Not-so-smart meter

[curlewhouse]

Got our first electricity bill the other day for which I'd had to submit the reading because the supplier we are with (Good energy) don't "do" smart meters yet. The bill seemed rather high - we knew it would be because of the current situation we are in with the window company letting us down so we are having to run fan heaters 24/7 , but it seemed even higher. So I added up the monthly totals the meter records and compared this figure to the overall consumption figure it gives - and they don't match. The month-by-month consumption comes out a lot lower than the supposed total. When I queried this our supplier says that this is why they are not yet using smart meters electronically for readings as they think there are a lot of teething issues still to be resolved & they are waiting to see which models work best (but since they themselves don't actually  install meters I'm not sure how correct this is), hence why I had to physically read it and call the reading in.  Anyway, naturally they want the highest figure to be right and I the lowest,  but given that if the meter cannot do simple addition then indeed *both* could be wrong, Ive queried it with them and they insisted they won't check it unless I produce photographic evidence (because naturallly I'd lie over a few quids worth of electricity! Which slightly peeves me tbh ). So instead I videoed it. Currently they are "deciding if it needs to be checked or not". Has anyone else had such basic issues with a smart meter as it being unable to add up properly?

 

Edited February 5, 2018 by curlewhouse

[ProDave]

To make it easy, can you read and type into the thread what the monthly readings were?  And why are there two readings each month?

[Jeremy Harris]

Ask for the "smart meter" to be taken out.  They are pretty diabolical and have no advantages for the consumer at all, they are intended to ultimately allow the suppliers to use variable tariffs, to reduce their risk on the half-hourly wholesale market they buy from.

[DundeeDancer]

I wonder what the reading of the main rolling register on the meter was on the first day of install?

 

It may have been for example 5000 and now the rolling register may be something like 8423.

 

So you may have only used 3423 kWh of electricity which the monthly totals are showing you but the Supplier (Good Energy) is trying to charge you for the full amount i.e. 8423.

 

The Meter Operator who installed the Meter should have told the Supplier GE what the "initial reading" was on day of install, you can ask the supplier/GE for that information and see if they know, they might be silly enough to tell you that it wasn't zero

[Temp]

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

To make it easy, can you read and type into the thread what the monthly readings were?  And why are there two readings each month?

 

Looks like first is KWH and second is £

 

I made the total 2197 KWH and £241.65

 

Edit: I just added up those after "History" do you need to add something for the current month (eg most of January)?

Edited February 5, 2018 by Temp

[Temp]

Since it's now Feb can you see what the meter says in History for Jan?

[ProDave]

28 minutes ago, Temp said:

 

Looks like first is KWH and second is £

 

So how does the meter know how many £ per unit to charge and how much daily standing charge, if you have changed to a different tariff with a new supplier who does not "do" smart meters so presumably cannot set the variables in the meter?

 

At best a guestimate based on your old tariff with your old supplier?

 

Another reason not to have one.....

[MikeGrahamT21]

I got talking to someone who's mother had one put in, they always did all the readings, and submitted them etc, and they kept a record. He noticed when the smart meter went in, the readings started rising, as did the bills, yet the usage remained the same. He rung the company up, and apparently they dialled in and applied a patch to the unit!!!! I wonder how many more are unpatched!!. Its just unbelievable!

 

I shall be sticking with my old clunky, but accurate, wheel meter!

[SteamyTea]

You want to know how bad smart meters are, this is the kind of nonsense that Parliament has to put up with:

 

Cyril W. Smith says:

January 29, 2016 at 10:40 AM

Comments for 'Smart meters' evidence check Cyril W. Smith


Scattered light contains modulation at frequencies of the scattering object . This information is retained in photographic records and after internet transmission. Scattered light from the above image of a “Smart Meter” was imprinted into water and measured. The table below lists the frequencies measured using excitation with Toroidal and Caduceus field configurations. It was not possible to make these measurements with instruments having a frequency calibration certificate.

The Comment column lists acupuncture meridian/chakra points which have their endogenous frequency nearby. These would be stressed along with the target organ by exposure to that frequency. Furthermore, the world power supply frequencies 50/60 Hz happen to be on natural resonances in melatonin which is the chemical awareness of dark and light but, many people can cope with the Arctic Summer.


