smart meters

[Leon103]

I was under the impression all smart meters had a monitor so people could see at a glance how much power is being used by what, if I had one I would want a meter for that reason as Rod says above what is the point in having the latest technology if only use part of it.

For me it means I don't need to allow people onto my land to read a meter and I don't need to remember to send one. One is sent every day. Via the app I can check my daily usage etc and there are loads of graphs. So not really a lice monitor, the app provides more than I would ever need .

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Leon103 - My company as never provided me with a monitor and never tried making me have one. In fact I have been with a couple of companies since having a smart meter.
If I had a monitor I wouldn't put batteries in it

For me it means I don't need to allow people onto my land to read a meter and I don't need to remember to send one. One is sent every day. Via the app I can check my daily usage etc and there are loads of graphs. So not really a lice monitor, the app provides more than I would ever need .

You appear to keep moving the goal posts, you said you only have one so bills are paid without it being read etc and they didn't supply a monitor now you are saying you have an app which "I can check my daily usage etc and there are loads of graphs. So not really a lice monitor, the app provides more than I would ever need" to me they are different versions of the same thing you can see how much energy is being used by what and at what time of day.

 

[foxy]

I was under the impression all smart meters had a monitor so people could see at a glance how much power is being used by what, if I had one I would want a meter for that reason as Rod says above what is the point in having the latest technology if only use part of it.

One has to have an energy monitor to relay the usage to your phone our state govt gives them away for free. Gives a breakdown time-wise of how much energy is being used and what time it is being used.
Free Energy Monitor – Under Victoria Energy Upgrade Program by Aussie Greenmarks

 

[Leon103]

You appear to keep moving the goal posts, you said you only have one so bills are paid without it being read etc and they didn't supply a monitor now you are saying you have an app which "I can check my daily usage etc and there are loads of graphs. So not really a lice monitor, the app provides more than I would ever need" to me they are different versions of the same thing you can see how much energy is being used by what and at what time of day.

No two different things. A monitor is a live time usage device.

The app just shows the bill which is updated daily. You can see you usage in monthly, weekly or daily format. It's always 24 hours behind though. A monitor will show usage live time, turn on a light, usage increases on the monitor.
Two totally different things. I bet your provider will have an app to allow you to view usage, most likely show estimate usage if you don't have a smart meter.

 

[Leon103]

One has to have an energy monitor to relay the usage to your phone our state govt gives them away for free. Gives a breakdown time-wise of how much energy is being used and what time it is being used.
Free Energy Monitor – Under Victoria Energy Upgrade Program by Aussie Greenmarks

Not. Usage gets sent from the meter and not the monitor

 

[foxy]

Not. Usage gets sent from the meter and not the monitor

No, it is sent via the monitor to one's phone without the monitor the meter has to be read manually by the consumer.

 

[Leon103]

No, it is sent via the monitor to one's phone without the monitor the meter has to be read manually by the consumer.

No not with mine. I don't have a monitor. I have a smart meter and a app for bills, and also shows usage as mentioned above. Nothing fancy but enough to know what you are using daily

 

[tigertim]

Absolutely. The meters in the UK (that's the part in your meter cabinet) communicate the data directly to the Smart DCC who aggregate it all and make it available to your power supplier. Having the data collection centralised allows easier switching between energy providers. Your phone app then allows you to see what your energy provider have logged for you on a daily/monthly/yearly basis.

The IHD (in home display) is the part the consumer looks at with the pretty display. It shows real-time usage it collects from the meter (often using a wireless protocol called Zigbee) but, if you don't care for it, you can just unplug it and throw it in a drawer. It makes no difference to what the meter is reporting to the DCC and thus your energy provider over its cellular connection.

 

[Leon103]

Absolutely. The meters in the UK (that's the part in your meter cabinet) communicate the data directly to the Smart DCC who aggregate it all and make it available to your power supplier. Having the data collection centralised allows easier switching between energy providers. Your phone app then allows you to see what your energy provider have logged for you on a daily/monthly/yearly basis.

The IHD (in home display) is the part the consumer looks at with the pretty display. It shows real-time usage it collects from the meter (often using a wireless protocol called Zigbee) but, if you don't care for it, you can just unplug it and throw it in a drawer. It makes no difference to what the meter is reporting to the DCC and thus your energy provider over its cellular connection.

Exactly what this man said.

 

[Cheyne_brewer]

I get that but how does it reduce your electricity bill?
As I have said I know what is using power and when I don't need a meter to tell me.

It doesn’t. The only thing that will is turning stuff off or more efficiently using energy eg air fryer instead of large oven.

 

[gavp1979]

I'm with @Leon103, I like the smart meter so that I don't have to bother sending readings to my supplier and I never get estimated bills. I do periodically check the app to see my daily usage but I have no interest in the monitor telling me that when I fire up the Brewzilla I am using more electricity. I see the monitor as an extension of the meter if you want to use it

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I said earlier in the thread i wouldn't thank you for one and today we read - ​

​

​

Almost four million smart meters in Great Britain were not working at the end of 2023, according to government data.

Faulty meters can mean customers rely on estimated bills, with some paying too much and struggling to get their money back.

