Any disadvantage to a wireless electricity meter?

Angilion

Angilion

Angilion

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Npower are offering free remote readers ("smartpower monitor") to customers, so you can monitor your electricty usage from anywhere in your house.

They're framing this solely as a gift, solely for the benefit of customers. It can't be cheap to be changing the meters and supplying all the monitors.

They're very much glossing over the fact that what they're actually doing is making the meter wireless and that the range is at least 40 meters.

I'm suspicious when a company spends lots of money and claims it's all a gift to customers. Clearly, npower expect to make a profit from this. They wouldn't do it otherwise. Their misdirection (or downright dishonesty) makes me more suspicious.

So...what's in it for them? Why are they really doing this? Are there any privacy or security issues? I'm not going to have any idea what is being broadcasted to anyone nearby who wants to read it. Will it be possible to remotely alter the usage figures? Add a few units here, a few units there...

I'm guessing that the reason npower want it done is so that they can read customers' meters just by driving nearby, but is that the whole story? If it is, why all the misdirection concerning what the system does and what its purpose is?
 
Surely the meter itself uses electricity? And thus increases your bills? And N-Power are a bunch of barely-regulated cowboys, so I'd be suspicious if they sent me fiver in the post.


M
 
These remote monitors require no change to your electricity meter to fit (they clip on over the main wire into the box) and I don't think they could to be used by npower to accurately monitor your usage.

The meter itself runs on batteries.
 
I would imagine they are doing it to save meter reading cost. As you say they would not need entry to the premises to read the meter.

They may not be making this obvious so they do not have to field lots of calls to lower bills as they are now saving more money with this wireless system resulting on a vast reduction on 'customer out' reading attempts.

How many companies are happy to provide electronic bills and to pass on the savings for not having to print and distribute paper bills ?.

RB
 
Are they replacing the meter itself? Or adding a device to your existing meter. If the former then it sounds like they are putting in a smart meter as part of the national rollout due to take place in the next few years. This enables Npower to get automatic meter readings and a detailed profile of your electricity consumption.

Although I agree the benefits are not immediately obvious given the cost of buying, replacing, and monitoring millions of new meters.
 
One More Solo said:
These remote monitors require no change to your electricity meter to fit (they clip on over the main wire into the box) and I don't think they could to be used by npower to accurately monitor your usage.

The meter itself runs on batteries.
Click to expand...

In that case:

i) Why do npower say it needs installing by an engineer?
ii) Why would npower go to the expense?
 
My mum had the same from British Gas, fitting them for both gas and electric, it says that they're doing it to remotely read your meter, the benefit to you being that you'll never have an estimated meter reading. I think it must be slightly more advanced than the ones you can buy for a few quid and just clip on. I did question what happens if you change supplier but mum said it didn't mention that, although it does say that the meter and reader remain property of british gas at all times.
 
Angilion said:
In that case:

i) Why do npower say it needs installing by an engineer?
ii) Why would npower go to the expense?
Click to expand...

i) I can't answer that as it's pretty simple to set up, I got a free one from British Gas

ii) They get fined if they don't meet their targets and the fine is bigger than giving the stuff to people.

British Gas was even better as they give you a 6 gang automatic standby extension lead so when you put your tv into standby, all the other sockets power off.

In fact, you don't even need to be a BG customer, go to their site, fill in your details and 28 days later, get your goodies.
 
Angilion said:
In that case:

i) Why do npower say it needs installing by an engineer?
ii) Why would npower go to the expense?
Click to expand...
1) They don't want people electrocuting themselves, a dead customer is a lost customer.
2) They're doing it to get new customers and retain current ones, I doubt the cost of making these boxes is even what you pay a month for your electricity.
 
Greebo said:
British Gas was even better as they give you a 6 gang automatic standby extension lead so when you put your tv into standby, all the other sockets power off.

In fact, you don't even need to be a BG customer, go to their site, fill in your details and 28 days later, get your goodies.
Click to expand...

Link please. :)
 
The (past) government had certain ideas floating around DECC about smart meters or equivalent being compulsory soon, so it seems that elec companies are being proactive about it.

For clarification:

  • These literally just clip onto your mains cable, no engineer needed
  • They are battery powered, no extra electricity used
  • They aren't *all* that accurate, but at least give you an idea


And I don't understand why you would be worried about the 40m transmission of your energy use statistics? (the live feed is only real time anyway, so someone can't just pick up the feed and check your use for the month, your receiver unit does this on the fly).
 
There are actually 2 thing with similar names.
The smartpower monitor which is just one of those clip on battery powered wireless things that show you what energy you are using.
and the
smartpower meter which is the big brother sends out your reading automatically one.

First one good for a laugh. Second one I'm not so sure about.
 
Surely these wireless automated meters are to cut down on people stealing energy? I guess this is what is in it for the companies as they must lose rather a lot of energy through the old style meters?
 
SimonCHere said:
smartpower meter which is the big brother sends out your reading automatically one.

Second one I'm not so sure about.
Click to expand...

See, I just don't understand this sentimentality. Oh no, they know how much electricity I use! Those terrible energy companies billing me for what I have used!

They (or similar) are likely to be pretty essential in the near future to predict the supply needed by The Grid more accurately, which will become even more important if we start using more renewable energy, which are mostly intermittent with with poor load following.

So what if it could be used to figure out when you go to bed, or that you leave your lights on all day. Honestly.
 
Thanks for the link Greebo, one is on it's way to me and more importantly sent the link to my sister who is having problems with her energy consumption atm.
 
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