Should I get smart meters?

[Pete.]

[stinkwheel]

True. But I can do two years cooking on a 19kg propane cylinder so the stove is pretty cheap to run.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[dave001]

[MCN]

Why do you need a power meter?

To save having to do the boring calculations for energy consumption.


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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[P.]

[dave001]

[hellkat]

I discovered yesterday that (although I have never requested it ... ) :

1. My "household help" from the Govt is being applied to the electricity account of my smart meter without my knowledge. Aside from a "test" £10 yesterday to make sure the app was still working properly, I've not topped it up since September ;
2. It is currently over £150 in credit, and 2x £66 more will be added before the end of the financial year, bringing me up to a possible total of £280+ in credit on the electric.

ALSO
Although I have to regularly top up my gas account, the monster credit on the electric section is unable to be transferred to the gas section

The lady who helped me was very apologetic that she couldn't apply the electric credit to the gas account, even though she could see I was using very little electricity.

I expressed my disappointment and told her that at least in the summer when it was boiling hot I would be able to use my pedestal fan 24/7 to stay cool with all that electric money in my account.

She LOL'd
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[grr666]

They did it on electric because a great deal of people don't have a gas supply at all but more or less everyone is
on the electric grid. High rise flats don't tend to use gas for heating for obvious reasons. Lots or rural places have
oil boilers because there's no gas pipe available. My credit has gone straight on to my balance so is deducted from
my bill at the end of each month.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Nobby the Bastard]

I dread to think what my energy bill is.

What with the 3 story house and millions of devices either on charge or in use plus the fact that I work from home virtually every day (so the plasma tv is on from about 8 every morning just to make some background noise) the only saving grace is I'm not actually buying much petrol.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[hellkat]

Have you tried working in complete silence?
I can recommend it.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[grr666]

Weighing back in on this topic, received an email from Scottish Power this morning. Up until now their approach
has been that of a dear friend trying to do me a huge favour by allowing them more control over my supply and
more information about my typical usage, an offer I've just ignored along with their periodic efforts to coerce
me into compliance. They have taken a new approach now

[Polarbear]

[Nobby the Bastard]

[stinkwheel]

I had a similar one after I turned the gas off for 12 months and got a snotty letter saying they'd come to read the meter and if I didn't make an appointment, they'd break in to check the meter.

The amusing part of that is that the meter was on the outside front of the house right next to the door and I'm 95% certain they leaned on the meter box to fill in the blank spaces in the snotty note.

Had another one in a commercial building where the gas was disconnected and they kept coming to read the meter (and charging for it). Their explanation was that it was a safety check of the meter. I eventually got fed up tripping over it so I took the meter off (it was only screwed to the pipe finger-tight anyway), blanked off the pipe and put the meter in a broom cupboard near the door. They continued to come and "read" it for the duration of the time we were there. My boss wouldn't take my suggestion of writing and telling them to come and collect their meter or we'd start charging them rent.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Nobby the Bastard]

Had similar when I was working on the estate side of working in the social in Bath.

Gas man turned up to read meter, lead him through the basement to the utility room. Pointed at the blanked off pipe.

There was much swearing and apologising.
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Polarbear]

[A100man]

Yep I get the same bilge from Shell Energy. I just ignore. Like you my miserly usage is way below average.. For a 3 bed semi about the average for a 1 bed flat. That, I suspect, is the reason for their attention.
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[dave001]

[A100man]

[stinkwheel]

[Ayrton]

Don't know why you wouldn't want one tbh. I had one fitted last month and it's been great. The best bit for me is it tells me when my solar panels are generating more than I'm using so I can then put stuff like my washing machine on and save a bit of money.

My Dad actually spent most of his career fitting electricity meters and is totally dead set against them and stuffed his into a cupboard. People seem to think it's some kind of evil device that is spying on you when all it's doing is reading your electricity usage

[stinkwheel]

[Nobby the Bastard]

What happens if you wrap one in tin foil?
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[stinkwheel]