Smart meters..

Author
Discussion

Digby

Original Poster:

8,230 posts

245 months

Saturday 7th April 2012
quotequote all
http://www.formbytimes.co.uk/news/formby-news/2012...


Anyone else refused to have one fitted or had any issues? If you look on youtube, there are hundreds of links regarding how safe or unsafe they are coupled with complaints about privacy issues etc.

We don't have one yet, although they have approached us.Not sure I do want one now either.

Edited by Digby on Sunday 13th April 22:54

AlfaFoxtrot

407 posts

197 months

Saturday 7th April 2012
quotequote all
Oh please, safety concerns from 'EM Radiation'? This is the same as people who claim that mobile phone masts/living near nuclear power plants/wifi causes all sorts of medical complaints, completely against peer reviewed scientific evidence.

Privacy concerns, maybe. But overall, this allows a more efficient use of resources and at least in theory, a more economically optimal pricing system as well as allowing everyone to see their energy useage and take steps to reduce it - can't really see a problem with that...

jurbie

2,339 posts

200 months

Saturday 7th April 2012
quotequote all
I don't want a smart meter as I don't want my energy supplier upping my tariff on a whim or even blacking me out for a few hours if they feel I'm using too much energy. If an unfounded fear of EM emissions means I can tell them to stick it then that's fine by me.

Mojocvh

16,837 posts

261 months

Saturday 7th April 2012
quotequote all
AlfaFoxtrot said:
Oh please, safety concerns from 'EM Radiation'? This is the same as people who claim that mobile phone masts/living near nuclear power plants/wifi causes all sorts of medical complaints, completely against peer reviewed scientific evidence.

Privacy concerns, maybe. But overall, this allows a more efficient use of resources and at least in theory, a more economically optimal pricing system as well as allowing everyone to see their energy useage and take steps to reduce it - can't really see a problem with that...
How much do they charge for installation?? efficiency nope.

Mr GrimNasty

8,172 posts

169 months

Saturday 7th April 2012
quotequote all
AlfaFoxtrot said:
Oh please, safety concerns from 'EM Radiation'? This is the same as people who claim that mobile phone masts/living near nuclear power plants/wifi causes all sorts of medical complaints, completely against peer reviewed scientific evidence.

Privacy concerns, maybe. But overall, this allows a more efficient use of resources and at least in theory, a more economically optimal pricing system as well as allowing everyone to see their energy useage and take steps to reduce it - can't really see a problem with that...
There's plenty of research that confirms such things are harmful. Some countries won't allow WiFi in schools for example. People would have laughed years ago if you'd said living under pylons or near power cables would give you cancer - it is now accepted fact and devalues affected houses.

LukeSi

5,753 posts

160 months

Saturday 7th April 2012
quotequote all
They phoned us to ask to make an appointment to have one fitted, we did they never turned up, next time they can sod off.

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

245 months

Saturday 7th April 2012
quotequote all
Mr GrimNasty said:
living under pylons or near power cables would give you cancer - it is now accepted fact.
Oh yes? You mean like the risk of blowing up a petrol station if you use your mobile phone on the forecourt?

There is absolutely no evidence that the electric field in itself cause any harm to anyone.

Jasandjules

69,825 posts

228 months

Saturday 7th April 2012
quotequote all
AlfaFoxtrot said:
completely against peer reviewed scientific evidence.
After the AGW lies I don't really trust "peer review". Mind, saying that, there are books out there which claim that the medical profession is one of the most corrupt in the world, I wonder how true that is.

XDA

2,141 posts

184 months

Saturday 7th April 2012
quotequote all
I was one of the first houses in the UK to get a smart meter fitted.

It cost me nothing to have it installed. I save money as my fuel bills are no longer estimated but use the actual meter readings. I don't need to wait in for someone to come and read my meter either, it's all automatically sent to my supplier.

I fail to see what all the fuss is all about? I don't get the radiation fears as its just a meter with a SIM card inside. No more unsafe than a mobile phone?

As for the "dangers" of living under the electricity pylons, I don't get that either. Myself along with my 2 brothers and 1 sister grew up and played under pylons which crossed over our driveway and stood next to our house. Neither of us or our parents have grown a second arm or head, and none of us have cancer after 18 years!

Digby

Original Poster:

8,230 posts

245 months

Sunday 8th April 2012
quotequote all
XDA said:
I fail to see what all the fuss is all about? I don't get the radiation fears as its just a meter with a SIM card inside. No more unsafe than a mobile phone?
Some say hundreds of times more damaging than a mobile.Others suggest there are privacy issues etc.

Fill the net up with clips like this and it is bound to cause a stir..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsuP_WBBr2c&fea...

speedy_thrills

7,760 posts

242 months

Sunday 8th April 2012
quotequote all
Jasandjules said:
there are books out there which claim that the medical profession is one of the most corrupt in the world, I wonder how true that is.
hehe Not corruption so much as exploiting loopholes in regulation and the short-sightedness of government organisations. The problem is there are so many common diseases available so you either have to make slightly different drugs to treat the same things or invent a new disease.

My understanding is that the power output from WiFi is so low that it presents little risk in comparison to other activities (although it is at about the right wavelengths to cook you).

speedy_thrills

7,760 posts

242 months

Sunday 8th April 2012
quotequote all
XDA said:
As for the "dangers" of living under the electricity pylons, I don't get that either. Myself along with my 2 brothers and 1 sister grew up and played under pylons which crossed over our driveway and stood next to our house. Neither of us or our parents have grown a second arm or head, and none of us have cancer after 18 years!
With a sample size of 5 it's not that surprising. There have been studies done that indicate an increased risk, though not a significant increase, of leukaemia from low frequency EMF exposure [ Link].

