mobile signal. They are happily promoting 5G yet some places cannot even get 2G. It's about time the mobile service providers got themselves sorted and let each other use their masts. It would save on the number of masts required for one thing. We visited Turkey a few years ago sailing. They don't use ships radio as the mountains are in the way but the mobile phone system works well 10 miles out at sea. Spain is the same. Internet everywhere.


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## Canalsman (Feb 5, 2020)

There is a scheme under way to address this issue:





__





						The Shared Rural Network (SRN) Campaign | Mobile UK
					

The Shared Rural Network (SRN) is transforming mobile coverage, countrywide. The project was developed by the UK’s four mobile network operators (MNOs) with support from Government. The programme will make mobile broadband available to 95% of the UK. The operators expect this will extend mobile...




					www.mobileuk.org


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## Fazerloz (Feb 5, 2020)

POI Admin said:


> There is a scheme under way to address this issue:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I still think it odds on I will park up in the  blind spot.


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## Canalsman (Feb 5, 2020)

The down side is it may not be implemented fully for 5 years...


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## Allen (Feb 6, 2020)

I just don't get this smart meter mallarcy (a Yorkshire term for wtf.)

If a light is on I don't need I turn it off.
If I'm too hot then I turn the heating down.

How does a smart meter help?


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## Sharpie (Feb 6, 2020)

Well I am resisting having them installed because I know for a fact that they will never work where they have to be installed in my garage, where there is no coverage whatsoever on any network.

As does a relative, who is also in the same situation, but gave in, even the installers said that it would never work in his location, but they are incentivised to put them in so in it went. And achieves nothing. He knows perfectly well how to turn things on and off and manage his use, still has to read it himself, but the very significant cost of all of this just gets added to our bills. It is a huge amount already. In billions. 

13.4 billion £ so far, according to https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/09/17/four_year_delay_for_smart_meter_rollout/

Which has already gone somewhere, snoughts in troughs I think. As for the desperate pleas from say EDF Energy who now try to tell me that it it is a legal requirement to have one fitted, pure BS. It won't work, they will be fined I think £50 for not doing it, rather than incentivised by quite a lot more to put in something that I don't want, will not work, and overall adds to the price of my supply, then punish me with higher bills for being awkward.These things are not free. Another government initiative that has been very badly thought though.

They couldn't even make them inter-operable to begin with, supposedly that has now been fixed with SMETS2.

As for the "shared rural network proposal" well I don't think that is likely to happen any time soon, if ever. I live in a densely populated place, but in a pocket down a hillside where there is nothing unless I put my 'phone in a particular spot on the bathroom windowsill and can get just one network, slowly Yet if I walk a hundred yards up the road everything is perfect. I see no incentive for any network to put in a small cell to fill things in for under a 100 people, never mind co-operate with other networks to share it. I wouldn't. if I was managing that business.


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## Wooie1958 (Feb 6, 2020)

A relative had one installed a few months back despite me warning them not to and it`s been one problem after another      

Apparently the young girl on the phone told them that they had to have it fitted by law and would not take no for an answer    

The supplier has denied this saying their highly trained customer services operatives would never say anything like that.

I`ve suggested they contact OFGEM then take it from there


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## jacquigem (Feb 6, 2020)

Allen said:


> I just don't get this smart meter mallarcy (a Yorkshire term for wtf.)
> 
> If a light is on I don't need I turn it off.
> If I'm too hot then I turn the heating down.
> ...


We thought it would save daughter having to submit readings when we are away on our travels . But as mentioned above it never worked and I suspect it has increased my bills


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## trevskoda (Feb 6, 2020)

Can you put strong magnets on the new meters to slow or stop them going round.


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## alwaysared (Feb 6, 2020)

When I lived in the bungalow I wouldn't let them fit one, British Gas told me that the government were making them upgrade all old "spinning" meters for digital ones but it didn't have to be a smart one.

