British Gas Advert, Free Power...

[trt]

between 9am to 5pm at weekend, has anybody tried this, or is there more to it than it says?

[Old_Geezer]

Has to be dual fuel, plus it is trying to be a bribe to accept the awful "smart" meter. How much are you going to save in a year on a free electricity only, 8 hour/one day a week, "deal" anyway ?

I'd suggest looking for a deal that doesn't tie you into what the commercial company wants to force on you.

[Postdog]

Smart meters aren't awful. Best idea since sliced bread. Well, maybe not sliced bread because I wouldn't eat that. But brilliant anyway.

[gingejbee]

I really don't need a clever box to tell me when I'm using power...or how much of it, thank you.

[Kathyan]

Why are smart meters a good idea?

[Old_Geezer]

They offer you no more than a moment's fascination, allows the commercial company control over your supply from their office which is why they are so keen to hype and push them, and may even be hackable by malicious folk. There is no benefit for the consumer. "Awful" hardly covers it.

[EDDIE51]

As I pointed out a day or so ago, the REAL reason that the power company's are determined to get us all on 'Smart Meters'is that every smart meter has a 'remote disconnect' facility built into it. This means that if there is a shortage of electricity due for example to a very cold winter and grid breakdowns reducing the generation capacity, the power company can disconnect ordinary consumers so as to have enough power for essential services such as hospitals , essential industry and defense installations etc. This is what they don't want you to know and keep very quiet.

[EDDIE51]

http://www.nighthawkcontrol.com/industry-solutions/remote-disconnect/
This is from the leading USA supplier of Smart Meters. Every UK Smart Meter has the same remote disconnect facility.

[EDDIE51]

But there is a FAR worse problem with Smart Meters and it is very worrying.
The 'remote disconnect' is operated by a computer in the power company HQ'. The real problem is what could happen if a terrorist organisation was able to hack into the power company computer and initiate the remote disconnect for a few million homes ,factories offices,transport networks, hospitals.
http://www.nickhunn.com/when-smart-meters-get-hacked/
It would be a weapon far more destructive than any bomb and far easier & cheaper to make and deploy.
DO NOT GET A SMART METER !!!!

[EDDIE51]

There are already detailed instructions on the 'web' as to how to 'hack' your own smart meter so you get free or reduced cost power!

[Hopkirk]

Free electricity on one day might be cheaper overall, if a different tariff is cheaper.

Nothing is free.

[EDDIE51]

The 'free' weekend electricity is more than offset by very high tariffs for 'peak hours' on week days. These are midday to 2 pm and 5 pm to 7 pm.
The times when industrial demand is still at a peak and people are cooking lunch,dinner and turning on the light and heating at home.
They want to set a quota for power use at this peak time and can disconnect you if you use over that quota after a warning. Another use for the 'remote disconnect'.

[Hopkirk]

Sorry, I meant might NOT be cheaper overall