Smart Meters(Or Not?)

[OldBather]

About a month ago an engineer installed (quickly and easily) a new "Smart Meter"in our houseHe did warn us however,that as we live in rural area the meter would not function for years (if ever)Why?
Because the meter needs to communicate with an aerial,and very few country areas have such an aerial yet.It's really the government(who are pushing the Electric Companies)putting the cart before the horse.Yes,we have a brand new clear readout meter,but we still have to read it ourselves,and download the reading online.He said that even when the whole country has smart meters,only approx 25% will be transmitting (wherever they transmit to), and these will all be in urban/city areas.Apparently the cost of the installation of these meter will run into £millions,and guess who they will pass the cost onto.
So saving you money will eventually cost you money.

[Tilly2]

How does having a Smart Meter save you money, Old Bather?

[Dazzleflash]

We had Eon come to fit a Smart Meter but there was not enough signal and they refused to install one. They put in a new 'normal' one instead. The meters run through EE mobile and not all areas are covered. My neighbours who live about 100 meters away have EE coverage and a Smart Meter, its very patchy.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

NOT

[Dazzleflash]

Smart Meters show you every little thing you are using so it encourages you to turn off that heater in the spare room or not use your outside light, for instance.

[OldBather]

Tilly2~If you read Dazzleflash's (2nd)answer you will see how they are supposed to save you money.
But as they don't supply you with the hand held unit(to show your consumption) until your meter can transmit your electricity consumption remotely.

[unigirl]

Aha another person who has been persuaded that Smart Metering is the future. Do yourself a favour and do your utmost to get the device uninstallled from your property as soon as possible.

[OldBather]

unigirl,
We didn't ask for it, we were TOLD we would be having it.If we want it removed and a "standard" meter (re)installed it would cost us £150,that's quote from EDF;so I think we will just leave it as it is(for the moment anyway).

[waterboatman]

I can't have smart meters. The two, gas and electricity, are too far apart and won't be able to 'talk' to each other. Fine by me!

[Dazzleflash]

unigirl I would genuinely be interested as to why you think Smart Meters are bad?

[EDDIE51]

At the moment Smart meters are an option only but the government has announced that they will be compulsory for every home in the UK by 2020. Do you realise that the 'save money' argument is just a cover for the real reason they are being rolled out? The real reason is 'Load Spreading' which means that in a power emergency the power companies can cut off power to ordinary homes to ensure essential services such as Hospitals, Vital Industry and Military installations have enough. Every smart meter has a 'remote disconnect' facility this means the power company can disconnect you by using its computer system in it's head office, instead of having to come to each house and cut you off at the meter.

[bhg481]

Eddie. according to the government's website it will NOT be compulsory to have one.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/smart-meters-how-they-work

[Dazzleflash]

EDDIE wrote
"The real reason is 'Load Spreading' which means that in a power emergency the power companies can cut off power to ordinary homes to ensure essential services such as Hospitals, Vital Industry and Military installations have enough. "

And thats a bad reason? Seems perfectly sensible to me. In a dire National Emergency it is vitally important to keep these facilities running, even if this means cutting supply to homes.

[sunny-dave]

Given that all you would need to do would be disable the phone network connection (lining the box with a couple of layers of tinfoil should do it) I don't think load management is all that viable using smart meters at the home - it would be done at substation level and that is already possible ...

[paddywak]

I enquired about them last year and was told we couldn't have one as we had solar panels fitted,no explanation just we don't fit them to houses with solar panels.

[EDDIE51]

BHG481 Yes correct, at the moment you can refuse to have a smart meter. However from some time after 2020 other types of meter will no longer be produced. So if after that date you need a new meter the only meter available will be a 'Smart Meter' it will take longer than the original time scale of all homes on smart meters by the end of 2020 but it will come.

[dannyk13]

I was offered on by E-on some while ago but I did not take up the offer and have not been bothered since then.I don't need a smart meter to tell me I am using too much electricity.

[bhg481]

So, smart meters by the back door then, Eddie.

[EDDIE51]

^ Yes that's about the size of it.

[hereIam]

I thought it was up to the individual if they wanted a smart meter or not .....

[EDDIE51]

HereIam read my post at 12.31 today. So far they are not compulsory, but some time after 2020 Smart Meters will be the only type produced so we will all end up with them in the end.