Regards,
Del


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## mark61 (Feb 6, 2020)

I don't think two weeks go past with out getting a letter from EDF about getting a smart meter fitted, this has been going on for at least 18 months if not longer. So much for saving paper.


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## ricc (Feb 6, 2020)

we had anew supply in the workshop some 3 years ago.  bgas business fitted a smart meter,  smart in sofar as it sits in the meter cabinet and phones bgas with the readings.  but no remote readout to tell me the welder uses leccy.

one of our flats has an old spinning meter edf are now saying its reached its replacement date and will be replaced with a smart meter... 6 months on we still just bin the letters,  along with the ones saying the bill is overdue a week before the pay by date on the bill.


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## Sharpie (Feb 6, 2020)

So far, I think that they have cost every household something like £450, which is added to the bills over the years, drip by drip. And no, the basic digital meters are not perfect either, actually very poor, but I have one, but would much rather have kept my big brass and aluminium thing with a spinning disc that I know was accurate, did not over-read. Should never have let the man in to change it.

Even thinking of putting my own one in again to challenge the spurious over-readings from the little digital box, which I distrust completely. Not that that would likely get me very far.

I don't trust these things at all, knowing a bit about what's inside them, and they cannot provide any benefit to me, since they cannot possibly work where I live.

Speaking as a well qualified electronics engineer, amongst other things, with quite some experience in at a level beyond most. In far more sophisticated stuff. A cynic ? well yes.


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## Owlhouse (Feb 6, 2020)

Would never get one. Very soon those with them will start to be charged by the time power is used, I.e. it will be more expensive during peak hours. That’s assuming it works.


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## harrow (Feb 6, 2020)

Allen said:


> I just don't get this smart meter mallarcy (a Yorkshire term for wtf.)
> 
> If a light is on I don't need I turn it off.
> If I'm too hot then I turn the heating down.
> ...



I don't have a smart meter bit I do have one of the monitors/display on the electricity meter tails.
It does help give people a better understanding of what things use the most electricity, like the washing machine when the water heater element is on.


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## jagmanx (Feb 6, 2020)

Smart Ugh !
If people do not realise that any Leccy device that heats water is expensive...Then tough.. assuming they can read
Yes a smart meter will highlight your high cost usage. !
Yes some poorer people have little choice  (eg prepay meters)..I can feel an anti-governmen (All parties) rant coming on

As others have posted..In future they MAY be able to charge you more if you use more at peak periods..
Economy 7 in reverse..
By and large with modern tech it is the responsibility of the Energy providers assisted by or directed by Government TO DO THEIR JOB without shafting us !
But then I am an idealist


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## trevskoda (Feb 6, 2020)

Can you still put the croc clips with pins across the smart meter in and out cables.


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## Wooie1958 (Feb 6, 2020)

Allen said:


> I just don't get this smart meter mallarcy (a Yorkshire term for wtf.)
> 
> If a light is on I don't need I turn it off.
> If I'm too hot then I turn the heating down.
> ...




Aha, that`s where we`re  going wrong and my bloody electrickery bill is so high       

When the sun is shining bright ( like it is now ) the wife will draw the curtains so it` doesn`t blind her then turn the lights on because the room is too dark     

Similarly when the windows are on the vent setting and it`s blowing a cold wind the wife feels cold so she turns the heating up


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## harrow (Feb 6, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> Can you still put the croc clips with pins across the smart meter in and out cables.


The trouble is when they inspect the meter they look for the burn marks.
Just asking for a friend you understand, can you have a second supply without a meter ?


