Smart Meters. Anyone had one installed? Smart Thermostats?

[Bm101]

In the process of doing up the front room and wondered about getting a Smart Meter installed while I'm at it. Current gubbins is all in the front room and needs a cupboard built round it so it would make sense to do it now rather than wait for the inevitable. Would also have the benefit of tidying up what's already there which is a bit of a dogs dinner atm...

:roll:

=D>

I like the idea of the seperate Energy Display that lets you see your usage and it would make life simpler designing the cupboard round it rather than trying to retro fit wiring etc. Seems like these meters are fairly inevitable in the long run anyway.

Only drawback I can see on EON website at least is "If you change supplier, you may lose some of the benefits of having a smart meter or being on Smart Pay As You Go." Hmmmm.

Got me wondering about also installing a smart thermostat while on the case.
Obviously a lot more scope for variables here. I wondered how many people use them, which ones, app controlled or not etc, and how they find real life savings.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Rorschach]

Given the troubles recently associated with them I would touch one ever and there won't be one fitted in my house unless they come in with a Police escort.

 

[Eric The Viking]

The single biggest advantage they offer to energy companies is the ability to cut off your supply remotely - or so I understand.

I think we are heading for a "market-driven" solution where rich folks pay extra for continuity of supply, whilst poorer folks pay a lower tariff, but accept they may get power cuts when demand is excessive.

 

[DrPhill]

I am not an expert but......

From what I have read the smart meter is mostly for the benefit of the electricity company. So far I have heard nothing positive about them from anybody but the energy suppliers. I have heard lots of suspicions and doubts from sources outside the electricity industry. I am waiting until I know more.

You can buy a consumption meter independently.

• Last I read was that the smart meters from different suppliers do not co-operate, so a smart meter fitted by supplier A cannot be read by supplier B (check this is fact). If this is so then it is another barrier to switching
• The smart meter transmits your meter reading (over wifi I think, may even use your wifi, check this is fact) so that the man does not need access to get your meter reading.
• I would need to check the security before I let such a device inside my walls. What if scrotes could monitor your energy usage - they could sit in their car and see which people were consuming little/no leccy and determine who is in and who is not......?
• Suppliers may use them to use 'differential pricing', ie different prices at different times of day. This will be touted as a saving for the customer, but even if it is it will make tarrif comparisons even harder.

Just my tuppence - I'll get my (tin foil) hat now.

 

[garethharvey]

I have a smart metre in my unit, it's an commercial one. There is no need for anyone to read it, I believe it has a SIM card that connects to a mobile signal to transmit the readings.

Never had a problem with it.

 

[MusicMan]

I have a smart thermostat, a Netatmo. It does appear to give significant savings, of the order 10% or more, mainly through the adaptive control once it has 'learned' your house. The main other advantage is in remote control switching the heating on/off over the web etc. I know this scares some people silly, but I find it useful.

 

[finneyb]

...There is no need for anyone to read it, I believe it has a SIM card that connects to a mobile signal to transmit the readings.

And I see that as the main/only benefit - I can see the day when you will be charged to have your meter read, unless it is smart; much the same as pre-payment tariffs now are more expensive than standing order tariffs.

Brian

 

[TFrench]

I have one. It doesn't have a usage display but that doesn't bother me - I know we use more electric when we're home/in the winter. All it means is I don't have to bother reading the meter, which is a plus for me. There seems to be a lot of scaremongering about them. I've got a salus "semi smart" thermostat and it works ok. Certainly better than a normal stat. You program it for a week cycle and it does its thing. The best system out there is the honeywell evohome which controls each radiator individually by motorised TRVs instead of just heating the whole house when the boiler comes on. I dont think nest/hive offer much above the salus apart from being able to control off your phone, and lets face it once the novelty value has worn off how much would you actually use that?

 

[tomatwark]

Scottish Power have been hassling us to get one installed.

It was due to be fitted tomorrow, we cancelled it today after discovering that the next generation of smart readers are going in be better in that you can change supplies more easily.

We don't have to have it fitted until 2020, so will wait until then, to give more time to iron out the wrinkles.

Of course living in Scotland, we will be independent by then, living in the and of milk and honey, all be earning massive amounts of money and also probably will have been told we will get free electric any way so it won't matter.

YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!

 

[woodpig]

I won't be having one. It's not difficult to read an analogue meter and email it in, they even give us a discount for doing it. I also don't see how spending £12 Billion to install them is actually going to save money.

http://stopsmartmeters.org.uk

 

[MattRoberts]

I have the Hive thermostat - very happy with it and would recommend it for sure

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I won't be having one. It's not difficult to read an analogue meter and email it in, they even give us a discount for doing it. I also don't see how spending £12 Billion to install them is actually going to save money.

http://stopsmartmeters.org.uk

Certainly - but what you really mean is they charge people who can't be bothered.

 

[stuartpaul]

We've had a smart metre since just after Christmas and have found it useful in monitoring what we spend. Interesting to see what it costs to run specific items for particular time periods.

I konw some are paranoid about them but quite frankly I'm really not that bothered.

 

[Bm101]

Cheers for the replies so far. Interesting to see some varied views. Just what I was after really. Given me a good head start on some more serious research. First thoughts though are that Tom has the right idea and wait it out. The issues switching suppliers is a major warning light. Seems that any benefits are mostly minimal at present.

Will look further into the smart stats. Any and all info appreciated.
Keep it coming! Be interesting to see how this discussion develops.
Thanks again.
Cheers
Chris

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

The reason the Utilities like them is clear, they get instant and continuous management information about their customers usage of their product, in second intervals, 24 hours a day. They also can get that data with no mobile workforce doing the reading, no vans to maintain etc. Management information allows them to plan their business more efficiently in numerous ways which saves them money, let alone the pay and rations direct savings from sacking their meter readers.

For the punters, my understanding is it gives you management information about your own usage and as such highlights wasteful, unwanted energy expenditure (like standby functions on Tele's on overnight etc).

The additional hassle of avoiding needing to physically read the meter seems only a good thing to me so even though I don't have one yet, it seems a technology that benefits both parties. But I do generally early adopt most technologies as I have no fear of them whatsoever.

 

[AJB Temple]

My experience of smart thermostats is the Salus IT500. It is extremely unreliable. Avoid at all costs. I hear better things about the Hive.

 

[MrTeroo]

Maybe this will help you decide......

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co...._says_he_used___70_000_electricity_in_a_week/

 

[tomatwark]

Even though we cancelled our install, in principal I think they are a good idea.

It is just the lack of joined up thinking with the technology that I don't like.

The government should have made all the companies use the same ones or at least compatible ones, so you can switch suppliers without having to have a new meter.

 

[John Brown]

My experience of smart thermostats is the Salus IT500. It is extremely unreliable. Avoid at all costs. I hear better things about the Hive.

In what way unreliable?
I fitted one at our tennis club, wiorks very well.

 

[transatlantic]

In theory, they're a win for both sides. I can't see any disadvantage, assuming they're reliable.

But from what I have heard, they haven't implemented the idea very well. I only heard this on the radio, so not sure if its entirely true, but due to the out of date machines being installed, switching is going to be even harder than it was before. I know my mum is having her smart meter taken out, because she has switched to a cheaper provider who can't work with them. And this has to be done BEFORE the switch goes ahead. Absolutely crazy.