AlfaFoxtrot

407 posts

197 months

Sunday 8th April 2012
quotequote all
speedy_thrills said:
With a sample size of 5 it's not that surprising. There have been studies done that indicate an increased risk, though not a significant increase, of leukaemia from low frequency EMF exposure [ Link].
Quoted from the link you provided:

"CONCLUSION: Although not statistically significant, the estimate for childhood leukaemia resembles results of comparable studies. Assuming causality, the estimated attributable risk is below one case per year."

Correlation does not equal causation...

W124Bob

1,744 posts

174 months

Sunday 8th April 2012
quotequote all
We just Email meter readings with a visit once a year to cross check accuracy,Smart meters and eneryg rationing are just feeble excuses for lack of action in not providing enough generating capacity and blindly following EU dictates on closing coal fired power stations before the alternatives are in place.

XDA

2,141 posts

184 months

Sunday 8th April 2012
quotequote all
Digby said:
XDA said:
I fail to see what all the fuss is all about? I don't get the radiation fears as its just a meter with a SIM card inside. No more unsafe than a mobile phone?
Some say hundreds of times more damaging than a mobile.Others suggest there are privacy issues etc.

Fill the net up with clips like this and it is bound to cause a stir..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsuP_WBBr2c&fea...
Indeed, but no one actually has any conclusive proof either way.

They can't even agree whether mobile phones are dangerous.

Blue Oval84

5,276 posts

160 months

Sunday 8th April 2012
quotequote all
jurbie said:
I don't want a smart meter as I don't want my energy supplier upping my tariff on a whim or even blacking me out for a few hours if they feel I'm using too much energy. If an unfounded fear of EM emissions means I can tell them to stick it then that's fine by me.
Your energy supplier can already increase your tariff, with or witout a smart meter! wink

Also, one of the commitments given by energy suppliers as part of the Smart Meter consultation is that they won't use the technology to remotely disconnect customers. AFAIK it would need a complete change in the law to allow that kind of usage control. Plus it would be a nightmare to manage when taking "essential users" into account such as people with life support equipment on site etc. Can't see it happening to be honest.

jurbie

2,339 posts

200 months

Sunday 8th April 2012
quotequote all
Blue Oval84 said:
Your energy supplier can already increase your tariff, with or witout a smart meter! wink
True but they can't bump up my tariff for a few hours during high demand which I am led to believe smart meters will allow them to do.

Blue Oval84 said:
Also, one of the commitments given by energy suppliers as part of the Smart Meter consultation is that they won't use the technology to remotely disconnect customers. AFAIK it would need a complete change in the law to allow that kind of usage control. Plus it would be a nightmare to manage when taking "essential users" into account such as people with life support equipment on site etc. Can't see it happening to be honest.
There seems to be a concensus that energy blackouts are going to be the norm within a few years once we've shut down all our coal power stations and there isn't enough wind to drive all the wind turbines. Essential users will be blacked out along with everyone else unless there is some system (smart meters?) in place which allows the suppliers to select who they black out. Just because the suppliers have committed not to cut anyone off remotely doesn't mean it won't happen when push comes to shove.

I'd also take issue with the wording of that. "they won't use the technology to remotely disconnect customers". It sounds to me that if I don't pay my bill the supplier is committed to still go through whatever procedures they have regarding none payment as opposed to simply cutting me off via the smart meter. It says nothing about not blacking people out for a few hours because the energy supplier is running short of capacity.

Having written all this I think I may have to change my position. I'm not a particulary heavy user so you'd think a smart meter would allow me to keep my power on whilst the little old lady next door with her energy hungry electric blanket and heaters will get blacked out. So I might have my tariff increased for a few hours but at least I won't be freezing to death in the dark like my neighbour.





Edited by jurbie on Sunday 8th April 16:35

Strangely Brown

9,974 posts

230 months

Sunday 8th April 2012
quotequote all
XDA said:
I save money as my fuel bills are no longer estimated but use the actual meter readings. I don't need to wait in for someone to come and read my meter either, it's all automatically sent to my supplier.
I don't have a smart meter and my bills are always estimated. When they arrive, I read the meter, post the readings online and receive an amended bill. Easy. No monthly direct debit that they change on a whim and then I end up "in credit" or any other such nonsense. I just use the utility and they send me a bill for what I have used each quarter. Easy.

Smart meters do not save you money. Using less electricity saves you money and you don't need a smart meter to do that.

Gaspode

4,167 posts

195 months

Sunday 8th April 2012
quotequote all
Smart meters will enable the electricity companies to supply electricity to domestic customers more cheaply than current meter technologies, quite apart from all the meter readers, meter operators, data collectors and data aggregators, it will enable the companies to match their demand forecast much more closely to actual demand, which means they won't get penalised by the balancing mechanism operated by the National Grid.

There's no guarantee that they will pass these savings on to the consumer of course, but they won't be able to if people don't have smart meters.

I reckon that in a few years time companies will be offering preferential tariffs to smart meter customers. Don't want one? fine, but don't expect to be able to get anything other than the most expensive tariffs.

Blue Oval84

5,276 posts

160 months

Sunday 8th April 2012
quotequote all
There won't be an option in the matter, by 2020 all homes should have had the meter changed.

You missed one of the big savings, abstraction, it'll be harder to tamper with a smart meter without being immediately caught smile