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## delicagirl (Feb 6, 2020)

Allen said:


> I just don't get this smart meter mallarcy (a Yorkshire term for wtf.)
> 
> If a light is on I don't need I turn it off.
> If I'm too hot then I turn the heating down.
> ...



smart meters are nothing whatsoever with energy saving or saving the planet.  They are a sophisticated monitoring device which  shows you how much you are using.  You can see that if you get monthly bills and read your meters every month and send the readings through to your supplier.   Since the privatisation of electric and gas the whole industry has become more and more shambolic.    There are now dozens and dozens of utility suppliers.   Half a dozen went bankrupt last year alone.  Some of these were thieves pure and simple - and stole a lot of money from the vulnerable PAYG sector customers.    The industry watchdog is fairly pointless and toothless. Some of the Big 6's records of complaints are horrendous.    I think that smart meters are more about the utilities gaining control of what they supply and when and to whom. Big Brother......    i wont have one under any circumstances.


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## trevskoda (Feb 6, 2020)

harrow said:


> The trouble is when they inspect the meter they look for the burn marks.
> Just asking for a friend you understand, can you have a second supply without a meter ?


Yes crawl under floor boards and chip a hole through to next door,then splice into there wall socket cables.


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## molly 2 (Feb 6, 2020)

I think is is all about collecting data to  find the best way to screw you


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## mjvw (Feb 6, 2020)

harrow said:


> I don't have a smart meter bit I do have one of the monitors/display on the electricity meter tails.
> It does help give people a better understanding of what things use the most electricity, like the washing machine when the water heater element is on.


Yes i found the smart meter when it worked interesting we have a security light outside and when it came on I dipped the the whole national grid, the smart meter would rise rapidly. It was on a motion sensor and was on and off most of the night due to next doors cat, I now only switch it on when we go to peeps must be saving some money!
Also used to leave a number of electrical items on standby now i switch them off, When it starts working again i was going to hook up shirley and do a base test to see how much it costs to charge her up or how much power she pulls with all the 240v stuff working.


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## mjvw (Feb 6, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> Yes crawl under floor boards and chip a hole through to next door,then splice into there wall socket cables.


Please only one spur from next door have to keep within the reg's


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## trevskoda (Feb 6, 2020)

mjvw said:


> Yes i found the smart meter when it worked interesting we have a security light outside and when it came on I dipped the the whole national grid, the smart meter would rise rapidly. It was on a motion sensor and was on and off most of the night due to next doors cat, I now only switch it on when we go to peeps must be saving some money!
> Also used to leave a number of electrical items on standby now i switch them off, When it starts working again i was going to hook up shirley and do a base test to see how much it costs to charge her up or how much power she pulls with all the 240v stuff working.


Why is it not a led unit or are you living in the past.


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## mjvw (Feb 6, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> Why is it not a led unit or are you living in the past.


Good point just haven't got around to it, But have changed over to LED  in the camper and i did not need a long ladder to do it, but now you have got me thinking it's on the summer to do list!


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## trevskoda (Feb 7, 2020)

Allen said:


> I just don't get this smart meter mallarcy (a Yorkshire term for wtf.)
> 
> If a light is on I don't need I turn it off.
> If I'm too hot then I turn the heating down.
> ...


Set your living room stat to 21 and leave it there,the heating will always be correct and use less fuel.


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## ricc (Feb 7, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> Set your living room stat to 21 and leave it there,the heating will always be correct and use less fuel.


we had no heating on at all  yesterday,  evening a balmy 16 degrees in the living room ,  sat watching telly dressed in joggers ,shirt and jumper.   sheets are a tad chilly to bare skin  when hopping into bed but soon warm up.    14 degrees in living room this morning.  quite comfy sat here dressed typing this. mrs is still pottering in just a dressing gown and no socks. heating only goes on in the eve if its below zero outside.   only once this winter have we left a leccy oil filled rad on overnight.

last couple of mornings ive done a couple of hours gardening before lunch in the sunshine in shoes and socks.


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## tidewatcher (Feb 7, 2020)

The old adage is “if it gets hot it uses a lot”. Not too hard to understand. We have transferred a lot of our camper van habits to the home, only filling the kettle with what you want to use, we also have a flask we put excess hot water into and use for washing up later. As for the heating, wearing clothing appropriate to the time of year helps. It’s just common sense really. Also it needs you to think for yourself and make your own decisions, something which seems to be a bit out of fashion these days..........


