Electric meters

[Gigagator]

I get texts and calls off my energy supplier (Shell Energy) at least every fortnight saying there are "appointments available in my area" to have a smart meter fitted, and that I must get in quick to book mine.

Thus far, ignoring their communication has served me well and they seem to stay away but I am relatively paranoid that I am going to come home one day and find they've done it while I was in work as the incoming supply and meter is in an external box, as most new builds seem to have these days.

I am planning to put a nice hasp and staple on the box to keep an eager smart meter fitter out, though I am told there are possible legality/breach of contract issues surrounding this. I can't say I'm particularly bothered though.

 

[fixitflav]

Thanks everybody for those replies. Interesting.

Can it be true that a modern electronic meter has reached end of life?

 

[JohnW2]

.... Can it be true that a modern electronic meter has reached end of life?

Certainly the end of their official 'calibrated life'. Probably more so than with the old-style electro-mechanical meters, they have to be checked regularly for the correctness of their calibration (to be sure that they are not resulting in customers being over-charged or under-charged). However, I presume that, at least 'traditionally' (pre-'smart' meters) they merely checked/re-calibrated and 'refurbished' 'dumb' electronic meters and then put them back into service.

As I recently wrote, I've had four 'dumb' electronic meters in the past 15 years or so, purely as a result of 'routine replacements'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Between 1971 (got married) and 2015 (left the country) I lived in four properties and never had a meter changed.

 

[JohnW2]

Between 1971 (got married) and 2015 (left the country) I lived in four properties and never had a meter changed.

I'm sure many could say similar. For the first 50+ years of my life, I lived in houses with electro-mechanical meters (some of which had very ancient dates on them), and I cannot recall even one occasion on which any of them was 'replaced'. However, as said, I've had four ('dumb') electronic ones in the past 15 or so years. The manual of my current one claims that it has a 'life' of 15 years, although I'm not convinced that the back-up battery it contains will last that long.

As I've said before, apart from issues of 'life'/ageing/calibration,each one has been more 'sop[histicated' that the previous one. My current one is,m in nearly all respects, just as 'smart' as a 'smart' meter, lacking only its ('optional') communications module and a contactor/disconnector.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Gigagator]

I agree with the general consensus - my parents house still has an ancient rotating disc-type meter. Things just seem to have been better manufactured then. I'm not sure all these digital meters that will most likely end up in landfill when they develop a fault can really be considered 'progress'.

The most interesting failure of a digital meter I've seen was at my grandmothers house a couple of years back. It was frozen on the same number and never changed. They kept querying why the number I gave them for the reading every month was the same, but didn't seem to understand when I explained the meter was broken and needed replacing.

Her electric bill as ridiculously low while this faulty meter was in place even during the ludicrous price hikes that were affecting all of us. I was running an electric dehumidifier in her garage through winter to keep my old car comfortable and she was still paying a pittance as the supplier had no idea how much she was actually using.

Unfortunately, they eventually replaced the faulty meter with a smart meter (didn't consult whether she wanted a smart one or not), and her bills shot up (even with the dehumidifier off).

 

[ericmark]

I agreed to having a smart meter, they arrived today, and walked off because I have solar panels fitted, and with British gas if solar panels are fitted the job has to come on his tablet and the job came on his phone. It seems I need to be set to classic first, and British Gas has not a clue what he is talking about, it says job not done due to missing equipment.

 

[Koolpc]

Lots of bright sparks on here!

 

[Koolpc]

I had a smart meter installed once. I had it removed though as it kept beating me at chess!

 

[JohnW2]

I had a smart meter installed once. I had it removed though as it kept beating me at chess!

It must have been an awful lot 'smarter' than the (pretty dumb) meters we're talking about, then

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

With a single rate supply, no EV charging and no solar panels there is very little to gain having a smart meter, and you can't be forced to have one.

The same applies with EV charging and solar panels you can't be forced to have one, but there is a financial gain by having one.

So I am assuming the British Gas had a smart meter which would not allow multi tariff or export, and I can't work out why he would not be fitting a future proof smart meter?

 

[JohnW2]

So I am assuming the British Gas had a smart meter which would not allow multi tariff or export,...

Do 'smart' meters as dumb as that actually exist?

My 'dumb' meter can/could theoretically do most of what you mention.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

I see not reason why I should need a smart meter, I have an import meter and export meter already.

I hope when I clap my hands the lights will not go on/off, I like the simple Simon says option, or in my case hey Google.

But I really have no idea what the smart meter really does as there are such wild claims.

 

[foxhole]

Thanks everybody for those replies. Interesting.

Can it be true that a modern electronic meter has reached end of life?

Meters are only replace if faulty, meters have date of manufacture on them, seen meters dated from the 1960’s still in place.
Smart meters are just to reduce cost to suppliers.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Smart meters are just to reduce cost to suppliers.

No. They are fitted on the orders of the government so that you can be charged more at various times.