Smart meters - what's the current thinking?
Discussion
My energy supplier, Scottish Power, has invited me to have a smart meter fitted. Most of the comments I've read on PH (the search facility worked!) are around a year old so has anything changed in the last twelve months? I understand that the early smart meters may lose their 'smart' features if supplier is changed. Are current versions different or should I wait or not have one at all?
User experiences welcome, especially from anyone who has changed supplier - thanks.
User experiences welcome, especially from anyone who has changed supplier - thanks.
V8mate said:
MDMA . said:
you do away with estimated bills. if that's what you want, get one fitted.
Yeah, but the Chinese will be monitoring his entire house and downloading his children and stuff!http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/chinese-link-as-...
Personally I see that as scaremongering. I see the benefit to the Utility Co only (cutting meter reading costs) but very cynical about the cost savings being passed on to the consumer. However, my wife leaves every single light on so am considering getting one to show her how much money we are wasting!
I'm hoping to get one actually - but can't as i'm not with someone who offers them. I understand the worry about future tariffs/restrictions/remote shut off etc but they could force that on you without Smart Meters to be honest.
I don't see it as saving me much money, short of being more careful about what stuff is left on & what uses more background power but for the accurate, real time bills, the benefits out way the potential risks IMO.
I don't see it as saving me much money, short of being more careful about what stuff is left on & what uses more background power but for the accurate, real time bills, the benefits out way the potential risks IMO.
Andehh said:
I'm hoping to get one actually - but can't as i'm not with someone who offers them. I understand the worry about future tariffs/restrictions/remote shut off etc but they could force that on you without Smart Meters to be honest.
I don't see it as saving me much money, short of being more careful about what stuff is left on & what uses more background power but for the accurate, real time bills, the benefits out way the potential risks IMO.
Given that most people pay a flat monthly DD to avoid the seasonal peaks and troughs of usage, are 'accurate, real time bills' really that beneficial?I don't see it as saving me much money, short of being more careful about what stuff is left on & what uses more background power but for the accurate, real time bills, the benefits out way the potential risks IMO.
Why would you want one though?
Surely if you're aware enough not to waste energy in the first place and keep on top of bills by semi regular switching to stop your existing supplier screwing you once whatever introductory deal they sucked you in with expires and provide your own meter readings two or three times a year to avoid estimated bills then it doesn't really matter how much gas or electricity you're using. You just use what you need to use and that's the end of.
Or am I missing something here?
Surely if you're aware enough not to waste energy in the first place and keep on top of bills by semi regular switching to stop your existing supplier screwing you once whatever introductory deal they sucked you in with expires and provide your own meter readings two or three times a year to avoid estimated bills then it doesn't really matter how much gas or electricity you're using. You just use what you need to use and that's the end of.
Or am I missing something here?
PurpleTurtle said:
The Sunday Times were rolling out that story yesterday. Remote shutdowns of entire towns and cities etc etc
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/chinese-link-as-...
Personally I see that as scaremongering. I see the benefit to the Utility Co only (cutting meter reading costs) but very cynical about the cost savings being passed on to the consumer. However, my wife leaves every single light on so am considering getting one to show her how much money we are wasting!
As someone who works for a utility, switching off a town or city remotely is something we can already do very easily if we're ordered to in an emergency. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/chinese-link-as-...
Personally I see that as scaremongering. I see the benefit to the Utility Co only (cutting meter reading costs) but very cynical about the cost savings being passed on to the consumer. However, my wife leaves every single light on so am considering getting one to show her how much money we are wasting!
richard_86 said:
PurpleTurtle said:
The Sunday Times were rolling out that story yesterday. Remote shutdowns of entire towns and cities etc etc
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/chinese-link-as-...
Personally I see that as scaremongering. I see the benefit to the Utility Co only (cutting meter reading costs) but very cynical about the cost savings being passed on to the consumer. However, my wife leaves every single light on so am considering getting one to show her how much money we are wasting!
As someone who works for a utility, switching off a town or city remotely is something we can already do very easily if we're ordered to in an emergency. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/chinese-link-as-...
Personally I see that as scaremongering. I see the benefit to the Utility Co only (cutting meter reading costs) but very cynical about the cost savings being passed on to the consumer. However, my wife leaves every single light on so am considering getting one to show her how much money we are wasting!
I've booked to have one fitted tomorrow, can't really see the downside to knowing what you're spending.
I'm with Britsh Gas and pay by DD for everything. If I go to a comparison site, it tells me that I 'could' save £150 per year. That doesn't feel like I'm getting screwed.
My parents did the shopping around thing, switched, then after 3 years got a bill (without warning) for £8k as the estimates were wrong. They contested it and paid something like £1200. The whole switching and guessing seems farcical to me!
I'm getting one but in the spirit of PH.... please tell me I'm wrong.
I'm with Britsh Gas and pay by DD for everything. If I go to a comparison site, it tells me that I 'could' save £150 per year. That doesn't feel like I'm getting screwed.
My parents did the shopping around thing, switched, then after 3 years got a bill (without warning) for £8k as the estimates were wrong. They contested it and paid something like £1200. The whole switching and guessing seems farcical to me!
I'm getting one but in the spirit of PH.... please tell me I'm wrong.
Had one fitted a few weeks ago by British Gas, I'm really good with not wasting electric and gas and even though I also live with two women and I moan about them whacking up the heating needlessly etc, we are low consumers of electric and gas, so I don't really see it as saving me any extra money, I just like gadgets and I like looking at the app to see what I'm using and how it compares to previous years.
My current supplier seems to have a habit of estimating around 15x my actual usage, cue scary bill and an angry phone call, and they reset them. Given them readings regularly, but in their words "if the readings aren't given exactly on the 28th of each month, then this is bound to happen"
So it looks like i either need to change supplier or change my mind and take one.
I don't see the issue at present, but i have no doubt that eventually they will be used for peak time tariff increases, although maybe battery tech (like the Tesla home thingy) will be more readily available by then.
So it looks like i either need to change supplier or change my mind and take one.
I don't see the issue at present, but i have no doubt that eventually they will be used for peak time tariff increases, although maybe battery tech (like the Tesla home thingy) will be more readily available by then.
V8mate said:
I think the security concerns around smart meters rolls up into wider concerns about security/privacy around the 'internet of things'.
Indeed, there's a DDoS botnet (Mirai) doing the rounds now.https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA16-288A
Mine is going in on the 11th November from British Gas.
I am looking forward to being able to see the exact figure it is costing me each day and if doing things differently impacts that. Apparently the meter sends a reading every 30 seconds (they said that we can ask for less frequent readings if we want ) so the bill becomes very accurate. I also don't like the idea of the estimated bill as we rarely have the heating on in our house.
I am looking forward to being able to see the exact figure it is costing me each day and if doing things differently impacts that. Apparently the meter sends a reading every 30 seconds (they said that we can ask for less frequent readings if we want ) so the bill becomes very accurate. I also don't like the idea of the estimated bill as we rarely have the heating on in our house.
Absolute shambles of a system.
They work whilst you are with the supplier that installed it.
Switch supplier and it's back to manual meter readings again.
The data of what you are using still works, but won't submit billing info for you.
Complete waste of time, unless you remain loyal to suppliers for years on end, which you won't if you like to save money.
They work whilst you are with the supplier that installed it.
Switch supplier and it's back to manual meter readings again.
The data of what you are using still works, but won't submit billing info for you.
Complete waste of time, unless you remain loyal to suppliers for years on end, which you won't if you like to save money.
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