WouldBe
Dislicksick
True, but still doable.
Should I get a smart meter?
- Thread starter Guineveretoo
- Start date
stethoscope
Well-Known Member
Typical example of 'modern progress' today.
NPower have been spamming me with texts, emails, and letters for five years to move to a 'smart meter' (and we're all aware of the various tactics they've been using with this scheme). On a few occasions, I wrote to them and noted that the last visit I had from their engineer was that our block can't have them yet as the electric meters/cupboard is at the other end of the carpark to our flats/gas meter.
Eon as they have become, have been pestering me loads again lately with missed calls...
"Oh no, we can replace just the electric meter, its now end of life, we must sort it."
"Ok ok, if thats the case, book me in then".
Engineer came this morning. Ten minutes, takes a look and some photos.
"Nope, cant do these until the new smart meters come out, too much distance between your electric meter and gas/flat, see."
"It was only the electric meter I believe I needed doing as its end of life?"
"Nope, both got to be sorted as they communicate with each other!", he replies.
And off he had to wander to his next job
NPower have been spamming me with texts, emails, and letters for five years to move to a 'smart meter' (and we're all aware of the various tactics they've been using with this scheme). On a few occasions, I wrote to them and noted that the last visit I had from their engineer was that our block can't have them yet as the electric meters/cupboard is at the other end of the carpark to our flats/gas meter.
Eon as they have become, have been pestering me loads again lately with missed calls...
"Oh no, we can replace just the electric meter, its now end of life, we must sort it."
"Ok ok, if thats the case, book me in then".
Engineer came this morning. Ten minutes, takes a look and some photos.
"Nope, cant do these until the new smart meters come out, too much distance between your electric meter and gas/flat, see."
"It was only the electric meter I believe I needed doing as its end of life?"
"Nope, both got to be sorted as they communicate with each other!", he replies.
And off he had to wander to his next job
gentlegreen
I hummus, therefore I am ...
I haven't had a "gas safety inspection" done for over 5 years now (a euphemism for "we think your zero consumption means you're somehow stealing it") ... or either meter read in who knows how long ..
I'm about to start having gas heating installers in so perhaps they'll have things to say - not least about the way we cut the gas off at the meter as we stripped the house down to bare bones...
The first one hopefully this week apparently once worked for British Gas so I anticipate a certain amount of raised eyebrows on his part.
Not that I have any evidence of a leak, but I will be glad to get it sorted now that there isn't a convenient constant howling gale blowing through the leaky doors and windows...
As for smart meters, I wouldn't be bothered about having them now...
The most pertinent meter-related issue recently is my neighbour wanting a water meter and my supply tapping off his - and me reluctant so far to cut into my kitchen floor and pay thousands to have my own plastic pipe installed .. I can't see me wanting a water meter under my kitchen sink which is apparently what would be necessary ..
I'm about to start having gas heating installers in so perhaps they'll have things to say - not least about the way we cut the gas off at the meter as we stripped the house down to bare bones...
The first one hopefully this week apparently once worked for British Gas so I anticipate a certain amount of raised eyebrows on his part.
Not that I have any evidence of a leak, but I will be glad to get it sorted now that there isn't a convenient constant howling gale blowing through the leaky doors and windows...
As for smart meters, I wouldn't be bothered about having them now...
The most pertinent meter-related issue recently is my neighbour wanting a water meter and my supply tapping off his - and me reluctant so far to cut into my kitchen floor and pay thousands to have my own plastic pipe installed .. I can't see me wanting a water meter under my kitchen sink which is apparently what would be necessary ..
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Callie
Pivoting
I'm avoiding a smart meter. Still.
For those that have had them for a while now what are the advantages? Recent ads suggest you can do all your power hungry jobs at off peak times to save save save. But when are the off peak times internet says 10pm - 8 pm)? Midnight on a Tuesday? Not very helpful for hedge trimming/running loads of washing/anything that might be
vaguely noisy.
Plus I would imagine with more people working from home off peak use has gone up anyway?
For those that have had them for a while now what are the advantages? Recent ads suggest you can do all your power hungry jobs at off peak times to save save save. But when are the off peak times internet says 10pm - 8 pm)? Midnight on a Tuesday? Not very helpful for hedge trimming/running loads of washing/anything that might be
vaguely noisy.
Plus I would imagine with more people working from home off peak use has gone up anyway?
danny la rouge
I have a cheese grater in the dishwasher.
We had an email from our factor saying not to run dishwashers or washing machines after 9pm because someone had complained about the noise of someone else doing this.
So, yeah. Not an option for people in flats.
PTK
Paul Kegan
I had an interaction with a body that promotes Smart Meters when I was still on X [and I urge everyone who has not done so to leave it now].
A link was posted to a little video.
Apparently, the hours when the electricity is cheap can vary, and the smart meter helps you take advantage of this, and not only is it good for your finances, but it also combats global warming.
“How does it combat global warming?” you may ask. As I did too. Well, there is more electricity from the wind turbines when it is windy, and this is when the electricity is cheaper, to encourage us to use it, rather than use the electricity produced by the fossil fuel generators.
I have the washing machine on at the moment. If I had a smart meter, and I bought a new smart washing machine, then the smart meter could start my washing machine when the greener and cheaper electricity was coursing through the wires.
So, if you want to promote “greenness” in your life you should:
1. Replace your washing machine and dishwasher with new, “smart” ones.
2. Get a smart meter installed.
3. Load your appliance with washing/dishes.
4 Wait until the smart meter tells the smart appliances to begin running.
This would not at all be inconvenient.
