do smart meters have tamper detection?

[stuartR1963]

Hi all, I was wondering what would happen if someone removed the cover from a smart meter, lets say you needed to extend the meter tails or something else, what would happen? would it go beserk and start beeping and flashing away then send some kind of alert signal to the power company, or would it just do nothing?

I don't contemplate doing this and don't encourage anyone else too either, I'm just wondering if such detection exists? if so is the person likely to get caught or the homeowner to get a very heavy fine?

 

[mwatsonxx]

If you tamper with the meter it will be reported to the supplier, and they have the option of remotely turning OFF the supply. You then have the rest of your life trying to get them to switch the meter back ON.

 

[Iamchamps]

If you tamper with the meter it will be reported to the supplier, and they have the option of remotely turning OFF the supply. You then have the rest of your life trying to get them to switch the meter back ON.

Evidence please

Because that is waffle

 

[mwatsonxx]

Evidence please

Because that is waffle

Yes of course it is, and my name is JohnW2

 

[mwatsonxx]

Evidence please

Because that is waffle

Special edit of my post, just for you

"If you tamper with the meter it will not be reported to the supplier, and they cannot remotely turn OFF the supply. Free electricty for life"

Is that better? good

 

[DaveHerns]

Can you still bypass a smart meter to run a cannabis farm or will it grass you up?

 

[garyo]

lets say you needed to extend the meter tails or something else, what would happen? would it go beserk and start beeping and flashing away then send some kind of alert signal to the power company, or would it just do nothing?

From the meters point of view wouldn't it just look like a random power cut?

 

[Iamchamps]

Special edit of my post, just for you

"If you tamper with the meter it will not be reported to the supplier, and they cannot remotely turn OFF the supply. Free electricty for life"

Is that better? good

You are one of these conspiracy theorists. You can tamper all you like the risk is you electricute yourself or the smart meter stops working in which case the supplier will eventually contact you to ask if they can send someone to fix.

When you show me evidence of other wise I will apologise and withdraw what I said. I am guessing that will be no time soon.

 

[pete50]

Some excellent reasons here NOT to have a smart meter. Quite apart from the ones where the utility companies use your smart meter to spy on you, feed you targeted adverts and scam you in 1001 other different ways.

 

[mwatsonxx]

You are one of these conspiracy theorists. You can tamper all you like the risk is you electricute yourself or the smart meter stops working in which case the supplier will eventually contact you to ask if they can send someone to fix.

When you show me evidence of other wise I will apologise and withdraw what I said. I am guessing that will be no time soon.

Do you have delusions of grandeur? Don't apologise you have brightened up a dull day.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

When you show me evidence of other wise I will apologise and withdraw what I said. I am guessing that will be no time soon.

Oh look - you were right:

Do you have delusions of grandeur? Don't apologise you have brightened up a dull day.

The problem is, Iam, that watson is not very good at this, and it is pointless hoping that he will somehow suddenly acquire competence.

 

[SUNRAY]

A smart meter is, in effect, just another meter installed by the supplier. it will be sealed just like any other.
It happens to be able to do more than other meters.

If a meter is found to be tampered with it will be investigated for signs of misuse or theft. if nothing is obvious it will be resealed and legal papers issued. The energy consumption will be monitored for a while, that will be the end of it if there is no increase in consumption. Well that's how it was some years ago and it has very likely changed in more recent years according to a 77 yo ex SEEBOARD employee neighbour.

Edit: In the eighties the amount of rewiring with new CU's meant a meter reader was expecting to find several unsealed meters daily. - same source.
On that basis, I imagine the same is true today with upgrading to 17th works.

 

[flameport]

Can you still bypass a smart meter to run a cannabis farm or will it grass you up?

Cannabis people don't do anything to the meter - they just crack open the cutout and shove the wiring directly in there.

 

[JohnW2]

To return to at least partially addressing the question in the title of the thread, it appears that at least some of these meters do have a fair degree of 'tamper detection' built in. I think that my meter is potentially 'smart', although it isn't being used as such (doesn't even have the communications module installed). The following show the 'Security Features' part of the manual, which show that it can (as an 'optional extra'!) detects, counts and records the number of times both the terminal cover and main cover are opened, and also records the date/time of the last three occurrences of each of these events ....

Kind Regards, John