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Energy Company Smart Meters - Worth Having?



1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185
Ok NSC - font of all wisdom.

Anyone got a smart meter and/or energy monitor from their energy supplier, or thinking of getting one? If so, are they worth getting installed or are they somehow a 'con'?

Is it better to stick with a conventional meter (not key meter) and buy your own energy monitor? (Energy suppliers normally fit and supply for free in some areas apparently).

I'll leave it as open ended as that.

All information and experience appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 


Mew

New member
Aug 16, 2011
86
The British Gas electricity smart meter I had has been firmly stuffed in the drawer with the rest of the dust collectors.

At first I drove my wife nuts as I obsessed over how much each electrical device used, especially when the baseline electricity use was way above what I expected (even when I thought nearly everything was switched off).

I nearly cried every time the washing machine went on so decided to give up. If you remember to switch stuff off you find your electricity use is pretty much constant so not worth the bother.
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,264
no. theres some risks that are a faintly conspiracy but quite realisitic, and feedback from where they have been installed is after initial drop usage returns in a year or so. basically those who want to economise can switch off extra lights prefectly well themselves.
 




1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185
no. theres some risks that are a faintly conspiracy but quite realisitic, and feedback from where they have been installed is after initial drop usage returns in a year or so. basically those who want to economise can switch off extra lights prefectly well themselves.

Yes, was curious about the privacy issues too.

I was mainly thinking they might useful for detecting any unusual spikes in unit usage, thus ruling out the possibility of a dodgy meter that may be clocking on units that you don't think you've used.
 




Seagull over Canaryland

Well-known member
Feb 8, 2011
3,549
Norfolk
I recently took up Eon's offer of a free electricity smart meter (ie the gizmo on the outside of the house) plus a small display unit for use indoors.

The main benefit they claim is to remotely take our meter readings and not sit on our overpayments even though we pay by DD. I guess it will save them on employing meter readers.

It's a bit soon to give a definitive opinion but I would say that the indoor display unit is a useful way of monitoring consumption, which appliances create the greatest demand (eg kettle, hob, oven etc) and therefore how to be more energy conscious. It focuses the mid trying to kept the display unit showing 'green', rather than 'red'.

It helps that we have solar PV panels and in the daytime it is very nice to see the EoN smart meter display unit reading '0' consumption even though we may have a dishwasher and radio operating and various other appliances on standby. It is slightly disappointing that the Eon display unit cannot show our net electricity savings but combined with the wireless display from the PV installation it is very apparent that we are frequently saving £££'s.
 


RexCathedra

Aurea Mediocritas
Jan 14, 2005
3,498
Vacationland
I have neighbors who refuse to have smart meters because of the dangerous RF they emit, and lo, they have wireless network routers, or wireless cable television distribution systems, or both.

Idiots.
 


Dan Aitch

New member
May 31, 2013
2,287
What about those 'Hive' things? Apart from the incredibly annoying TV ads, does anyone rate them?
 




CheeseRolls

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jan 27, 2009
5,922
Shoreham Beach
I had one of those smart monitor units and frankly it wasn't that useful. Smart meters I am much more positive about, basically, because I hate the fact that I am paying someone £25 a time to come and read my meter. I am all for job creation, but this is taking the piss frankly.

Hive is a nice idea but not actually that useful, it allows you to control your heating via an app on your phone/tablet.

I have a Tado unit waiting to be installed and I think these are the best option available right now. See the links below for more details
Nest is also worth keeping a watch on, as they have recently been acquired by Google.

http://www.tado.com/de-en/
http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/smart-thermostats-in-the-uk-will-nest-and-its-rivals-take-control-in-2014

I will report back once we have it installed and we have had some time to make use of it.
 


Landgull

New member
Oct 30, 2009
522
Ok NSC - font of all wisdom.

Anyone got a smart meter and/or energy monitor from their energy supplier, or thinking of getting one? If so, are they worth getting installed or are they somehow a 'con'?

Is it better to stick with a conventional meter (not key meter) and buy your own energy monitor? (Energy suppliers normally fit and supply for free in some areas apparently).

I'll leave it as open ended as that.

All information and experience appreciated. Thanks in advance.

The present meters work fine.
What ever system is employed it will still require regular calibration and servicing.
Unless they use some form of networking then it will still require someone to read the meter, all be it from a slow moving car and a remote receiver.
Wireless signals can be upset by other wireless signals, perhaps enough to upset the readings.
Unless forced I will stick with the present system of having my meters read twice a year and for my covenience taking my readings at the end of the month and passing them to the energy company.
So my answer is NO.
 






southstandandy

WEST STAND ANDY
Jul 9, 2003
5,613
I actually work for one of the big six (boo-hiss I hear you scream), but from what I hear a universal device has to be agreed across the industry so that in future when customers change supply there will be none of this 'but we don't support that type of meter' as 'ours is a different make'. The government wants all properties to have a smart meter by 2020 (which I think is pushing it to put it mildly). My advice would be wait and see what gets announced officially. The biggest energy supplier who has pushed their own smart meters have no guarantees that these will become the standard so you could end up wasting even more money. And most people can read their own 2 or 3 times a year and puts reads in on-line so at least you are being billed accurately. No need to change yet but that's only my view.
 


Chicken Runner61

We stand where we want!
May 20, 2007
4,609
Dad connected our supply to the streetlight outside so I'm not sure how we will benefit from these meter thingys
 



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