Does anybody know about Smart Meters?

3G smart meters were installed between 2011-2019 and are due to be phased out by 2033.

By which time they will all be between 14-32 years old and probably due for replacement anyway. All smart meters installed in the last 5 years are 5G compliant. www.pleaseconnectme.co.uk/blog/3g-smart-meters-how-to-upgrade/

Your gas boiler uses electricity to operate the controls - turning it on/off processing information from the thermostat and to illuminate dials etc.

If the weather gets cold and your gas heating is on more, your electricity consumption will go up as well.

Someone told me that they couldn’t understand why people were being pressurised into having smart meters now because they are all 3G and the system is going to change to 5G at some point and they aren’t compatible. Not that I understand it.

made absolutely zero difference to our energy use as we don't use the monitor. What it did mean is no more estimated bills, no needing to manually read the meters, and no needing to deal with pesky sods turning up to read them from the company

I suppose the only difference to our usage it has made is that our tariff provider had a thing in the darker/colder months called 'beat the peak' where we'd get a refund if we reduced our usage for a couple of hours at peak times, always earned us a few quid by not running the washing machine, dishwasher etc. Can't do that on an analogue meter as the energy provider don't get usage stats in 30min increments.

I’m pretty certain it’s the standing charge.
We had the same thing when one of our rental properties was empty for a few weeks.

PS

Our electricity meter was from the 1950s and we didn’t have a choice about having a new, Smart, meter.

I’ve unplugged mine as well, but sometimes if I feel I want a dose of reality, I log onto the Electricity Company’s website and look at my daily usage and can compare it to last years. Then I sigh and log out…….

No point in looking at the costs as they have risen, but I can check my usage.

Haven’t the charges just gone up?

Oil is my big problem, our tank was fitted with a ‘smart gauge’ which will buzz at the plug in in the kitchen when the tank gets low, let’s hope it does and that I hear it, it also has a flashing light (apparently) we shall see, the other part of the so called ‘smart gauge: doesn’t work and sent me incorrect readings, let’s hope the plug in is more accurate.

I don’t use mine, as I’ve the Octopus App - albeit it takes a day to catch up. I’ve worked out it costs 60p an hour to heat the water and £1 an hour to run heating in the rooms I use - gas. I’m not really bothered about my electricity useage. However, like greyduster I refuse to be cold, but I’m fortunate that I have a large credit balance, which I’ll work through.

You can become paranoid about the smart monitor. I’m over that stage now, but I can see that my heating costs have gone through the roof the past few weeks. I’ve made up my mind this winter that whatever it takes to keep me warm will be worth that cost. You can’t put a price on your health.

We have had smart meters for several years and I would not recommend getting them. The gas one does not work and was eventually replaced but it still does not work and when I try to send the reading, the site is often having problems.

you become paranoid reading the display

When we had solar panels fitted, I was forever popping out to the garage, gloating as the sun shone and the readings ticked along.

It soon wore off!

Our smart metres worked fine until we had an EV plug fitted by a different supplier. They seem to have disconnected the electricity meter altogether!

I put my monitor away a year ago. I use what I need and so be it. I am not going to be paranoid about whatever energy I use from moment to moment. Watching the monitor is addictive btw

I do like having a smart meter and not thinking about submitting readings from very awkward positions

I keep getting letters from my supplier urging me to get one, but so far I've refused. I have a pre-payment meter, so I don't have to worry about getting a bill. I already check my usage each day so don't need a smart meter to do that.
Apparently they can be used to monitor your lifestyle...what time you get up, which appliances you use etc. Our lives are spied on quite enough already without adding to it.

The first engineer that came out wasn’t able to install it. The second one did but had said that, if he couldn’t fit it I would still have been able to have the better tariff, so I was hoping he wouldn’t be able to. I really didn’t want one.

The reasons above are why we have resisted having one. I don't like the idea of another organisation being able to monitor and control my supply. People I know who have one say that it's a novelty at first, then you become paranoid reading the display, then you just stop looking at it. There was interesting programme on TV this week about smart meters and how a very large number do not work properly, fail to read usage and customers end up with large bills. I won't have one until it's mandatory by which time I might be dead.

It said I’d used £6.50 of energy yesterday! But my monthly payment was £120 and they’ve just reduced it to £90.

The pump on your central heating will be electric, it will be used more if your heating is on more this cold weather.

I had one fitted this week as it was the only way I could move to a better tariff . I wasn’t going to look at the display because I knew it would make me paranoid about using things but it’s in the kitchen for now and I can’t avoid it. However, it’s saying £5.50 for todays use and I’m about to put the oven one to do some baking. If that’s how much I’m using on a normal day I’ll be spending £200 a month on energy! Thus far I’ve done no cooking ( had sandwiches). I’ve unplugged all appliances not being used. Had the heating on low. Did have the immersion heater on for a couple of hours this morning. Instead of having the dehumidifier on for ages I’m just putting it on for an hour in the morning and an hour at night. I did defrost my freezer late last night/early morning so that might have used a lot of electricity getting back to the correct temperature. Dread to think what the reading will be when I do some cooking and washing. Bit worried! At least the instalment went smoothly ( I was dreading it).

Could it be to do with daily standing charge perhaps going up?

Elegran

Do you heat your house by electricity? My. heating (gas) has been on far more in the last few days than it was previously.

I don't have a smart meter. I don't fancy yet another organisation knowing details of my life. I send off meter readings once a month. That is detailed enough.

No, my heating is gas, as is cooking. I’m just puzzled by such a sudden big jump. I know that anything which heats up will increase units used, but I have nothing like that.
I’ll give it over the weekend then be forced to phone SP!

( I remember when working for them, a woman was adamant the meter in her new house was faulty, and when the engineer visited, there was one of those wee greenhouse heaters in her loft which had been burning away!)

Yes, heating can make a big difference. I had a similar situation in the winter - I noticed that the bill went up dramatically when the outside temperature dropped, even though I was only heating one room. I ended up setting the timer on the heater and turning the thermostat down a couple of degrees, which helped significantly with the cost

Do you heat your house by electricity? My. heating (gas) has been on far more in the last few days than it was previously.

I don't have a smart meter. I don't fancy yet another organisation knowing details of my life. I send off meter readings once a month. That is detailed enough.

I have so far resisted getting one but my son has recently moved in to a house which has one and it looks good that you can see your usage. Am following this thread for any further information and tips.

I have a smart meter - I don’t notice it’s there and can’t be bothered. I just had it because I had to. I use the plug point for my kettle as well