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## Robmac (Feb 7, 2020)

We had one but do not now since we changed suppliers.

To be honest, I found it an innocuous little device which I could either look at or ignore. It was helpful a couple of times when I noticed that we seemed to have been using more than normal and a scout round the house showed devices left on or on standby, or we realised that we had used the tumble drier at the most expensive times. I now have to read the meter myself and email the reading to my supplier, but that's no real hardship.

All in all though, it doesn't really bother me now whether we have one or not.


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## trevskoda (Feb 7, 2020)

ricc said:


> we had no heating on at all  yesterday,  evening a balmy 16 degrees in the living room ,  sat watching telly dressed in joggers ,shirt and jumper.   sheets are a tad chilly to bare skin  when hopping into bed but soon warm up.    14 degrees in living room this morning.  quite comfy sat here dressed typing this. mrs is still pottering in just a dressing gown and no socks. heating only goes on in the eve if its below zero outside.   only once this winter have we left a leccy oil filled rad on overnight.
> 
> last couple of mornings ive done a couple of hours gardening before lunch in the sunshine in shoes and socks.


Tuff lot you Normans.


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## NeilyG (Feb 7, 2020)

Allen said:


> I just don't get this smart meter mallarcy (a Yorkshire term for wtf.)
> 
> If a light is on I don't need I turn it off.
> If I'm too hot then I turn the heating down.
> ...



Lets yer know how much lecky yer using every month - know worrah _(Geordie term - sometimes for wtf)_ mean, like?

Trouble is they also tell Big Brother & his b*****d cousins - & most 'smart' meters give up the ghost when you change supplier...


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## paulhelenwilko (Feb 7, 2020)

Used to be with BG and regularly got pestered to have one installed. Changed to Green Network Energy, cheaper, green and no mention of a smart meter.


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## REC (Feb 7, 2020)

I think I have posted before, in Portugal you choose the amount of electricity you can use at one time. We have the very lowest amount 1.15kw so cannot have high consumption appliances like kettles tumble driers electric grills. Generally most people round us have it restricted to 3.59kw but you can have,and pay, more. Makes me very aware of how much everything used and we ration ourselves. Also noticed that appliances here (toasters for instance) have a lower kw  than in UK where there is no limit and people don't know how much their tv, washing machine, toaster etc use. If I h try to use too much it just cuts out! Bonus is 5Euro month bills!


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## trevskoda (Feb 7, 2020)

REC said:


> I think I have posted before, in Portugal you choose the amount of electricity you can use at one time. We have the very lowest amount 1.15kw so cannot have high consumption appliances like kettles tumble driers electric grills. Generally most people round us have it restricted to 3.59kw but you can have,and pay, more. Makes me very aware of how much everything used and we ration ourselves. Also noticed that appliances here (toasters for instance) have a lower kw  than in UK where there is no limit and people don't know how much their tv, washing machine, toaster etc use. If I h try to use too much it just cuts out! Bonus is 5Euro month bills!


A low watt toaster takes longer to do the biz,so in fact uses the same electrickery,same with a kettle,trick is only fill what you require in it.


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## argoose (Feb 8, 2020)

Does anyone remember buy diesel it is better than petrol. How did that turn out.
If the government is pushing it...I'm out


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## ricc (Feb 9, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> A low watt toaster takes longer to do the biz,so in fact uses the same electrickery,same with a kettle,trick is only fill what you require in it.


If the low wattage thing takes longer it wastes heat to the atmosphere for longer hence must use more leccy than the high wattage version on for less time...,high wattage is greener than low wattage


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## jagmanx (Feb 9, 2020)

ricc said:


> If the low wattage thing takes longer it wastes heat to the atmosphere for longer hence must use more leccy than the high wattage version on for less time...,high wattage is greener than low wattage


That is a moot point:     Higher wattage/heat means bigger heat loss, (Newton's Law of Cooling) albeit as you say shorter time  so overall much the same !


