Advice On Whether To Use A Smart Meter

[wiltsman]

We've always been against having a Smart Meter fitted in the house, but recently with the escalating gas and electric prices, we're having second thoughts.
We're worried how accurate estimated readings will be in the future, especially if we're attempting to reduce our power usage. Also problems, such as the those when attempting to give meter readings before an energy price, like we had the other day.
Any thoughts please.

[goodgoalie]

Why would you have estimated readings in the future? Just supply regular readings of your own and work out from those readings what the bill would be.

[lankeela]

I don't see what the problem is. Why wouldn't you want one? Or are you worried about conspiracy theories?

[Cloverjo]

I’ve got a smart meter but turned it off soon after it was installed as 1) it seemed to interfere with the wifi and 2) it didn’t work.

[davebro]

//I’ve got a smart meter but turned it off soon after it was installed//

How do you mean "turned it off"? Just the readout device or did you mess with the gubbins at the meter?

[New Judge]

// Or are you worried about conspiracy theories?//

One of the "conspiracy theories" that are actually under consideration is the principle of "dynamic pricing" which three energy companies are trialling. This will enable them to charge a higher price when demand is high (e.g. when it's cold or dark) and/or supply is low (e.g. when the sun isn't shining and the wind isn't strong). They can only do this via Smart meters. This may seem attractive. But whereas the consumer at present has some control over his bill because he can vary his usage, he will lose control in another aspect because he will have no control over the unit price. My energy consumption varies by no more than +/- 5% over a year and I can forecast with some accuracy what my energy bills will be. I will have no chance of doing that if differential pricing is introduced.

[barry1010]

People seem to confuse a smart meter with an in-home display.
You can't turn the smart meter off, it will keep sending the readings to the supplier, but you can turn the IHD off.

I have a smart meter and am happy enough with it, but it won't reduce your usage. The only way to do that is to use less gas and electricity and you don't need a new meter to do that

[Gizmonster]

Apart from our smart meter sending readings automatically, I don't see the point of them.
If you need a smart meter to tell you that you've left half of the electrical appliances in your house switched on, there's something seriously wrong.
When I switch the kettle or toaster on, the smart meter changes from green to amber and to red, informing me that I'm using a lot of energy ..... well I've just switched on an energy guzzling device, so thanks for informing me of the blatantly obvious !!!!

[sandra4444]

Useless bit of kit, like the fuel gauge on my car with all the info on miles per litre done/ left to do / average and so on and so on.

[barry1010]

Sandra, that's the in-house display, not the smart meter

[sandra4444]

Yep^^ that's what I was on about. The rest is for the energy company to play with.

[gingejbee]

Smart meters were designed for non-smart customers....

[davebro]

//One of the "conspiracy theories" that are actually under consideration is the principle of "dynamic pricing" which three energy companies are trialling.//

I would think they could only do this if everyone had a smart meter which is probably several years away & would require legislation to make them compulsory.

[barry1010]

ginger, I remember the power cuts of the 70s. Should that happen now it is guaranteed that I will not lose my supply as electricity is essential for medical devices that my oldster is dependent on.

[Arksided]

Smart meters were designed for non-smart customers.... [i]

That's why I've had one for years.
Mine are both Utilita PAYG and find them handy no more quarterly bills etc... I can see what I'm using.

Most Importantly for me though was escaping British Gas and Yorkshire Electricity funny though they were suppling each others utilities. [i] I'm never going back I tell ya, I'm never going back ]

[Hymie]

And don’t forget, with a smart-meter fitted, your energy company has the ability to disconnect you from the grid at the touch of a button (or perhaps by mistake) – and who knows what hackers could do?

[barry1010]

dave, not necessarily. Customers are already on different tariffs, it would be easy to charge smart meter customers a dynamic pricing scheme whilst having the rest on a standard tariff. It would have to be done in such a way that the smart meter customers never pay more for using x amount of units than the standard tariff customers using the same amount. They may pay more per unit at certain times but less at others, encouraging off peak use.

[barry1010]

Hymie, they still need a court order to disconnect customers and would have to pay compensation if they did it by mistake. Do that and the customer will switch to a more reliable supplier.
During the 70s power cuts households were cut off remotely, not at the house

[Hymie]

During the 70s, the power cuts were applied at the substation – cutting off all connected to that substation. With a smart-meter they can switch off the power at individual meters.

[davebro]

//With a smart-meter they can switch off the power at individual meters.//

Do that & I think there would be a spate of people by-passing their meters!

[dannyk13]

Hymie//they can switch off the power at individual meters.//
As Barry has posted, not without a court order. As usual you only post the part that suits your agenda of knocking the government.