Who has not loaded their washing machine and/or their dishwasher and not cared when it begins running?
A link was posted to a little video.
Apparently, the hours when the electricity is cheap can vary, and the smart meter helps you take advantage of this, and not only is it good for your finances, but it also combats global warming.
“How does it combat global warming?” you may ask. As I did too. Well, there is more electricity from the wind turbines when it is windy, and this is when the electricity is cheaper, to encourage us to use it, rather than use the electricity produced by the fossil fuel generators.
I have the washing machine on at the moment. If I had a smart meter, and I bought a new smart washing machine, then the smart meter could start my washing machine when the greener and cheaper electricity was coursing through the wires.
So, if you want to promote “greenness” in your life you should:
1. Replace your washing machine and dishwasher with new, “smart” ones.
2. Get a smart meter installed.
3. Load your appliance with washing/dishes.
4 Wait until the smart meter tells the smart appliances to begin running.
This would not at all be inconvenient.
Who has not loaded their washing machine and/or their dishwasher and not cared when it begins running?
PTK
Paul Kegan
I would not like my washing machine to begin running while I was not home, and I would not want its operation to wake me at night.Depends if you want it done in a hurry.
Callie
Pivoting
If you can buy 2 new smart devices that can do that you probably don't care about saving a few quid on energy costs. Also one assumes manufacture and transport for those new devices has impact as well as potentially dumping devices that are currently functional.
I can't help but think it's just so energy companies can adjust pricing to create more profit. Rather than save the world. [/Tinfoilhat]
danny la rouge
I have a cheese grater in the dishwasher.
I share that view.
Elpenor
a clown’s heart and a mandolin
My dad has just got a smart meter and he had a similar issue due to the distance between meters - which they eventually resolved - he lives in a house built around 2014 so seems strange they’d not consider smart meters when building unless they’re newer than that?Typical example of 'modern progress' today.
NPower have been spamming me with texts, emails, and letters for five years to move to a 'smart meter' (and we're all aware of the various tactics they've been using with this scheme). On a few occasions, I wrote to them and noted that the last visit I had from their engineer was that our block can't have them yet as the electric meters/cupboard is at the other end of the carpark to our flats/gas meter.
Eon as they have become, have been pestering me loads again lately with missed calls...
"Oh no, we can replace just the electric meter, its now end of life, we must sort it."
"Ok ok, if thats the case, book me in then".
Engineer came this morning. Ten minutes, takes a look and some photos.
"Nope, cant do these until the new smart meters come out, too much distance between your electric meter and gas/flat, see."
"It was only the electric meter I believe I needed doing as its end of life?"
"Nope, both got to be sorted as they communicate with each other!", he replies.
And off he had to wander to his next job
danny la rouge
I have a cheese grater in the dishwasher.
Does the meter turn off appliances, or do you have to do that yourself? I cut out the middle robot and do it myself.
Horizon/Fujitsu.
Er, no - didn't even know it could do that!
No, we just have it in the hallway and you can see where you're up to. It does subconsciously make you take shorter showers etc. It flashes up a light if you're going over a certain amount, like £2 or somthing. But yeh for two lads, a coupla quid a day aint bad. Don't get the opposition to them really.
danny la rouge
I have a cheese grater in the dishwasher.
gentlegreen
I hummus, therefore I am ...
Depends if you have hot water, do washing up or bathe more than once a week - though I couldn't see myself showering off-peak ...
My winter (electric) heating bill was £200 last winter (on top of my usual usage for cooking and lighting)
WouldBe
Dislicksick
You can still manually enter meter readings. If they don't believe you take a photo of the meter and send it to them.
I think in our case its a psychological thing. We're both terrible with money so seeing it sitting there telling you how much your elongated shower just cost does have an effect. And yes, I do bathe more than once a week
danny la rouge
I have a cheese grater in the dishwasher.
I need a mechanical meter. I don’t trust ones with purely digital displays. I have literally seen British Gas change amounts in the app, which is why I also demand paper bills.
WouldBe
Dislicksick
You'll be lucky my previous non-smart meter was digital.
danny la rouge
I have a cheese grater in the dishwasher.
I realise that the day will eventually come when I have to accept a smart meter. But for now I’m ignoring the emails and hoping to keep my mechanical meters as long as possible.
I got one for accessibility sake. Saves me having to get help over a video call to open the keysafe, to get the key, to open the meter cupboard, and then get them to tell me the reading, which I have to somehow remember as I can't type whilst holding a phone.
The fuckers still wanted to up my monthly bill and I objected though.
The fuckers still wanted to up my monthly bill and I objected though.
Callie
Pivoting
What changed for you that couldn't be done without a smart meter?
Sasaferrato
Super Refuser!
PTK
Paul Kegan
Yep. And I pull out the plugs at night, other than the fridge plug.
Stuff that's always on.
Fridge
Freezer
3 smart speakers.
Home file server.
Router
The smart meter.
Lately, the air exchange thing. Not aircon, building wide ventilation system I can't remember the name of.
All this coutns as green AKA low usage.
It's the heating of stuff which really ramps it up.
Fridge
Freezer
3 smart speakers.
Home file server.
Router
The smart meter.
Lately, the air exchange thing. Not aircon, building wide ventilation system I can't remember the name of.
All this coutns as green AKA low usage.
It's the heating of stuff which really ramps it up.
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