Any reason not to get a smart meter?

jpaul said:
an example of the kind of information/graphic that would be useful from a smart meter & app ,
that was, say, in addition to total metered energy, also able to pull data from a energy plug, you could transfer from appliance to appliance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekz_F2ojX5I

Monitor Your Smart Homes Energy Usage with Home Assistant!

51925846153_1925ddae16_b.jpg
Click to expand...

That's pretty much what i've done with mine. I do need to get a smart meter in place so i can have the entire supply line, and then have monitoring on a few heavy appliances.
 
If you need to change the meter because it is the pre paid type, i assume you have to have a smart one fitted?
 
Scam said:
@jpaul to be fair I’ve used the app for a while now (previously on android too) and it’s fine. I just have little interest in seeing real-time usage, because we’re prudent with usage and it’s not going to tell me anything I don’t already know.
Click to expand...
so how did you confirm fridge/freezer, washing machine, ... consumption - first step is to collect data -
yes - you don't need data available immediately/live you just need it captured for later analysis - with some degree of granularity.
.... they could have made the whole smart meter experience much more useful to the consumer
 
jpaul said:
so how did you confirm fridge/freezer, washing machine, ... consumption - first step is to collect data -
yes - you don't need data available immediately/live you just need it captured for later analysis - with some degree of granularity.
.... they could have made the whole smart meter experience much more useful to the consumer
Click to expand...
Just get yourself a smart three pin plug and fill your boots.
 
jpaul said:
an example of the kind of information/graphic that would be useful from a smart meter & app ,
that was, say, in addition to total metered energy, also able to pull data from a energy plug, you could transfer from appliance to appliance.
Click to expand...

You can do that with a CT Clamp, costs a little over £10. - https://github.com/alcar21/WemosEM
That guy is using Grafana and I'm sure you can pull the data as he has and format it like that if Home Assistant isn't enough for you

If you don't want to DIY, and want an easy route (not that the other way is particularly 'difficult') the Shelly EM is probably easier.
https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/energy/electricity-grid/
 
dLockers said:
Just get yourself a smart three pin plug and fill your boots.
Click to expand...
that's bs - you can't do a hob with it - easiest route is a clamp ..
but if you have the overall house consumption with some resolution you can deduce it.

e: ie. we had the washing machine on between 7-8am , or we had the oven on from 7-8pm,
how does the consumption compare to previous days.
 
jpaul said:
so how did you confirm fridge/freezer, washing machine, ... consumption - first step is to collect data -
yes - you don't need data available immediately/live you just need it captured for later analysis - with some degree of granularity.
Click to expand...
But really what does it matter? The washing machine gets filled to the brim every time, as does the dishwasher. We’re not wasteful. When we buy a new fridge etc. they’ll be as energy efficient as possible. As long as you’re relatively prudent with usage I don’t feel there’s much worth in seeing how much it costs in real time.
 
jpaul said:
that's bs - you can't do a hob with it - easiest route is a clamp ..
but if you have the overall house consumption with some resolution you can deduce it.

e: ie. we had the washing machine on between 7-8am , or we had the oven on from 7-8pm,
how does the consumption compare to previous days.
Click to expand...

Hob and oven are pretty much the only typical household appliances that you'd need a clamp or other method. I have a feeling Shelly has a smart energy monitoring relay that can go over the typical 13 amp.
 
No benefit to me as it takes me less than 5 minutes each month to submit readings manually for accurate bills.

The meters go dumb if you switch suppliers/or other problems

If the display breaks the supplier will do sweet FA about it because as far as they are concerned they have fulfilled their government obligation by installing a smart meter and there is nothing else in it for them.
 
Scam said:
But really what does it matter? The washing machine gets filled to the brim every time, as does the dishwasher. We’re not wasteful. When we buy a new fridge etc. they’ll be as energy efficient as possible. As long as you’re relatively prudent with usage I don’t feel there’s much worth in seeing how much it costs in real time.
Click to expand...

you don't need to see it in real time, like I already said, just an accurate graph to study later ... I have an analytic profession so it is 2nd nature.
not for electricity expense, but convenience, we wash up as we go and don't use the dishwasher, things like washing frying pans/oven dishes up whilst still hot etc.
using hot water in bowl you are using to wash hands during ongoing food prep. ... if I found the dishwasher was taking 1 unit, for sure I'd double down with not using it.

Recently found residual heat in our hob is enormous, and you can practically cook breakfast porridge for next day, saving time then, too.
 
Just a little FYI as I'm sure some of you would like to know a bit more about the data and data access as no API is ever going to be available directly from the DCC regarding Smart Meter data.

Ive been working on a project at work (EDF Energy) to do with access to data, so far the best live solution we have found is via Chameleon Consumer Access Device (Info Here). Other CAD products are available but the Chameleon is the best we have found, unfortunately I don't have a price for it.

The basics are, the CAD gets the data from your smart meter, connects to YOUR WiFi and uploads the data to the Chameleon cloud in an accessible format for the end user/property owner. The CAD can be purchased by the user (home owner) and added to the smart network as its an allowed device, then giving you live data access and logging from when the meter was first installed to present day (live data as in up to the last 1min).

Some interesting reading from BEAMA
https://www.beama.org.uk/static/uploaded/3979baf2-ebd9-45cf-bd988ac6b1c68211.pdf
 
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