smart meter commitment...

[Doing it for the kids]

We have all heard the stories of someone being remotely cut off from their power in error via a SM. I dont want them to know when we are using our power because i am sure that one day there will be multiple tariffs for different times of the day which will cost us much more.

We use a lot for grain drying some years as well which many companies cant understand - not consistent.

managed to hold off for so long with out fitting one but now it seems all but BG business insist on a smart meter being installed when you move to them. BG are 10% more than EDF for us and we are up for renewal.

i have tried to reason with BG but they are still 2-3p more unit which tots up over the years.

what has everyone else done recently?

to smart or not to smart....!?

 

[Still Farming]

No way .

 

[steveR]

We have all heard the stories of someone being remotely cut off from their power in error via a SM. I dont want them to know when we are using our power because i am sure that one day there will be multiple tariffs for different times of the day which will cost us much more.

We use a lot for grain drying some years as well which many companies cant understand - not consistent.

managed to hold off for so long with out fitting one but now it seems all but BG business insist on a smart meter being installed when you move to them. BG are 10% more than EDF for us and we are up for renewal.

i have tried to reason with BG but they are still 2-3p more unit which tots up over the years.

what has everyone else done recently?

to smart or not to smart....!?

Move to an area with no mobile reception

I refused Eon's plea to move, I always state that my PV array won't allow the SM to work!!

 

[renewablejohn]

Will never go on a SM. If they try to enforce it I will go off grid.

 

[Wesley]

Put a tin foil hat on & you’ll be fine or they’ll try reading your thoughts too.
I don’t really understand all the worries about a smart meter. Most people carry a mobile phone, so people know your every move. Very few use cash so banks know all your spending. Web activity is monitored even if its just to personalise adverts. But people don’t want anyone knowing their electric usage details

 

[SRRC]

We have all heard the stories of someone being remotely cut off from their power in error via a SM. I dont want them to know when we are using our power because i am sure that one day there will be multiple tariffs for different times of the day which will cost us much more.

We use a lot for grain drying some years as well which many companies cant understand - not consistent.

managed to hold off for so long with out fitting one but now it seems all but BG business insist on a smart meter being installed when you move to them. BG are 10% more than EDF for us and we are up for renewal.

i have tried to reason with BG but they are still 2-3p more unit which tots up over the years.

what has everyone else done recently?

to smart or not to smart....!?

Why stay with BG anyway? Move provider, it's seamless and easy, just make sure you read the meter!
"Half hour" charging will be a menace, I have refused a smart meter for just that reason.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Put a tin foil hat on & you’ll be fine or they’ll try reading your thoughts too.
I don’t really understand all the worries about a smart meter. Most people carry a mobile phone, so people know your every move. Very few use cash so banks know all your spending. Web activity is monitored even if its just to personalise adverts. But people don’t want anyone knowing their electric usage details

We all know energy costs fluctuate during the season and time of day. They don’t know when we use our energy, just how much we use per month.

I don’t want them to know that but for the privilege it looks like I’ll be £1500 worse off per annum.

I’m trying weigh up the options hence this post.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

No way .

I agree but I have little choice it seems

Why stay with BG anyway? Move provider, it's seamless and easy, just make sure you read the meter!
"Half hour" charging will be a menace, I have refused a smart meter for just that reason.

In order to renew EDF have in their conditions the right to fit a SM. It seems BG are currently the only one who are not insisting on it.

This means we all have no Choice if we want to stay on grid

 

[Exfarmer]

I am using my battery to store cheap power from the night to use during the day when the sun is not shining as this December ( have PV and no it does not affect my meter, except to tell me when it is exporting and I had better turn the washing machine on)
This means my electricity costs are a quarter of purchasing at peak !
So yes very pleased with my Smart meter
Oh an don't forget if they need to turn the power off they are far more likely to flick a switch at the Sub station all done remotely
currently changed my battery setting to 30% as now getting near sufficient during the day from the PV

 

[Doing it for the kids]

I am using my battery to store cheap power from the night to use during the day when the sun is not shining as this December ( have PV and no it does not affect my meter, except to tell me when it is exporting and I had better turn the washing machine on)
This means my electricity costs are a quarter of purchasing at peak !
So yes very pleased with my Smart meter
Oh an don't forget if they need to turn the power off they are far more likely to flick a switch at the Sub station all done remotely
currently changed my battery setting to 30% as now getting near sufficient during the day from the PV

I love the idea but we uses around 100k kWh per annum on this site with 50kw of Pv.

