Smart gas meters?

[Two Gun Bob]

We had a smart meter fitted from EDF many years ago and subsequent energy companies could never tap into it. Our new supplier Octopus is having no problems and our log in portal produces graphs showing weekly daily and hourly consumption.

In light of some posters experiancing problems with billing on their smart meter I decided this week to conduct an 2 day experiment (an old man and fook all else to do) by setting our gas to manual and timing each usage.

So all consumption married up exactly as we fired up the boiler in trenches of 15 and 30 minute bursts. The 15 minute bursts were as a general rule coming in at 0.35 M3 which equates to around 15 pence at 0.04p per KW. Obviously there was negligable amounts drawn throughout the day for hot water and too insignificant to calculate. The hot water draw is currently set as 55c and the heating flow is set at 70c. Overall daily consumption each day varied between 3.1 M3 and 3.9 M3.

I could not check our Electric on draw alone owing to all the different devices used throughout a standard day but it didnt seem to deviate from 8-9 KW daily. Conclution is that the meters are working fine and do not apear to be overcharging but to say with any degree of certainty would have to get the weights and measures in to check.

 

[Blue Mist]

What makes you say they’re going to stop that very soon mate ?

I read two articles online, I am pretty sure both were the Torygraph.
They said the govt. is pushing 4 and 5g mobile signals to be competitive etc and the govt will turn off or get the companies to turn off, first 2g and then 3g as a way of forcing them into the change. As the Telegraph pointed out most smart meters work on 2g, some on 3g and so will need to be changed as you cannot simply upgrade them.
The bit about companies taking readings every half hour and being able to then charge more at peak times was also in the Telegraph.
@Citizen of Legoland it also stated that at the moment users can opt out BUT that will be removed.

 

[Blue Mist]

We had a smart meter fitted from EDF many years ago and subsequent energy companies could never tap into it. Our new supplier Octopus is having no problems and our log in portal produces graphs showing weekly daily and hourly consumption.

In light of some posters experiancing problems with billing on their smart meter I decided this week to conduct an 2 day experiment (an old man and fook all else to do) by setting our gas to manual and timing each usage.

So all consumption married up exactly as we fired up the boiler in trenches of 15 and 30 minute bursts. The 15 minute bursts were as a general rule coming in at 0.35 M3 which equates to around 15 pence at 0.04p per KW. Obviously there was negligable amounts drawn throughout the day for hot water and too insignificant to calculate. The hot water draw is currently set as 55c and the heating flow is set at 70c. Overall daily consumption each day varied between 3.1 M3 and 3.9 M3.

I could not check our Electric on draw alone owing to all the different devices used throughout a standard day but it didnt seem to deviate from 8-9 KW daily. Conclution is that the meters are working fine and do not apear to be overcharging but to say with any degree of certainty would have to get the weights and measures in to check.

@Two Gun Bob you really need to get out more.
An easier way would be to turn everything off for 48 hours and then see if it charged you :-)

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

I read two articles online, I am pretty sure both were the Torygraph.
They said the govt. is pushing 4 and 5g mobile signals to be competitive etc and the govt will turn off or get the companies to turn off, first 2g and then 3g as a way of forcing them into the change. As the Telegraph pointed out most smart meters work on 2g, some on 3g and so will need to be changed as you cannot simply upgrade them.
The bit about companies taking readings every half hour and being able to then charge more at peak times was also in the Telegraph.
@Citizen of Legoland it also stated that at the moment users can opt out BUT that will be removed.

The DT seems to be on a mission against smart meters judging by the google search results!! Almost agenda-like.

 

[Blue Mist]

The DT seems to be on a mission against smart meters judging by the google search results!! Almost agenda-like.

Well they suit my current train of thought :-)

Just looked as I have an online subscription (my mam gets the paper so it's free)
Matt Oliver 8.30pm 9th Feb did the surge pricing article. I have no idea how to copy and paste when on my phone so I can't put it on, sorry.
And apologies, it is 2025 and you will be able to opt out.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

Well they suit my current train of thought :-)

Just my spidey senses making me a bit wary in how it’s being reported. OFGEM seem to be leading the push for change as they say spreading consumer usage means much less investment is needed in the country’s infrastructure and that will help keep energy prices lower. Hopefully we’ll hear from other sources and arguments for and against but I’m not making my decision based on what newspapers write.

 

[Dirty Harry]

I read two articles online, I am pretty sure both were the Torygraph.
They said the govt. is pushing 4 and 5g mobile signals to be competitive etc and the govt will turn off or get the companies to turn off, first 2g and then 3g as a way of forcing them into the change. As the Telegraph pointed out most smart meters work on 2g, some on 3g and so will need to be changed as you cannot simply upgrade them.
The bit about companies taking readings every half hour and being able to then charge more at peak times was also in the Telegraph.
@Citizen of Legoland it also stated that at the moment users can opt out BUT that will be removed.

I’ve been reading that in Belgium, they’re saying the 5G meters will need updating again in 2033 mate, so it will continue and continue with the consumer (whether you have one or not) paying for it, their greed is never ending, they’d have been better off investing in sustainable energy, that’s our final destination so may as well start now, if they’d done that I’d have been well on board.

The DT seems to be on a mission against smart meters judging by the google search results!! Almost agenda-like.

Yet I bet it’s nothing compared to the mission energy companies have been on to get you to have one (ps yes I’ve just seen your post further on mate).

 

[denislawsbackheel]

Tried to get these fitted. Took day off and Eon didn’t turn up, gave me £35 for the inconvenience! Then took another day off and they tried to fit them but couldn’t as some form of connection problem. I don’t live in a remote area so no idea what connection issue was.

Because they tried but failed to fit a meter You are now entitled to all deals, including meter only deals.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

I read two articles online, I am pretty sure both were the Torygraph.
They said the govt. is pushing 4 and 5g mobile signals to be competitive etc and the govt will turn off or get the companies to turn off, first 2g and then 3g as a way of forcing them into the change. As the Telegraph pointed out most smart meters work on 2g, some on 3g and so will need to be changed as you cannot simply upgrade them.
The bit about companies taking readings every half hour and being able to then charge more at peak times was also in the Telegraph.
@Citizen of Legoland it also stated that at the moment users can opt out BUT that will be removed.

Spot on.
Anyone thinking that peak hour rates won’t get hammered is naive.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

The DT seems to be on a mission against smart meters judging by the google search results!! Almost agenda-like.

Half page in todays Times.
They have an agenda too?