Smart Meters 'forced' on people?

[JohnW2]

My two are co-located, alongside my drive, both at the same height - a perfect back breaking height when you stoop down to read them. They are a good height for sitting down to work on them. I do already have a problem back, so rather than bend awkwardly to read them, I open the door and splay my legs wide to reduce my height whilst reading them - I don't know what neighbours might think of my antics on a Sunday morning

I've never had any dealings with this issue. From what I've heard, it seems that if one requests a move of meters to outside, or in the case of a new-build, the house owner (or builder) is (or may be) expected to provide and attach the cabinet. Is that true? If so, does the DNO provide instructions/ requirements about how high it should be?

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

But why do that? If you need to save money, you have to turn things off, dial it down etc. You don't need a smart meter to do that. My thermostats are pretty smart!

True, but it helps considerably if you know what is using power and how much. Most people are pretty clueless as to where there consumption of power has gone .......

True - but as I've often said, a program of 'public education' would undoubtedly have been dramatically cheaper, and very much quicker (and probably just as effective, given that many/most people seem to stop looking at a 'smart' meter when the novelty has worn off after a few days), than the astronomical cost (and time) of the 'roll-out' of 'smart' meters.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Monitoring one's usage is just a sop to the customer pretending that smart meters are of some benefit to them.

The Government(s) forced their installation for whatever reason.

 

[JohnW2]

Monitoring one's usage is just a sop to the customer pretending that smart meters are of some benefit to them. The Government(s) forced their installation for whatever reason.

Probably true, but I fear that the government has been misguided/misinformed as much as everyone else, since I get the impression that the "for whatever reason" is that someone has somehow persuaded the government that 'smart' meters will result in substantial reductions in energy usage - hence relieving pressures on the supply industry and also helping the government in terms of 'green targets'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Probably true, but I fear that the government has been misguided/misinformed as much as everyone else, since I get the impression that the "for whatever reason" is that someone has somehow persuaded the government that 'smart' meters will result in substantial control of energy usage - hence relieving pressures on the supply industry and also helping the government in terms of 'green targets'.

Well, I suppose that is true given that Government members are unlikely to have the knowledge required to organise such things (this being proved daily on other matters) so the question becomes who is that someone and what are their true reasons?

 

[Old Salt]

Smart meters were introduced across the EU to reduce the carbon footprint. Some countries introduced them faster than others and of course all the countries wanted to have minor changes to give their own specification. The aim being that if individual households could see how much they were using they would reduce their consumption. Whether it works in practice is a different matter.

 

[EFLImpudence]

. The aim being that if individual households could see how much they were using they would reduce their consumption. Whether it works in practice is a different matter.

People have always been able to do that so probably not an honest reason.

What about the ability to charge (a lot) more for electric vehicles to recoup lost fuel duty - and similar such things?

 

[JohnW2]

Well, I suppose that is true given that Government members are unlikely to have the knowledge required to organise such things ...

That is totally understandable, but what I'm saying is that they obviously' (presumably) came to this conclusion on the basis of (to my mind, very questionable) 'expert advice' from people who should 'have the knowledge'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[flameport]

the house owner (or builder) is (or may be) expected to provide and attach the cabinet. Is that true?

Yes. DNOs do not supply, install, replace or do anything else with meter cabinets. 100% the responsibility of the property owner.

does the DNO provide instructions/ requirements about how high it should be?

They do, including other requirements such as the size, type of ducting to connect to it and so on.
An example: https://www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/userfiles/file/SCP4702 Meter Position Leaflets for web.pdf

 

[JohnW2]

Smart meters were introduced across the EU to reduce the carbon footprint.

Indeed, the problem does not apply only to the UK government, but the argument I'm presenting applies to any/all of them.

In other words, I think the underlying concept that the deployment of 'smart' meters would appreciably "reduce the [net] carbon footprint" is very questionable - and, to my mind, inferior in terms of addressing that desire than would be other (probably much quicker, cheaper and less carbon-consuming) alternatives.

Kind Regards, John[/net]

 

[JohnW2]

They do, including other requirements such as the size, type of ducting to connect to it and so on.
An example: https://www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/userfiles/file/SCP4702 Meter Position Leaflets for web.pdf

Thanks. With a maximum of 2m to the top of an outdoor cabinet, that really ought to be OK for Harry's back (and mine ), shouldn't it? - it's presumably the householders/builders (or whoever installed them, not the DNO) who are to blame if the cabinets are too low for Harry (or anyone else)?

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

That is totally understandable, but what I'm saying is that they obviously' (presumably) came to this conclusion on the basis of (to my mind, very questionable) 'expert advice' from people who should 'have the knowledge'.

But you seem to be only considering that the reasons so far stated are the only ones.

 

[JohnW2]

But you seem to be only considering that the reasons so far stated are the only ones.

No, it's not the only one I am 'considering' - but from all one hears, it does seem to me that the government really does believe (have somehow been persuaded to believe) that widespread deployment of 'smart' meter will result in a substantial reduction in electricity usage, hence also 'carbon emissions'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

No, it's not the only one I am 'considering' - but from all one hears, it does seem to me that the government really does believe (have somehow been persuaded to believe) that widespread deployment of 'smart' meter will result in a substantial reduction in electricity usage, hence also 'carbon emissions'.

Yes, but it depends on the methods used to achieve that once smart meters are installed.

Merely having a smart meter does not guarantee that outcome so some punitive measures, which could not be employed without smart meters, must be being considered therefore this must be the real reason behind their installation.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I've never had any dealings with this issue. From what I've heard, it seems that if one requests a move of meters to outside, or in the case of a new-build, the house owner (or builder) is (or may be) expected to provide and attach the cabinet. Is that true? If so, does the DNO provide instructions/ requirements about how high it should be?

I also have never had any such dealings. Our two were simply moved from inside, to outside, just the other side of a wall during a major refurb any years ago.