Any opinions on smart meters?

[RogerS]

I see no reason why the electricity charges shouldn't be more variable. I have Economy 7 from necessity, but why can it not be more variable for all? The largest spike in energy use is between something like 5.00pm and 6.30pm - why is this not the most expensive power of the day? Much of the usage is people coming in from work and switching everything on, when much of it could be done by timers to run at the cheapest (or at least cheaper) time of the cycle. If the low is say 3.00am to 5.00am, that's when the washing machine should come on. Likewise tumble driers if they were made to be low fire risk - which they should be anyway. If the power used at peak were spread even by an hour or two it would be one fewer power stations we need - and we're coming to a time of inadequate generation so it should be seriously thought about now. I suspect ultimately that this is what smart meters are designed for, rather than to deter you from using your kettle full up.

+1
Also I am sure they could be programmed remotely so that those with a recognised need eg home kidney dialysis could have their supply safeguarded if/when cuts or brown outs occur.

Brian

Your faith in computer systems, the people who design them and the people who operate them and enter the data is touching, Brian. That covers switching the wrong people off.

Regarding 'brown-outs'...to specifically switch off only certain people on a circuit isn't possible. Well, if everyone had smart meters ........

 

[porker]

I am working on what will probably be the next generation SMART metering technology. I say probably because it has not yet been agreed which standard will be adopted in the UK at least yet. What I can say is that the technology is based on the current LTE (4G) mobile standards. Unless there is something inherently different in the actual meter part of the equipment then any health issues would be the same as the mobile phone signals we are all subjected to everyday. A few of those references quoted are complete twaddle and make no sense. One talks of microwave frequencies at 60Hz which is nonsense.

As to whether its a scam or not I don't know, but I do know that one of the compelling reasons that the providers want them is because of the cost of physically reading meters. In theory some of the gas meters will run off a single AA battery for 10 years without a need for a visit. That saves the provider a lot of money.

 

[Droogs]

I don't read the "Daily Mail" and was just passing on the gist of the lecture my other half gave me. I worked with RF at all frequency ranges for most of my life and have actually seen the damage it can do when used at extreme power levels (very nasty burn when you touch an Ae leg pumping out 5kw) but there is some evidence purporting to show that high/constant exposure to RF from our devices does raise the temperature of biological matter, which could lead to damage. This mostly coming from US DOD studies in the early eighties.
Personally, I don't care, I'm happy to have my smart phone etc and if it does contribute to me going mad, sterile or having some other weird degenerative condition in the future it will only be a tiny factor considering all the other radiation I've been exposed to over the years in all its types and the amount of DU particulates I probably ingested in my 7 months in the desert during the big party in the desert in 91.
If you feel you need that much control over what power you use then get one.

For philp, you have my deepest comiserations on being a SP customer, in another life i dealt with their QC of customer complaints and know how bad they really are.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Only been there for a few months, no probs yet. I'll undoubtedly change again 1/19.

 

[Gerry]

I've just managed to escape Scottish power, without doubt the worst company for customer service I have ever dealt with.
6 months trying to get an isolator switch fitted. Missed appointments, lies, incorrect refunds (repeat several times) They call then have to sort it and call back, never happens. "It will be sorted tomorrow" (tomorrow never comes) a total bunch of f***wits. I have just received the final bill to close the account today and guess what, They screwed that up too!
It took me 5 months to get the full refund on the payment of £81 (they initially refunded a very random £31.48) I made to book the isolator fitting yet it only took them seconds to remove the money from my account.
A bunch of c***suckers

Gerry