Hello Mr Coldfinger,

I had an early Smart meter – but it burned out.

I get calls pleading for me to have one – but no-one can actually tell me HOW it can save you money.

As I see it its a clever ammeter, see some of the You-tube explanations.

Brian

The money saving feature is only included with the wife option if you have purchased it. See Tony's initial post. I've heard this option is very badly designed and seldom works as expected after the first few weeks.

I've had a couple of letters saying we are going to fit you a smart meter [really, I don't think so] & the attendant guff about how it can save you money, I told them the only way you can save me money is by lowering your tariff, Ask my grandkids about leaving lights on & telly with no-one watching!! [grumpy grandad!!hehe]

I'm not sure I understand this, JA.

If, while it's still not compulsory to have one, you don't want a smart meter, why not just tell them that?

Apparently the new generation of smart meters are transferrable between suppliers. Still not interested. EON tried to tell me for the best part of a year that I'd agreed to have a smart meter fitted when I signed up to a new tariff, but luckily I'd screen captured all of the on-line agreement and what it actually said was that I agreed "to be contacted about having a smart meter fitted" – not the same thing at all to my mind. I'm now with Shell Power, who also ring me on occasion about fitting one but I just tell them it's not convenient at the moment.

Rob

I tell them every year that I am not interested in a smart meter. However NO is not a word in their vocabulary. Some times I think that it is because my surname begins with an A.

I fully understand the concept of the smart meter. Once enough are installed variable tariffs will be introduced. After al,l industrial contracts have used variable tariffs for decades. Many times we had to shut down all the computers at work in the late afternoon during winter.

JA

Not only have I had to wipe down my screen and keyboard, but I inhaled a small but significant amount of Green Jack Baltic Trader ale.

Please warn people before making sensible comments in the future.

.

Answering that point specifically, rather than getting into the conspiracy theory:

It’s you that  saves you money … by ‘self discipline’

It simply provides information [via the local display unit] at a sufficiently granular level for you to appreciate the cost of your choices.

[ sorry to be a bore ]

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 25/01/2021 09:17:50

In wife world phone chargers and tumble driers will use the same amount of power, a smart meter gives them an insight to how much power each device really uses. An information sheet would probably have been cheaper than the billions spent on smart meters. They will be a never ending source of trouble as being electronic they will eventually fail and be unrepairable due to component obsolescence. The big advantage is automatic reading that gives suppliers a large saving in data collection cost. Variable rates may be the hidden sting in the tail or a benefit if it can work for you.

Mike

I actually would like one – in order to find out.

I think my problem is I change suppliers too often for one of them to get round to fitting one.