In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Somewhat off topic, but ...

Really, what IS the point of smart meters ?

Who has honestly managed any significant usage, or cost savings, by their use ? The only people who benefit from a smart meter is the power companies.

I have refused to have my meter changed to a smart meter several times, the power suppliers say they save you money but that is total rubbish, you turning off lights and devices saves you money not the meters. I have a separate unit that shows me (not the power suppliers) what I use and that is good enough for me.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Somewhat off topic, but ...

Really, what IS the point of smart meters ?

Nothing for the end user. I assume they are for remote switch off under government control when we have insufficient generating capacity.

They have actually no point for anyone reading their meters regularly.

They might have done before CFL or LED lights and with old CRT televisions etc.

Edited by jchamier (Thu 12-Sep-19 22:16:26)

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

In reply to a post by jchamier:

According to https://www.smartdcc.co.uk/ over 2million SMETS 2 meters are on the network now, which would mean no need for cellular.

Apparently not, at least in central & southern areas cellular will still be used

That looks as if they�ve given up building the low freq network in the south. Wonder why.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

Wonder why.

Who knows, the SM rollout has been an expensive shambles from day 1.

It seems Smart DCC may be over-egging the pudding.

Nearly a third of all energy companies fitting smart meters are still installing old technology

The artlicle only appeared today, not a search result. Though it is talking about the number of companies, not the number of meters.

Edited by RobertoS (Fri 13-Sep-19 02:48:07)

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Somewhat off topic, but ...

Really, what IS the point of smart meters ?

Who has honestly managed any significant usage, or cost savings, by their use ? The only people who benefit from a smart meter is the power companies.

I�ve always been interested in getting smart meters fitted as it�s a real pain getting to the external gas meter to take readings and my electric meter is installed in an awkward place under the stairs (typical Barratt home!) so reading meters isn�t my favourite chore. However I�ve put off having meters installed until they sorted out the interoperability between suppliers since SMETS1 meters often go into dumb mode when changing suppliers.

SMETS2 has fixed the interoperability issue (more or less) so there was no reason for me not to get them fitted anymore. I�m due to get SMETS2 meters fitted by E.ON in a few weeks purely so that readings can be sent automatically to the supplier regularly - I�ve chosen the monthly readings option rather than half hourly or daily option.

I couldn�t care less about energy usage so the energy display unit (IHD) they supply will be going in the bin . Being in a fairly �new build� our usage is low anyway.

... and yet smart meters are pushed so heavily.

The public should insist the cost savings these devices make for the Energy suppliers are passed directly back to the punters.

Chap on the radio this morning from Energy UK touting their benefits. He claimed his had ssved him £20 this month. How on earth can you know how much energy you have saved, I thought they only told you how much you had used. Still holding out here, I know how to operate switches and they save me absolutely zilch. Just dawned on me they haven't emailed or phoned me recently, maybe they have got the message.

Yeah, wholeheartedly agree.

I moved into a new build a couple of years back, and the installation of a Smart meter was pushed very heavily ... then there was much to ing and fro ing, claims of it not being possible, etc ... all just the result of a �computer says no� ... once finally installed, nearly nine months after moving in ... it made sod all difference, no change in usage, no help reducing costs.

Hi

Power companies don't benefit from smart meters. The power industry (and water) works opposite to any other service or supply industry, where we are actively encouraged to buy less of that service and so pay them less money.

Smart meters will be required when we have a significant number of electric cars plugged in over night, so expect electricity costs to be considerably higher overnight when millions of cars get plugged in to charge, and probably extra taxes as well to recoup what will be lost on petrol revenues. Electric cars are only cheap to run at the moment because they slip through the net of being taxed on the fuel they use.

Smart meters will be needed to spread the load on the grid, so that peak demand can be controlled by charging extra at different times across the UK to encourage people to spread the load out.

Regards

Phil