Compulsory smart meters?

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Sat Oct 22, 2022 9:42 am

I won’t have it because of the green levies. I now read the meter and submit when I calculate when I am under the threshold, as the green levy is applied to the entire billing period it can be a very expensive mistake. If I go over the threshold due to high use for example building work, I set the bill period very short so I only get taxed over a limited number of days. Can be the difference in quite a bit of tax.

smorris_12 · Post by **smorris_12** » Sat Oct 22, 2022 9:51 am

Pondrew wrote: ↑Fri Oct 21, 2022 11:41 pm It is possible to reduce electrical power, but it would need equipment that your neighbour does not have installed in his house. And to do it remotely would need a lot more.

Thank you for the support Pondrew!

Oddly enough, in the context of car charging, this is one area where I expect chargers will have been designed with remote switching in mind. The National Grid is close to capacity at the best of times so there's no way it can support half the country getting home at 6pm and plugging in a 7+kW charger so a means of load spreading will be essential.

Ideally this would be by negotiation based on the user's stated requirements ("I need my car at 8pm", "don't need it before 7am") which will be fine until enough of the entitled brigade have them and just thump the Must Have Now button no matter what their plans are!

MikeyH · Post by **MikeyH** » Sat Oct 22, 2022 12:05 pm

As I understand it, it is more difficult to change providers if you have a smart meter as it reverts to a standard type meter. Probably why the providers like them. Also I'm not happy being pushed into having something I don't want, same with electric cars. How many of you with smart meters have noticed their usage increasing since having them fitted?

Nanu · Post by **Nanu** » Sat Oct 22, 2022 2:53 pm

Must give credit to Octopus Energy.

I asked them which meter was approaching the end of its certification date and they responded in great detail. They told me it didn’t expire for another year, there was no need to change the meter to a smart meter if I didn’t want one. They even said when the certification period expires there is still no legal compulsion to change it as long as we both agree it is functioning accurately which they agree it is.

So no smart meters and I think I can manage to find time in my diary once per month to read a couple of digits and ask STMBO to tap those numbers into a website.

MrPT · Post by **MrPT** » Sat Oct 22, 2022 3:46 pm

I’d love one but can’t get any provider to fit one as the A4-sized install of meter plus comms hub seems to require about 80cm of clear wall space (for reasons no call centre agent has been able to explain to me).

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Sat Oct 22, 2022 4:51 pm

New installs of anything including power sockets have to have a clearance of 40 cm,

MrPT · Post by **MrPT** » Sat Oct 22, 2022 5:16 pm

pvr wrote: ↑Sat Oct 22, 2022 4:51 pm New installs of anything including power sockets have to have a clearance of 40 cm,

Sounds about right but do you know where that reg comes from? Is it in Part P?

It’s infuriating because we spent a fair bit of money on a dedicated external meter kiosk (to the DNO’s spec) when we demolished our old house, but are now stuck with a prehistoric meter.

MikeyH · Post by **MikeyH** » Sat Oct 22, 2022 6:22 pm

Don't you mean a 'vintage' or 'classic' meter

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Sat Oct 22, 2022 6:37 pm

MrPT wrote: ↑Sat Oct 22, 2022 5:16 pm
pvr wrote: ↑Sat Oct 22, 2022 4:51 pm New installs of anything including power sockets have to have a clearance of 40 cm,
Sounds about right but do you know where that reg comes from? Is it in Part P?

It’s infuriating because we spent a fair bit of money on a dedicated external meter kiosk (to the DNO’s spec) when we demolished our old house, but are now stuck with a prehistoric meter.

I have no idea but had electrical work done in my old and nee
office buildings and had to move radiators and sockets because of that rule.

Funniest part is that the consumer unit has to be 40 cm from the ground so that disabled can reach it. Let’s not talk children here then but as it was 1.8 meters high it had to come down

sars · Post by **sars** » Sat Oct 22, 2022 8:25 pm

There’s seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding on how smart meters work. First, the smart meter, the bit connected to and measures your gas or electricity usage does not use your Wi-Fi and second you don’t need to have the in-home display plugged in and on for the smart meter to work.

MikeyH · Post by **MikeyH** » Sat Oct 22, 2022 11:31 pm

My brother-in-law moved into a house recently and it needed rewiring, he had to have all the light switches repositioning to accommodate disabled people. This meant he had loads of holes to fill in.

Smartbear · Post by **Smartbear** » Sun Oct 23, 2022 7:40 am

MikeyH wrote: ↑Sat Oct 22, 2022 12:05 pm As I understand it, it is more difficult to change providers if you have a smart meter as it reverts to a standard type meter. Probably why the providers like them. Also I'm not happy being pushed into having something I don't want, same with electric cars. How many of you with smart meters have noticed their usage increasing since having them fitted?

That was just an issue on the first generation smart meters, I’ve changed providers several times & my smart meter still functions as intended.
Rob

TitanTim · Post by **TitanTim** » Sun Oct 23, 2022 11:10 am

Does anyone know if you have to pay to upgrade from SMETS1 to SMETS2. Mine was installed by British Gas in 2016 but unsure if they are required to upgrade as time goes on. I have lost connection on occasions about twice in that time which meant I had to contact them to reboot the hub remotely. I think the difference between SMETS1 and 2 is how they connect remotely.

Tim.

craig3.2 · Post by **craig3.2** » Sun Oct 23, 2022 4:35 pm

Nanu wrote: ↑Sat Oct 22, 2022 2:53 pm Must give credit to Octopus Energy.

I asked them which meter was approaching the end of its certification date and they responded in great detail. They told me it didn’t expire for another year, there was no need to change the meter to a smart meter if I didn’t want one. They even said when the certification period expires there is still no legal compulsion to change it as long as we both agree it is functioning accurately which they agree it is.

So no smart meters and I think I can manage to find time in my diary once per month to read a couple of digits and ask STMBO to tap those numbers into a website.

Good news then.
The companies can't Force you into taking a Smart meter, although some can be awkward or pushy.

I'm not a fan of them, personally. Too many stories in the industry if them being poorly made and or fitted,and going on fire as a result. Also,there is an element of big brother is watching you.

Re the fires,it was the same back when they brought the 17th Edition, amendment 3 out a few years back,(now on 18th Edition amd 2,as of this September),where the Plastic Consumer units were causing fires....even though a high percentage of those fires were concentrated in the South of England,and Poor quality units Or Poor Quality installation practices (slack connections,etc) were the main factors....yet they decided back then to introduce Expensive(at the time), Metal,fire retardant consumer units

In saying that,it now pales into Insignificance,with the new Afdds and Spd boards adding a Substantial cost!

Anyhoo, back on topic,Smart meters are Not a must.

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Sun Oct 23, 2022 5:46 pm

As you know, currently the "best' deals for elec are if you pay by DD only. What is the betting that the next thing is that smart meter only deals will start to make an appearance ...

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