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## ricc (Feb 9, 2020)

jagmanx said:


> That is a moot point:     Higher wattage/heat means bigger heat loss, (Newton's Law of Cooling) albeit as you say shorter time  so overall much the same !


Look at a kettle, your putting energy in to heat the water to boiling point.  Energy required to do that is the same. Regardless of the wattage of the heater.   Heat will be lost to surroundings air for longer with the low wattage heater.    I was taught to take extreme.   Instant boiling with very high wattage will be little heat loss ,take hour's with low wattage and heat loss will be far greater. too low a wattage and heat loss will be so great that you never get to boiling point.
Toaster is much the same your heating tha bread to get it hot enough to go brown, with no heat loss it would take same energy regardless of how long it took,


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## trevskoda (Feb 9, 2020)

In general then all this low wattage is a con,but again the lesser spotted public fall for it hook line and sinker,more money out of our pockets to be taxed.


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## Sharon the Cat (Feb 10, 2020)

I've never been offered one, probably because our walls are 2 foot thick solid stone. No signal gets through them.
Shame 'cos my meter is high up at the top of the wall & the only way I can read it is to photograph it with my phone & then blow the image up.


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## Caz (Feb 11, 2020)

Don't want one, don't need one.

If I'm cold then knowing how much leccy I am using isn't going to make me turn the heating down. If I need a bath then I'm not going to go round smelling like a pigsty just to save money. Ditto when my clothes need washing, they need washing. I've never wasted leccy, I was brought up not to leaves lights etc on unnecessarily.

On the other hand, a smart meter must use more leccy than a normal one so that is a waste.


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## delicagirl (Feb 11, 2020)

Caz said:


> Don't want one, don't need one.
> 
> If I'm cold then knowing how much leccy I am using isn't going to make me turn the heating down. If I need a bath then I'm not going to go round smelling like a pigsty just to save money. Ditto when my clothes need washing, they need washing. I've never wasted leccy, I was brought up not to leaves lights etc on unnecessarily.
> 
> On the other hand, a smart meter must use more leccy than a normal one so that is a waste.



the whole thing is  a  con.   i really cant be bothered to do the research but i am betting there is nepotism somewhere along the line between the manufacturers of smart meters, utilities companies and westminster....    i feel sad sometimes that i have become soo cynical about this dreadful country.....


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## trevskoda (Feb 11, 2020)

The idea for smart meters is so electric board can work out the high usage spots and switch more power onto the grid at that point or shift power away to other spots at peak or low times.
This could be done at the transformers and not on your property as its the zone not just a few homes.


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## harrow (Feb 11, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> The idea for smart meters is so electric board can work out the high usage spots and switch more power onto the grid at that point or shift power away to other spots at peak or low times.
> This could be done at the transformers and not on your property as its the zone not just a few homes.


Quote from the web,
*ENERGY* giants *can* use *smart meters* to cut *off the power* supply to *your* home in a bid to *make you* pay upfront. *If you have* a new digital *meter*, suppliers *will* be able to switch *it* to a pre-payment setting without even entering *your* property. ... This includes being able to access data about customers' *energy* usage


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## trevskoda (Feb 11, 2020)

harrow said:


> Quote from the web,
> *ENERGY* giants *can* use *smart meters* to cut *off the power* supply to *your* home in a bid to *make you* pay upfront. *If you have* a new digital *meter*, suppliers *will* be able to switch *it* to a pre-payment setting without even entering *your* property. ... This includes being able to access data about customers' *energy* usage


generators at dawn.


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## ricc (Feb 12, 2020)

so who wrote this "quote from the web" could be anyone with an opinion however fanciful.

smart meters are sold to the public as energy savers,   in reality their benefits are for the electric companies,   the remote reporting of usage means they dont employ meter readers this is a real tangible immediate saving.   theres also the potential to use the usage data for more efficient generation and distribution in the future.      remote switching of individuals supply and multiple tarifs related to peak usage times is another ball game which may come later.