Frequency Hz Comment
Toroid Excitation
6.000 × 10-2 Lymphatic Meridian
6.000 × 10-1 Lung & Liver Meridians
6.000 × 10+1 60 Hz
8.30 × 10+5
2.40 × 10+6 Gall Bladder &
Pericardium Meridians
8.50 × 10+6
3.10 × 10+7
9.90 × 10+7 Allergy Meridian
2.82 × 10+8 Urinary Bladder Meridian
4.15 × 10+8 Heart Meridian
9.15 × 10+8
Caduceus Excitation
2.000 × 10-1 Sahasrara (Crown Chakra)

The frequencies and meridians stressed would be different in a 50 Hz environment where the Gall Bladder and Liver Meridians might be stressed. The above measurements only relate to frequencies modulating light scattered from that particular ‘Smart Meter’ and recorded in its image. I presume the 60 Hz indicates it is from North America.

The electromagnetic fields at the meridian/chakra frequencies emitted by a “Smart Meter” should not penetrate into the building and particularly into the sleeping areas. This could be the subject of on-site measurements at each ‘Smart Meter’ with installation and suitable shielding measures incorporated into the building.

The electrical environment is not going to go away any more than is the motor vehicle. Polluters and users of the electrical environment should carry similar ‘third party’ insurance to cover the labour intensive treatment costs of persons affected.

 

https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/science-and-technology-evidence-check-forum/smart-meters-evidence-check/?page=15

 

 

[ProDave]

^^^ Should there not be a charge of "wasting parlaiments time" for that?

[Jeremy Harris]

53 minutes ago, ProDave said:

^^^ Should there not be a charge of "wasting parlaiments time" for that?

 

You get stuff like that every day, often from the same few correspondents.  If you're lucky you can get the correspondent declared vexatious if they do it often enough, which then means you don't have to sort out a reply, you can just bin everything they send in.

 

I had some really beauties, like the chap that invented holographic spy satellites.  He argued at as lasers could create a 3D hologram that had all the visual characteristics of a real object, we didn't need to send up spy satellites but could create them when needed using 3D laser holography.

 

The same chap invented a ground to air refuelling system, where a long hose was paid out from the ground and spun around in a big circle, getting higher and higher until an aircraft could catch the end of it and then fly around in a circle whilst fuel pumped itself up the hose using centripetal force.

 

Another one was a chap that had invented kevlar sandbags, for greater protection, never mind the cost or the fact that you really want a round to penetrate the hessian outer of a sand bag as it's friction with the sand that slow it down and absorbs the energy.

 

I could probably come up with a few dozen more like this, and they all have to be assessed, a recommendation written and sent on to the relevant minister or committee.

[SteamyTea]

52 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

Caduceus field configurations

This is the bit that made me smile.  He must have watched Vision On.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus

 

Edited February 5, 2018 by SteamyTea

[curlewhouse]

The monetary amounts in that video bear no relation to our actual tariff it should be noted, since Good Energy do not "do" smart meters so it's basically showing a default tariff

19 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

This is the bit that made me smile.  He must have watched Vision On.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus

 

 Now that takes me back!

[SteamyTea]

1 minute ago, curlewhouse said:

Now that takes me back!

But did you learn any sign language from it

[Temp]

My thinking is that the history shows units used up to end December whereas the total shows units to 29th January ish. The difference is about 1100 units which is consistent with about a months use (Decembers consumption was 1300 units).

 

 

[Gone West]

@curlewhouse I'm with Good Energy and have got the same meter which was connected up at the beginning of December. I've added up our history and it's ok. Adding up yours you need to add in the current month which is given when scrolling through to 'Using Now'. As I said ours is ok but it is showing a reading of 1.4kWh in September which has been added to the total even though the meter wasn't installed until the end of November!

Edited February 6, 2018 by PeterStarck

[curlewhouse]

Still doesn't add up to the "total" I'm afraid. I'm surprised at them not getting  back to me yet as their customer service thus far has been pretty good. Always very yup beat and keen to help when you phone,  and it sounds unscripted.