Not sure I understand this comment. Most energy companies charge more than the first x number of kwh units anyway, regardless of whether it is an old meter or smart meter.
Smart meter... To install or not to install?
- Thread starter Alex evans
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Not sure I understand this comment. Most energy companies charge more than the first x number of kwh units anyway, regardless of whether it is an old meter or smart meter.
The energy supplier and customer agree that the maximum power will be, for example, 10 kW An electric shower ( 8 kW ) and a 3 kW ommersion heater are switched on at the same time thus using 11 kW which is 1 kW more than the agreed maximum.
The smart meter records this "overload" and the customer is billed at a higher rate per kWhr ( unit ) for the 1 kW "overload" If the 1 kW "overload" lasts for one hour then one unit is charged at the higher rate and 10 units at the normal rate. The meter reports the size and duration of the "overload" and the billing system then calculates what to charge for the "overload" units
Some commercial tariffs charged the higher rate for all units used while the power used was greater than the agreed maximum power.
but not for the vast majority of customers who have a standing charge.
the high rate for the first bunch of units is an attempt to cover the fixed costs of supplying the service.
I also have a standing charge. The first xxx hundred units are charged at a lower rate and the remaining at a higher rate. Still not sure of your analogy of how a smart meter affects it. You use less than the lower tariff amount on either style meter it's the same.
I'm sure you're not advocating something dodgy that you can achieve on an old style meter.
I'm sure you're not advocating something dodgy that you can achieve on an old style meter.
Mentioning one of the many ways that a supplier can increase revenue by using the data from a smart meter is not complicating it.
The complication will be there if ( when ) the suppliers start using the data for extra profit.
Right....so the concept of big data starts with smart meter and the "potential" for an energy co to see your demand.
Tell me how, how long have you been using supermarket loyalty cards and when was the last time Sainsbury's did an analysis of when to send you an offer for your next bog roll? What about your surfing habits, have you disable some all your cookies in your browser in case, god forbid, someone offered you a discount on garden furniture because you had a hidden passion for garden gnomes.
Really need to get a grip of things and realise the trend and embrace the future.
Tell me how, how long have you been using supermarket loyalty cards and when was the last time Sainsbury's did an analysis of when to send you an offer for your next bog roll? What about your surfing habits, have you disable some all your cookies in your browser in case, god forbid, someone offered you a discount on garden furniture because you had a hidden passion for garden gnomes.
Really need to get a grip of things and realise the trend and embrace the future.
Giving up your privacy for those token items you mentioned is a very real problem. You may not value it but many of us do.
I am not comfortable in being the product. It is not my idea of fun especially when it is used to increase the profits of those already coining it in.
I would suggest those needing to get a grip of things are those willing to sell out the hard fought things for mere trinkets in return.
p.s if you understand Capitalism and you're not at the top of the pyramid then the concerns aired here should be yours also.
i dont have loyalty cards i have all boxes unticked to get "fantastic offers"
no one has anything about me unless its fully required to my satisfaction if not i go no further with registration
collecting data is a good thing but until morality and for the good off society in general comes far far higher up the list than profits and deliberate manipulation to target the often weak and vunereble then its a bad thing
no one has anything about me unless its fully required to my satisfaction if not i go no further with registration
collecting data is a good thing but until morality and for the good off society in general comes far far higher up the list than profits and deliberate manipulation to target the often weak and vunereble then its a bad thing
If the future is to be open house on personal data without privacy then, in my opinion, the future is not going to be a very pleasant one. If that future is something you wish to embrace than please do so but do not force others to follow and embrace that trend.
One big advantage for suppliers is that with a smart meter they will be looking to charge you as you use power, meter could be linked to your bank account, but that will be for the future.
to be honest wouldnt be happy with that as it removes control off my bank account from me
i only have perhaps £10 more than expected outgoings in my account
apart from the credit card that gets paid in full every month all utilities and other services are well spread and average £25 a week excluding council tax and insurance
so an unplanned large bill would be unwelcome particularly iff in error like my last months gas usage
because my boiler broke down for about four weeks my gas reading was low one month and close to zero december
because my reading where low the automated system rejected them and because my electric consumption was far higher it decided my gas consumption must be far higher as well so my close to zero usage rather than the £22 average over the year come up as £56
this now generate an automated higher demand for fuel as i am using twice as much so my £49 a month turns to £105 from now on
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I doubt anyone will be happy with it, but those without account or not signing up will be charged at a higher rate as happens at the moment.
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I saw this thread a bit late but I don't have a smart meter and am suspicousof their motives. If the adverts came on te radio "fit a smart meter so we can sack all our meter readers" then I could accept that, bt the list of reasons they are trying to find makes them sound very desperate to get yuo to have one - and the list of reasons arn't realy reasons at all.
- get an accurate bill..but by the time you get your bill it will be out of date (due to the time it takes toprocess it)
- end of estimated bills... but the current system iof estimated bills is great since it evens out your estimated use through the year and there will be no huge December bill on New Years eve, you pay for more unitys in the summer and fewer in the winter than you use but pay a constant easy to budget amount
- you don't have to hunt down your meter in the scary under stars cupboar (yes, this really was one of their reasons)
and lastly - the big lie - they will help you save money They will only help you save mney if you put in some effor tto find out what equment. uses what electricity and whether yuo can stop using them.
- get an accurate bill..but by the time you get your bill it will be out of date (due to the time it takes toprocess it)
- end of estimated bills... but the current system iof estimated bills is great since it evens out your estimated use through the year and there will be no huge December bill on New Years eve, you pay for more unitys in the summer and fewer in the winter than you use but pay a constant easy to budget amount
- you don't have to hunt down your meter in the scary under stars cupboar (yes, this really was one of their reasons)
and lastly - the big lie - they will help you save money They will only help you save mney if you put in some effor tto find out what equment. uses what electricity and whether yuo can stop using them.