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## REC (Feb 12, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> A low watt toaster takes longer to do the biz,so in fact uses the same electrickery,same with a kettle,trick is only fill what you require in it.


my point is, we use much less electricity overall since we can't use certain things, we find an alternative. Washing machine for instance, uses 2200kw, my twin tub uses 46watt and water is heated either by solar or on a small fire under a tank. Don't use as much electric, hence the low bills? Cannot see how this is "fooling" us?


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## harrow (Feb 12, 2020)

REC said:


> my point is, we use much less electricity overall since we can't use certain things, we find an alternative. Washing machine for instance, uses 2200kw, my twin tub uses 46watt and water is heated either by solar or on a small fire under a tank. Don't use as much electric, hence the low bills? Cannot see how this is "fooling" us?



You can buy tumble dryers and washing machines that catch fire, they think of every thing these days


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## in h (Feb 12, 2020)

Smart people know to say no to smart meters.


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## in h (Feb 12, 2020)

ricc said:


> theres also the potential to use the usage data for more efficient generation and distribution in the future.      remote switching of individuals supply and multiple tarifs related to peak usage times is another ball game which may come later.


As part of this "more efficient" system, there is every chance that suppliers could start charging by VA consumption instead of watts. So if your power factor is low (as it is for most domestic loads) you end up paying 50% more than you do now. Smart meters allow them to do this.


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## delicagirl (Feb 12, 2020)

harrow said:


> You can buy tumble dryers and washing machines that catch fire, they think of every thing these days




and EVEN  THEN  Currys wont replace them !!!!!!!


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## trevskoda (Feb 12, 2020)

Do you know that in north aus only twin tubes can be used as to save water and lecy,i still use a old hoover twin and love it.
I bought a new one from china and it broke the drive shaft connector so i will have to make a new one,when running it was a good tool.


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## runnach (Feb 12, 2020)

I am about to change utility that will save in excess of £200 per annum so the smart meter hasn’t done me any favours


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## Obanboy666 (Feb 12, 2020)

channa said:


> I am about to change utility that will save in excess of £200 per annum so the smart meter hasn’t done me any favours



Same here, actually changed yesterday. I wait with baited breadth as in the past I have changed and within a couple of months I have them messaging me stating they need to increase my direct debit as I’m using more gas/electric.
I will be getting my new supplier to fit a smart meter as in the past I’ve found it useful to monitor my usage. Don’t give a toss if it allows big brother to spy on me, I've better things to worry about.


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## maingate (Feb 12, 2020)

Obanboy666 said:


> Same here, actually changed yesterday. I wait with baited breadth as in the past I have changed and within a couple of months I have them messages me stating they need to increase my direct debit as I’m using more gas/electric.
> I will be getting my new supplier to fit a smart meter as in the past I’ve found it useful to monitor my usage. Don’t give a toss if it allows big brother to spy on me, I've better things to worry about.



I am paying well over the odds with OVO ... but I am getting 3% interest on it. I cannot get that much at Barclays.


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## ricc (Feb 12, 2020)

maingate said:


> I am paying well over the odds with OVO ... but I am getting 3% interest on it. I cannot get that much at Barclays.


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## ricc (Feb 12, 2020)

if your on a smart meter they can send you accurate bills every time ...no need to guess a monthly figure.


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## in h (Feb 12, 2020)

ricc said:


> if your on a smart meter they can send you accurate bills every time ...no need to guess a monthly figure.


Where else can you get 3% interest?


