I really can't see how they help you reduce yor bills unless you are one of those households that leaves every light etc turned on even if you are not in the room. Just turn stuff off that you are not using, it's not rocket science.
Smart meter... To install or not to install?
- Thread starter Alex evans
- Start date
Apparently it is to Motman.
I’m changing from BG in the next week and apparently my lovely smart meters won’t work with my new supplier so it’ll be back to supplying readings for a while. 
Apparently my little instrument that tells me how much electricity and gas I’m using will still work though as it’s linked to the meters so not all bad. Oh well, I’ll just have to wait for a new set of smart meters to be installed. Luckily for me, the cost of that will be shared out amongst you lot. Cheers. 
Apparently my little instrument that tells me how much electricity and gas I’m using will still work though as it’s linked to the meters so not all bad. Oh well, I’ll just have to wait for a new set of smart meters to be installed. Luckily for me, the cost of that will be shared out amongst you lot. Cheers. 
Bovvered!
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I have had a smart meter for few months now and I've not dropped dead so far or ever felt funny, the health risks concerns are likely made from the same people who thought mobile phones were going to kill us all and look how long they have been around for, Its all scaremongering nonsense. Whether smart meters "save money" however is entirely dependent on the consumer, Your energy consumption will be exactly the same as it was before when you had the old meter, if you are one of those people who leave lights on or leaves taps running ect, then the smart meter display will be an eye opener and if you break those bad habits you will save some money, however if you are careful with your energy usage then having a smart meter won't make a difference. So the fact it instantly "saves money" is a sort of bull, same with them being free, I don't believe anything is "free" in this world.
I’m changing from BG in the next week and apparently my lovely smart meters won’t work with my new supplier so it’ll be back to supplying readings for a while.
....And they’re coming from my new supplier on November 22nd. New IHD (In home display) unit too.
I had a smart meter installed when I was with Ovo, about the same time as I replaced the mechanical timer on my heating to a NEST, and both gave me a much better understanding of what was going on and allowed me to have a good think about where to avoid high energy costs needlessly. The meter was free, the NEST now. When I changed to Scottish Energy the OVO meter still gave me information but didn’t send it, so I eventually let them put in one of their meters.
Sadly, it is t as good, the info is much more dumbed down in the SE one, and it doesn’t really connect to both meters as well as it should so have to wander around the house with the display.
Sadly, it is t as good, the info is much more dumbed down in the SE one, and it doesn’t really connect to both meters as well as it should so have to wander around the house with the display.
Well, my new smart meters are fitted and already the heating feels warmer, the lights are brighter.....
I've had the smart meters from OVO for about 7 weeks now. I used to take a reading every month and put the numbers in my spreadsheet. Now I can read them off the OVO website, and they do all the fancy comparisons with last month etc. and tell me how much I'm using daily. I haven't worked out if the costs include the standing charge or not.
The instant display gadget is not as useful as you might expect. You can see the difference if you turn on the oven or something like that. But if you're trying to work out the difference when you turn on your Christmas tree lights, or switch off the telly at the wall, it's not going to help you. The minute-by-minute variability is enough to swamp the effects of such minor changes.
So they save you having to rummage in the meter cupboards, but they won't help you to change your consumption. In the future, they might allow you access to innovative new tariffs based on hourly rates, but those won't be available until the chicken hatches from the egg that the chicken hasn't yet laid.
The instant display gadget is not as useful as you might expect. You can see the difference if you turn on the oven or something like that. But if you're trying to work out the difference when you turn on your Christmas tree lights, or switch off the telly at the wall, it's not going to help you. The minute-by-minute variability is enough to swamp the effects of such minor changes.
So they save you having to rummage in the meter cupboards, but they won't help you to change your consumption. In the future, they might allow you access to innovative new tariffs based on hourly rates, but those won't be available until the chicken hatches from the egg that the chicken hasn't yet laid.
D
Doggit
The energy suppliers have already said that they can charge for peak time rates with smart meters, so the plans are in place to lay the egg I'm afraid; they're just waiting till there's sufficient take up to stop you moving to cheaper supplier. Some suppliers are offering cheaper rates if you have a smart meter installed, and much as it's not mandatory to install one, I wouldn't be surprised if you do get forced in to having one at some stage.
No, they don't cause health issues, and the new ones can't be hacked, but not everyone who refuses them is a luddite that's afraid of change, and not everyone who has one installed will automatically see benefits, because we're the real smart meter, not the box they install in the cupboard.
What everyone here seems to be forgetting is why smart meters were introduced in the 1st place.
It was some hairbrained scheme that made everyone believe that if people could see how much gas/electric they were using, then this would lead to them using less therefore reducing CO2 emissions.
Well let’s look at the bigger picture?
People are going to use what they are going to use, yes it will reduce energy usage but not by massive amounts. Then let’s look at all those extra amounts of CO2 that are being used to manufacture all these smart meters, that in the future will have to be changed again. Then let’s look at all those meter fitters driving around from place to place fitting all these new meters.
The bigger picture doesn’t reduce CO2 emissions, it increases them, but let’s not worry about that because there are loads more companies making lots more profit by playing on our concerns of what’s green and apparently saving our planet.
It’s all a big con for the sake of greed and people getting rich.
It was some hairbrained scheme that made everyone believe that if people could see how much gas/electric they were using, then this would lead to them using less therefore reducing CO2 emissions.
Well let’s look at the bigger picture?
People are going to use what they are going to use, yes it will reduce energy usage but not by massive amounts. Then let’s look at all those extra amounts of CO2 that are being used to manufacture all these smart meters, that in the future will have to be changed again. Then let’s look at all those meter fitters driving around from place to place fitting all these new meters.
The bigger picture doesn’t reduce CO2 emissions, it increases them, but let’s not worry about that because there are loads more companies making lots more profit by playing on our concerns of what’s green and apparently saving our planet.
It’s all a big con for the sake of greed and people getting rich.
They havem't mentioned that some smart meters together with the billing system have the ability to charge more per unit while the number of kWatts being consumed exceed an agreed maxinum
So it is claimed.
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I don't have so I wont tell ytou that the only reason the companies put these things out, especially freebies, is so that you, the consumer, pay them, the supplier, more money. Hive, nest and all the gadgets that lazy home owners love are sold for the same reason.
There I didn't tell you that.
There I didn't tell you that.