What is a smart meter?​

Smart meters measure how much gas and electricity you use. You get one meter for each energy supply.
They can record half-hourly price and consumption data and automatically send readings to your energy supplier at least once a month.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, this means you will be billed accurately for the energy you've used.
Smart meters usually come with an in-home display, which can help you track how much energy you're using.

• Almost four million smart meters not working properly

How do smart meters work?​

Smart meters don't use your wifi.
Instead, they include a communications hub which connects the smart meter to the in-home display as well as a secure national smart meter network.
This lets smart meters talk to different energy suppliers, says Ofgem.
Some earlier smart meters use the 3G network instead.
In-home displays, which update every 30 minutes for gas and in near real-time for electricity, don't affect the readings supplied to your energy company.

Are smart meters accurate?​

All smart meters have to be officially approved and their accuracy is monitored, the UK government says.
Smart Energy GB, a government-backed non-profit organisation supporting the use of smart meter technology, says they are as accurate as traditional meters.

How many smart meters are broken?​

According to government figures, there were almost 35 million smart meters in homes and businesses across Great Britain at the end of 2023.
Almost four million of those were not working properly, according to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
This means they were not operating in "smart mode" and sending readings to suppliers.
However, Martin Lewis, from MoneySavingExpert, told the BBC Radio 4 PM programme that meters with other problems - such as those sending the wrong readings, or a fault with the in-home display - should also be included in the government statistics.
This would mean that about one in five smart meters don't work, he said.
Energy UK, the trade association for the energy industry, says suppliers must replace faulty meters.

How do I know if my smart meter is broken?​

Unusual bills, sometimes caused by connectivity issues, and a blank screen on the meter can be signs it is not working correctly.
Your bill will also contain information that could help you find out.
According to Which?, readings on your bill should be marked "smart".
If they are marked with an "e", they're estimated readings, says Citizens Advice.
You can also use its smart checker tool to see if there is a problem between the meter and the central network.

What can I do if my smart meter is broken or my bill is wrong?​

You should contact your supplier - it should help you fix your meter.
If they fail to do so within eight weeks, Ofgem has a guide on how to complain to the Energy Ombudsman. It advises taking manual meter readings in the meantime.
Customers who are concerned about paying their bill should also talk to their energy provider. Suppliers are required to offer tailored repayment plans and, where appropriate, payment holidays, Ofgem said.
You can also request an independent test of your meter, says Smart Energy GB.
Although it is free, you may have to pay your supplier for organising it if your meter is found to be working correctly.
The government says this was the case for the vast majority of meters tested in 2021.

• What can I do if I can't pay my energy bill?
• What is the energy price cap?

Do I have to have a smart meter?​

Conventional energy meters need to be replaced every 10 to 20 years and most suppliers no longer install non-smart versions.
However, it is not compulsory to have a smart meter unless your current meter is faulty or at the end of its working life, says Ofgem.
You can therefore choose not to accept an offer to have one fitted.
However, if you refuse, you might find it hard to access all tariffs, according to Citizens Advice.
In general, suppliers must install a smart meter if they are replacing a meter or installing a meter for the first time, such as in a new property, says Ofgem.

BBC News​

 

[Leon103]

I said earlier in the thread i wouldn't thank you for one and today we read - ​

Very simple to check if it is working. Just check your monthly bill to see if they received the reading. Or most providers do daily usage charts. If in doubt just submit a reading. Just like a normal meter.

 

[Kit-brewer]

I resisted the "smart meter" for a long time. Only had one due to having an EV. I check it regularly via the Octopus app and it seems to be working fine.

 

[Twostage]

Mine doesn't work. They fitted a new one in January because the old one stopped working. The new one doesn't work either. The engineer said wait a few months and then request a new engineer to try and activate it. As it has now been on the news I think the chances of getting an engineer is quite slim.

 

[Graz]

Mine doesn't work. They fitted a new one in January because the old one stopped working. The new one doesn't work either. The engineer said wait a few months and then request a new engineer to try and activate it. As it has now been on the news I think the chances of getting an engineer is quite slim.

They're not engineers either, technicians at best

Graz B.Eng Hons. Electrical and Electronic Engineering

 

[Graz]

I don't have smart meters (yet). My biggest concern is that my electric meter is in our under stairs cupboard. In there is also my mesh WIFI6E router, a Zigbee hub for Philips Hue, and a Raspberry PI running a second Zigbee network for general home automation stuff.

As I understand it the smart electric meter is fitted with a comms hub which uses Zigbee to talk to the gas meter and display unit and 4G mobile (though some units were 2/3G which is getting phased out!) to send meter readings to your supplier.

So that area of my house already has a crowded spectrum and it's all ~2.4 GHz (WIFI also at 5/6GHz) so I can imagine there will be some level of interference.

It would have been so much better if they'd made the smart meters WiFi or maybe just Zigbee and then just hook into you home's Internet connection to send the data. But I get they want to keep it away from customer equipment and to send data privately via their own networks, mind you they could even do that over WiFi with some sort of VPN/VLAN type technology.

Upshot is, from the point of view of a real engineer, probably wouldn't have implemented it like it is. But that's just my view.