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## Pedalman (Feb 17, 2020)

mjvw said:


> Changed energy suppliers now using dual fuel supplier, deal was struck with the incentive of a smart meter being installed the services provider was duly changed and as promised smart meter installed, spent a couple of days watching the pounds and pences ticking over and getting a good overview on my bad habits for gas and electric use, Then after about a week it stopped working saying lost connection.
> I rang the suppliers customer service number and after a 15 minutes wait spoke to a representative and after some trouble shooting was told it was connected at their end and was sending data (meter reading etc) so all was well, and the problem would be passed on to the tech team to investigate remotely and this could take up two weeks
> I informed Customer service i was not happy about the length of time and a working smart meter was the clincher to changing over, as i wanted to do my bit for the environment and my pocket anyone had similar issues?




Until smart meters are compulsory I wouldn't have one anywhere near my house, I've heard too may bad reports . My electricity supplier keeps saying that the new ones are second generation and do not have the problems the first generation ones had.   I just keep telling them I'll have one when they are compulsory.


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## Deleted member 34288 (Feb 17, 2020)

Sharpie said:


> Well I am resisting having them installed because I know for a fact that they will never work where they have to be installed in my garage, where there is no coverage whatsoever on any network.
> 
> As does a relative, who is also in the same situation, but gave in, even the installers said that it would never work in his location, but they are incentivised to put them in so in it went. And achieves nothing. He knows perfectly well how to turn things on and off and manage his use, still has to read it himself, but the very significant cost of all of this just gets added to our bills. It is a huge amount already. In billions.
> 
> ...


The only 'Legal' part about 'Smart' meters is that the Gov states that they must be fitted for free. That's it!

Apart from the issue with 5G/WiFi being harmful (Switzerland has blocked any further 5G Cell towers from being erected) https://lenews.ch/2019/05/02/geneva-blocks-the-erection-of-5g-mobile-antennas/
Would you really want a provider to be able to cut off your electricity supply remotely ie a mouse click?


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## trevskoda (Feb 17, 2020)

cozican said:


> The only 'Legal' part about 'Smart' meters is that the Gov states that they must be fitted for free. That's it!
> 
> Apart from the issue with 5G/WiFi being harmful (Switzerland has blocked any further 5G Cell towers from being erected) https://lenews.ch/2019/05/02/geneva-blocks-the-erection-of-5g-mobile-antennas/
> Would you really want a provider to be able to cut off your electricity supply remotely ie a mouse click?


When the first steam trains were run people said if you go over 5 mph you will not be able to breath.


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## colinm (Feb 17, 2020)

in h said:


> Where else can you get 3% interest?



On my current accounts.


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## colinm (Feb 17, 2020)

cozican said:


> Apart from the issue with 5G/WiFi being harmful (Switzerland has blocked any further 5G Cell towers from being erected) https://lenews.ch/2019/05/02/geneva-blocks-the-erection-of-5g-mobile-antennas/



No they haven't.








						Swiss agency denies ban on 5G roll-out over health concerns (updated)
					

Switzerland’s environmental agency has denied calling a halt to the switching on of 5G over health concerns.




					www.siliconrepublic.com


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## in h (Feb 17, 2020)

colinmd said:


> On my current accounts.


which current accounts pay 3% interest, without charging a monthly fee?


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## colinm (Feb 17, 2020)

in h said:


> which current accounts pay 3% interest, without charging a monthly fee?


TSB, Nationwide are paying 5% for 12 months, at one time we had 18 current accounts between us.


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## in h (Feb 17, 2020)

colinmd said:


> TSB, Nationwide are paying 5% for 12 months, at one time we had 18 current accounts between us.


Don't know about TSB but the Nationwide doesn't have any account paying 3% nowadays let alone 5%, as far as I know. If there is one, I'd love to know what they call it.


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## colinm (Feb 18, 2020)

Got an email from TSB saying the interest rate will be lowered in May


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## harrow (Feb 18, 2020)

colinmd said:


> Got an email from TSB saying the interest rate will be lowered in May


HSBC regular saver 2.75% agreed it only is only as you add a maximum of £250 per month but you do receive £175 for moving your account to them.