Need a fair few batteries for that!

 

[Exfarmer]

I love the idea but we uses around 100k kWh per annum on this site with 50kw of Pv.

Need a fair few batteries for that!

I would have thought Night rate power would go well with that solar! Always been a good match with all my industrial sites

 

[Doing it for the kids]

I would have thought Night rate power would go well with that solar! Always been a good match with all my industrial sites

As do i but what investment is needed to make it work and what will the yield be!?

unless it's well in to double digits (which i have never been able to get to when looking at this before) then cash is going elsewhere!

 

[Pad123]

We’re with British Gas for electric, I’d stay well clear of them if I were you they seem to be pretty useless at even the basics. Monthly statements/bill don’t seem to come through unless I actually ring them and ask where they are, call centres regularly disconnect my calls amongst other various issues we’ve had with them over the course of the last year.

We also have a smart meter (which isn’t actually very smart, most of the time it doesn’t even seem to work) and if they want to cut us off they’re more than welcome too (solid fuel Rayburn runs the heating and hot water) . If I could ever afford to i’d look at going fully off grid.

 

[colhonk]

They use your electric to run the smart meter,then charge you for it.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

We’re with British Gas for electric, I’d stay well clear of them if I were you they seem to be pretty useless at even the basics. Monthly statements/bill don’t seem to come through unless I actually ring them and ask where they are, call centres regularly disconnect my calls amongst other various issues we’ve had with them over the course of the last year.

We also have a smart meter (which isn’t actually very smart, most of the time it doesn’t even seem to work) and if they want to cut us off they’re more than welcome too (solid fuel Rayburn runs the heating and hot water) . If I could ever afford to i’d look at going fully off grid.

been with them 2 yrs now - i agree they are poor but having had to deal with OVO and EDF and EON this week on other projects i can assure you they are all hopeless.

our supplies are sub metered out to various tenants so off grid or being cut off is not an option here sadly.

They use your electric to run the smart meter,then charge you for it.

and how many kwh is that per annum?

 

[farmerm]

Farm smart meter cant get a signal so good luck them turning it off remotely. If you are worried perhaps line your meter box with aluminum foil... the contracts might give them the right to install a smart meter but pretty sure they can do nothing if they box cant send or receive because its enclosed in a faraday cage... tbh I am more concerned about China or hackers simultaneously turning off a few million smart meters, it could take months for utilities firms to rectify.

 

[farmerm]

They use your electric to run the smart meter,then charge you for it.

Broadband companies makes us pay the electric for their routers too....

 

[Swarfmonkey]

I dont want them to know when we are using our power because i am sure that one day there will be multiple tariffs for different times of the day which will cost us much more.

That is the exact reason that Eurelectric (the association which represents the interests of the electricity industry in the EU) lobbied for smart meters to begin with: time-of-use tariffs.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Farm smart meter cant get a signal so good luck them turning it off remotely. If you are worried perhaps line your meter box with aluminum foil... the contracts might give them the right to install a smart meter but pretty sure they can do nothing if they box cant send or receive because its enclosed in a faraday cage... tbh I am more concerned about China or hackers simultaneously turning off a few million smart meters, it could take months for utilities firms to rectify.

i agree there. Any auto disconnect would be a big headache here hence why i like the old school meters!

That is the exact reason that Eurelectric (the association which represents the interests of the electricity industry in the EU) lobbied for smart meters to begin with: time-of-use tariffs.

exactly my thoughts. But how much could that cost us in the near future. is it worth over spending by 10% now?!

 

[Swarfmonkey]

Smart meters have already cost bill payers a fortune, estimated at £13.5 billion. Oh, and that that doesn't include the cost of replacing millions of units that'll be made obsolete (and therefore need replacement) by the loss of the 3G network.