smart meter

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Friend was telling me when his mother had one fitted they checked all gas appliances and condemned her boiler - but could do a deal on a new replacement This was in winter a couple of days before Xmas so they left an 80+ year old widow without any heating ! After Xmas a plumber was called in and boiler checked over thoroughly but no fault found so it looks as if the contractor that fitted the meter was trying to drum up other business.

They tried that with the wife's family and their neibours, I requested them to return in a few days. After we had it all checked out.
They did not know about that bit.
Quick call to my boss and he let me "Borrow" our trading standard officer.

Roll on to their return visit.
They explained that their boiler was faulty, their electrics were in a dangerous state and their pipes were not to regulations.

They would do a quote and sort it all, as they had all ready quoted our neighbours. True, they had, same scam.
Their face when the trading standard officer pulled his ID card on.

They quickly departed, explaining that the office had "sent the wrong details."

They now have a smart meter fitted, they still come round to read it.

 

[brightspark]

I can beat that was working at a guys house and he rang the electricity company up asked how much electric the little red and green led on his burglar alarm was using I bet they were p..sing themselves laughing .he had me take the bulb out of the doorbell push tight git was loaded

 

[WorkshopChris]

Is there some sort of remote contolled isolator fitted inside the meter?

As far as I an aware 100A single pole as standard, also with voltage sensing and tamper microswitches.Original specification was to have some relay contacts available for future use (external non essential load shedding contactors).
Its on my list to chase some data sheets to confirm.

 

[brightspark]

Heathen


As an aside, we had our kitchen and bathroom refitted recently, the workers were quite impressed that I broke out the genny to make a brew while they had the consumer unit off the wall

The flooring bloke though, bloody strange he was - never accepted the offer of a cuppa.

Let's just say, never trust a contractor that doesn't want a brew

sparky should have just stuck a temp socket on the mains tails so could have the radio on and a light and kettle

 

[GW8IZR]

I can beat that was working at a guys house and he rang the electricity company up asked how much electric the little red and green led on his burglar alarm was using I bet they were p..sing themselves laughing .he had me take the bulb out of the doorbell push tight git was loaded

'er dad once asked me to take the neon's out of the switches for the washing machine and drier.. he was happy once I told him to turn them off after use.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@brightspark
You will giggle at one call out I had to deal with.
"Can you stop the red light blinking in the fire detector, as a customer was convinced it was a spy camera.

 

[rtbcomp]

Somebody on "You and Yours" claimed that smartmeters transmitted data every 15 mins to the supplier. The other interviewee disputed this.

Can you imagine the phone bill for ringing every meter in the country four times an hour

 

[brightspark]

I have there seals so just run temp supply when needed. there not that bothered even if u don't seal them and fit new tails

 

[the snooper]

Is there some sort of remote contolled isolator fitted inside the meter?

there must be a contactor as it is possible

 

[Kayos]

Is there some sort of remote contolled isolator fitted inside the meter?

Yes, however it still requires the full court process they use today to disconnect someone, it is a very very last resort and is only used in extreme cases

(I have done warrant work too, it's always those who don't want to pay)

 

[WorkshopChris]

It'll be a data push over an 'always on' connection - the same 'always on' connection that (almost) everybody has on their mobiles now.

Once they get the software tweaked they will be able to spot unusual patterns of usage as well as.

I have there seals so just run temp supply when needed. there not that bothered even if u don't seal them and fit new tails

The new smart meters have microswitches on and will monitor if the terminals are exposed.

 

[brightspark]

Once they get the software tweaked they will be able to spot unusual patterns of usage as well as.



The new smart meters have microswitches on and will monitor if the terminals are exposed.

not the cutout they wont I just work with the live tails taped up

 

[WorkshopChris]

not the cutout they wont

No but on reconnection it will report interruption of supply.

it you are a home when they fit your new one see what you can find out from the fitter.

 

[zx9]

The flooring bloke though, bloody strange he was - never accepted the offer of a cuppa.

Tell me about it, I hate tea never drink the stuff at home and have to force my self to drink it on site to be 'one of the lads'.

 

[brightspark]

if u look at some of the existing meters they have a socket inside and can download information on the supply whats happening

 

[dannyp]

have they just stopped transmitting and collecting data or has the internal contactor operated and cut you off.

they just stopped counting units used, £0.00 all day no matter what i did

 

[Kayos]

The new smart meters have microswitches on and will monitor if the terminals are exposed.

Not if you pull the fuse first then wait for the backup battery to discharge

 

[Shox Dr]

I know people who do exactly that though - "I used to like toast until I saw how much electricity the toaster used"...

Years back we stayed with my sister in law for a bit, on the second day I asked what the problem was with their internet connection - " oh, we turn it off at the wall when we're nit using it to save electricity" So I had a quick look and offered her the 6.5p per day it'd cost to just leave it on all the time - after I explained my workings and proved the figures, she just left it on

Everything has a data plate of sorts somewhere, that already tells you how much power it's going to use.

Might be 6.5p a day but it adds up to £23 a year, it's these little pennies that add up that people dont think about. These meters will hopfully show what uses what, and might make people change their ways.

However some people couldn't care less, my SIL been one, I'd turn lights etc off when not in the room. While she actively walked round turning them back on again. So I also believe people using high levels of power will be targeted, once they have collated enough data to make usage predictions for house size/occupants... same as rubbish bin misuse.

 

[WorkshopChris]

if u look at some of the existing meters they have a socket inside and can download information on the supply whats happening

Had a maximum demand meter at one site as regular as clockwork the meter man would turn up unlock the cupboard and plug in to download the usage data.
Another big site both gas 6" feed and electric HV transformers on site were download each day and billed daily, been going on in industry for years, but its all new for domestic.

I tried to monitor the power at the farm the workshop is on via the red led on the front, the pc should be able to count the pulses to read the data in real time, but the load is so high i cant get the connection accurate enough as the light might we well be on 100% if flashes so fast. (normally pulling around 80+amps per phase in the winter)

 

[wookie]

Let's just say, never trust a contractor that doesn't want a brew

I don't drink tea or coffee, so I guess you won't trust me then but if you want to make me a hot Vimto, well now your talking...

As for this using remote disconnection for load balancing poop, the first time they do that I'll be off grid.

I've got almost all the stuff to do it, the only reason I haven't is that it'd currently cost more per unit to grow my own electric than have it piped in.

I flatly refuse to allow anyone to dictate when and how I'm allowed to use electricity.

I totally agree with you, the deal is they supply me with electric and I use it Full Stop. If they are going to start disconnecting me at times of high usage because they can't be bothered to invest in infrastructure and supply capacity then I'll be going off grid as well. Sod 'em.

However some people couldn't care less, my SIL been one, I'd turn lights etc off when not in the room. While she actively walked round turning them back on again. So I also believe people using high levels of power will be targeted, once they have collated enough data to make usage predictions for house size/occupants... same as rubbish bin misuse.

The more electric I use the more I pay, beyond that it's nobody's business if I choose to leave lights on all the time. If they are going to target me because I use above average amounts of the stuff and they'll loose me as a customer.

Going off grid is getting easier and cheaper to do all the time, the only deal breaker at the moment that is stopping me is the cost of storage to even out the difference between when I can make electric (solar/wind etc) and when I need it.