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## Trompete (Mar 8, 2020)

mjvw said:


> Changed energy suppliers now using dual fuel supplier, deal was struck with the incentive of a smart meter being installed the services provider was duly changed and as promised smart meter installed, spent a couple of days watching the pounds and pences ticking over and getting a good overview on my bad habits for gas and electric use, Then after about a week it stopped working saying lost connection.
> I rang the suppliers customer service number and after a 15 minutes wait spoke to a representative and after some trouble shooting was told it was connected at their end and was sending data (meter reading etc) so all was well, and the problem would be passed on to the tech team to investigate remotely and this could take up two weeks
> I informed Customer service i was not happy about the length of time and a working smart meter was the clincher to changing over, as i wanted to do my bit for the environment and my pocket anyone had similar issues?


In the middle of a similar mess......have been advised to send meter readings. Would be glad to get rid of the “smart” meter


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## mjvw (Mar 8, 2020)

Hi I was lucky it was still sending data to the supplier, however we have now had an engineer visit (two weeks later) and it now works, another bonus is i have through managing our usage using data obtained  before the smart meter stopped displaying locally reduced gas and electric bill by a significant.This included rebate and reduced monthly payment, so we will see how long it keeps going this time.


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## peter palance (Mar 8, 2020)

mjvw said:


> Changed energy suppliers now using dual fuel supplier, deal was struck with the incentive of a smart meter being installed the services provider was duly changed and as promised smart meter installed, spent a couple of days watching the pounds and pences ticking over and getting a good overview on my bad habits for gas and electric use, Then after about a week it stopped working saying lost connection.
> I rang the suppliers customer service number and after a 15 minutes wait spoke to a representative and after some trouble shooting was told it was connected at their end and was sending data (meter reading etc) so all was well, and the problem would be passed on to the tech team to investigate remotely and this could take up two weeks
> I informed Customer service i was not happy about the length of time and a working smart meter was the clincher to changing over, as i wanted to do my bit for the environment and my pocket anyone had similar issues?


yes dont get one,they are not in your inter-rest, that is my humble a pin-neon, so its ok from them, ok.pj.


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## molly 2 (Mar 8, 2020)

My smart meter packed in waited for months for a new one . eventually one came .when fitting the new one I accidentally dropped the old meter on the hard floor. And it burst into life .I am convinced it is plan to screw us in the future .ie charging different rate's at peak times for car charging etc  , nowt to do with saving us money .


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## molly 2 (Mar 8, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> When the first steam trains were run people said if you go over 5 mph you will not be able to breath.


Getting a bit like that myself now


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## in h (Mar 8, 2020)

molly 2 said:


> My smart meter packed in waited for months for a new one . eventually one came .when fitting the new one I accidentally dropped the old meter on the hard floor. And it burst into life .I am convinced it is plan to screw us in the future .ie charging different rate's at peak times for car charging etc  , nowt to do with saving us money .


There are two possible reasons for spending billions on installating smart meters.
One is to disconnect or price out some consumers when there is a short-term shortage of power.
The other is to be able to go from charging for power consumed in watts to charging for VA readings.
Neither has even been mentioned as possibilities, but that's because once those cats are out of the bag, nobody would be stupid enough to have a smart meter installed.


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## Markd (Mar 15, 2020)

in h said:


> There are two possible reasons for spending billions on installating smart meters.
> One is to disconnect or price out some consumers when there is a short-term shortage of power.
> The other is to be able to go from charging for power consumed in watts to charging for VA readings.
> Neither has even been mentioned as possibilities, but that's because once those cats are out of the bag, nobody would be stupid enough to have a smart meter installed.


What is the difference between watts and VA?


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## in h (Mar 15, 2020)

Depends on the load. VA can vary from only a bit higher than watts to as much as 100 times as much. Typically the VA in a domestic supply is about half as much again, but capacitive droppers on led lights can affect it hugely.


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