OT-ish: Smart electric/gas meters - Y/N?

Sorry if we've done this here before but I can't find anything...

British Gas are asking me to have smart meters installed for my electricity and gas usage. I understand that I can decline - any reason that I should?

I know that potentially publicising when your home is empty is one point which has been raised - anything else?

Reply to
Lobster
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You can choose whether the meter is read every 30 minutes, once a day or once a month, unlikely anyone could infer much about your movements with the latter option which was the default with my supplier.

The supplier can remotely disconnect your for non-payment, then again they can gain entry to disconnect you or change the meter to pre-payment anyway, there's the small risk of accidental or malicious disconnection.

Reply to
Andy Burns

There was a HUGE hoo-hah about smart meters on the Libertarian forums recently. Apparently it's Big Brother Big Time and another significant breach of personal privacy (don't ask me why, but that's what the consensus was). So basically unless there's some specific reason why you would actually

*want* one fitted, you should say 'no thanks.'
Reply to
Julian Barnes

Decline. From what I understand, the meters are particular to the supply company. If you want to switch supplier later, that in itself may be a problem.

Besides, it's a bit like FaceBook. How much information is this giving them. How much will you get back from this relationship?

Reply to
Adrian Caspersz

How does it benefit you? AFAIK it just means you can be cut off without any formal action of any sort, on a whim effectively, and your use will be mon itored so that conclusions get drawn about what you're doing to a limited e xtent. i'm not seeing any upside.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

ny formal action of any sort, on a whim effectively, and your use will be m onitored so that conclusions get drawn about what you're doing to a limited extent. i'm not seeing any upside.

and it will be used for marketing, in much the same way that many companies do this now but deny it.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

That seems to be raised every time smart meters are mentioned, yes a future supplier may not be able to read the meter "smartly" but they do have numbers on the display that are compatible with Human Eyeball v1.0 you know, just like mechanical meters or electronic meters! So you could change suppliers and provide your own readings, or let the meter-man do it ...

Reply to
Andy Burns

The only plus sides I'm aware of at the moment for you are: An in-house display of energy usage (assuming they're offering that). Automated meter readings.

The down-sides are: They (or anyone who hacks their network) can cut off your power remotely without visiting. Your usage patterns will be available to them (and anyone who hacks their network) and might reveal things you wouldn't make public (such as when you're away). There's not yet a standard for Smart meters, and if you change provider, they might not be able to use the Smart features.

The security/privicy concerns many people who have looked at the technology, and the companies and government have not yet addressed this.

The main consumer benfits of Smart metering, e.g. variable tarifs, or even multiple providers, are not yet in place or even proposed yet. Currently, the benefits are mainly with the supplier, and the remote cut-off is the one they particularly like.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

I too was worried about being cut off by a software fault, but the man on the phone asking me what my objection was to a smart meter seemed not to know about this possibility, saying that the meter only sends readings. On that basis I had no objection so allowed EDF to install it.

I am dubious about whether it has a cut-off switch, because surely it would have to be big and beefy to switch the vast amperage I might be taking? As far as I can find out, the only variant of this particular meter incorporates a pair of contacts rated at 2A (not in mine), which might well be used to operate a big external contactor.

The meter does benefit me by not requiring me to send them my reading when I get a provisional bill, then waiting for an accurate bill.

Reply to
Dave W

Did you not see the reply where I showed that your model certainly has remote disconnect? You said it was a GE SGM13xx ...

Now taken over by Aclara.

The spec says "Internal Load Switch: Contactor rated at 100A"

Reply to
Andy Burns

Does that mean you let them install it because they blatantly lied to you?

Reply to
tabbypurr

That all takes time and money from the supplier. Clicking a tick box and "save" is very cheap by comparison.

But not no risk and Sods Law says that any such event will take place at time of maximum inconvience, so 0200 on a Sunday morning mid winter with and howling gale outside. Will *all* suppliers have someone avialable 24/7 to reinstate supplies? I doubt it some don't even have 24/7 "Customer Service" anyway. Oh and it is your supplier not the DNO you'll need to contact as the DNO's responsibilty ends at the main cutout terminals.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

There is no risk that you cannot switch provider

The risk is that the new provider cannot make use of the "smart" facilities, but that's their problem, given that the OP isn't getting the meter because

*he* wants those features.

tim

Reply to
tim...

Having one is supposed to "encourage" you to check the meter frequently so that you learn that leaving the lights on costs you 27p extra per month. So in order to be able to keep that 27p to spend on, oh half a Mars bar, you turn the unnecessary lights off.

Surveys show that the novelty wears off after a month or so :-)

Reply to
tim...

ISTR a 'trial' where peak-time supply was charged at a much higher rate then reduced when off peak. I very much doubt that the 'reduction' could possibly make up for the extra cost and inconvenience. The thought of not having ashower after 4 hours hard work in the garden, then cooking dinner so late that it's eaten less than 4 - 5 hours before going to bed doesn't appeal to me at all. The whole scheme is to make more profit for the suppliers. Was there also something about Germany rejecting the sort of meters that we're in danger of being lumbered with? (Bit like DAB: other countries don't use our version but we are due to the ignorance, incompetence, stupidity and corruption of politicians). That feels better!

Reply to
PeterC

I was given to understand that all premises had to have them by the year

2020, but there are going to be some exceptions due to the remoteness of a site. As for advertising you are away, surely the finger would point pretty directly at the company monitoring the meter if you got burgled while away. I understand the paying young uns to throw stuff at bedroom windows at different times of day can quite a good way to detect empty premises. Brian
Reply to
Brian Gaff

I'd be more worried about faults caused by the over complexity of this device. I'm also attempting to find out if the new meters can be read by my computer. Everyone seems to be saying that one cannot do this directly only via the companies web site with a password to allow more devices to be catered for. Fine, but if this means it is not constantly read, then how can one figure out what is going on? I understand their remote controller can do this, but at the current time its inaccessible if yu cannot see, it has large text but a touch screen. It will be interesting to see what they do when we disabled ask for reasonable adjustments. grin. Also i have no gas supply here, and I understand dual fuel folk are being fitted first for some reason. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Government has now said no one will be forced to have one.

It would need a lot more benefits for me before I would consider one.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

I'd counted that within "accidental"

That would be the way I'd expect them to deal with it, though they could produce a talking version of the in home display, or even a USB, WiFi or ZigBee interface to the display.

You can request half hourly rather than monthly readings. Though that might just give a file of numbers that would be a bit boring with a speech synthesiser.

Mine has physical buttons but not amazingly large text.

I do have dual fuel, but no idea if electricity only users are being avoided, gas users who have a different electricity supplier would be out of luck.

Reply to
Andy Burns

It's worse than that. If you ask people beforehand how much it costs to boil the kettle, they usually guess about 10p. When they find out it's actually less than 1p, they stop trying the savings they were doing before having a smart meter. It really backfires badly!

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

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