Panorama - The Smart Meter mess

[bernardgreen]

The white meters had relays inside them

Which switched the Off Peak supply to storage heating equipment. Controlled by signals that are broadcast to all meters with off peak switches. Individual meters could not be selected.

 

[noseall]

But instead of "little men" there is, in smart meters, a relay that is designed to switch off the supply to the house; This relay can be controlled by a signal from a remote control room.

There are no such relays in dumb meters,

I think you are a little late to the party bernie. The irrelevance of you post content, has been pointed out several times in relation to....

The processes that lead to being cut off or switched, regards SM vs analogue, continues to remain EXACTLY the same. You are no more likely to be cut off or switched with either meter.

 

[denso13]

there is, in smart meters, a relay that is designed to switch off the supply to the house; This relay can be controlled by a signal from a remote control room.

So what, you are no more likely to be switched or disconnected with a sm as opposed to a dumb meter.

 

[noseall]

So what?

Exactly. Any supply can be cut off, no matter what meter is used.

 

[Mister Banks]

Ignoring the cost of the meters, because meters do need swapping from time to time, anyway. The installer took around 30 minutes to swap both of my meters, a particularly easy swap. An hour should cover most, so around £200 cost, per swap. Meters have a minimum 10 year life, so that's a cost of £20 per year.

Potential savings for some customers, is much, much more than £250 per year, due to the tariffs which open up with a SM. I've never bothered calculating my own savings, but £250 per annum, would be well within my saving range, and for doing nothing special at all, just consuming as normal.

I have calculated my savings since moving to a smart meter tariff 12 months ago, I have saved just over £1000 despite using slightly more energy compared to the previous 12 months.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Which switched the Off Peak supply to storage heating equipment. Controlled by signals that are broadcast to all meters with off peak switches. Individual meters could not be selected.

You only mentioned 'relay'.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I have calculated my savings since moving to a smart meter tariff 12 months ago, I have saved just over £1000 despite using slightly more energy compared to the previous 12 months.

Shush - don't tell the foil hat brigade, they will all want a smart meter

 

[gas112]

I have calculated my savings since moving to a smart meter tariff 12 months ago, I have saved just over £1000 despite using slightly more energy compared to the previous 12 months.

you wont struggle to put proof of those figures up then

 

[Mister Banks]

you wont struggle to put proof of those figures up then

If I didn’t have proof I wouldn’t have been able to do the calculations. I have monthly figures provide by the suppliers app and I have the bills too.

 

[bernardgreen]

Exactly. Any supply can be cut off, no matter what meter is used.

True

but it is far easier for a man in a chair in a office to cut off a supply from a Smart Meter than it is for a technician to travel to the site and using tools to cut off the supply from a dumb meter.

Much easier for a mistake to happen and the wrong Smart Meter to receive an "OFF" command.

 

[ellal]

Yes.

I'm not stating that because I don't know.

Exactly...

The technology as you have acknowledged exists...

And since dynamic pricing is already with us, unless there is a law against it happening then individual energy pricing will at some point happen...

If it ain't ruled out, then history tells us what will happen!

 

[ellal]

" I'm generally in favour of the concept of smart meters," [says Martin].

Oops...

And the tw*t was in favour of tuition fees since according to him at the time it wasn't a 'debt' per se and the repayment terms were plainly spelt out...

He's since changed his tune on that!

 

[denso13]

The technology as you have acknowledged exists...

There is a lot of technology that now exists, some embrace it and look for the positives. Others find a conspiracy in everything.