Circet/ESB want to change electricity meter to smart meter.

P_Cash

While I know this has been given its fair share of attention, I thought it was put to bed a few years ago when I refused them to change my old meter to a new smart one.

I have recently been contacted again, and my mother has received a letter about hers this week. They seem to be doing the rounds again installing smart meters.

While I am not considering a smart tarriff, is there any reason why I shouldnt let them change it.

I dont mind them doing it, so long as i have my existing 24hr tarriff and same options upon renual of my existing contract (with Energia atm)

Cheers

P

bmc58

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058422719/circet-esb-want-to-change-electricity-meter-to-smart-meter

We got a Smart Meter about 18mths ago like the rest of my neighbourhood.We never changed from our old 24hr tarriff and are still on it.Never got any offer from Electric Ireland to change either.

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123757018#Comment_123757018

You can keep your old tariff for the foreseeable. But you also have the option of additional tariffs, if you wish.

the_amazing_raisin

You will stay on your 24 hour tariff until you change to a smart plan, but if you change to a smart plan there's no going back

Some suppliers seem quite reluctant to offer non smart plans, however this seems limited to the sales staff

I've a smart meter but am still on an old day/night plan and have never had issues switching suppliers

I find the smart data from the ESB portal to be quite useful and you can use sites like Energy Pal to give you a very good overview of how much you can save by switching

Then there's also the advantage that you'll be paid for exported electricity if you get solar panels at any point

_Kaiser_

Just be warned - if at any point you switch to a smart plan or if your supplier mistakenly signs you up to one, the meter cannot (supposedly) be reconfigured later for an older plan without replacing it entirely (which they and ESB networks will be very reluctant to do), and you'll lose options like level-pay/equaliser billing if that's important.

See my posts in the other thread on this. I've wasted about 5 hours on the phone now arguing over the mistake they made and while I'm finally getting somewhere now almost 2 months later, it's still not sorted!

techman1

The only issue is that the old meters were probably running slow as they are mechanical so you weren't being billed your full usage. When you switch to new electronic meter it will be accurate but your consumption will likely jump up a bit as now it is being measured correctly. That's another reason why they pushing to get them all replaced

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123761550#Comment_123761550

The difference is miniscule and it would need to be a very old analogue meter. ESB tended to update them on a rolling basis anyway.

As for smart meters and smart plans. Almost everyone would benefit from a smart plan. I'm with energia. 23c daytime, 24.7c peak (5-7pm) and 13c night (11pm to 11am)

The small premium on 5-7pm is more than paid for by having the dishwasher start at 7pm on the days we use it. Washing machine timed for 6am on a standard 45min wash, immersion for 6.30am and tumbler dryer when needed at 7am or thereabouts.

I've yet to have a bi-monthly bill exceed €200 as we have near 50% of units used charged at off peak and it took very little effort to make the small changes. Previously the bi-monthly bills were €250-€300 with units rates just a tad higher.

Think of your usage. Can you change much to an 11pm-8am time? - If you can, then its a no brainer. Most domestic machines have time delay of up to 8 hours, so loading can be done anytime - a press of a button at 10pm and it will commence its work at 6am. Only machine I like to be "in situ" for is the tumbler dryer.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123765228#Comment_123765228

Gonna have to disagree on the point that everyone would benefit from a smart plan

I would say instead that may people would benefit from using a day/night plan or general ToU tariff and seeing how then can shift usage to cheaper times

I've been running an experiment where I compress almost all my usage to the period of 2am to 6am which is the EV usage period for Energia

I then use Energy Pal to compare smart and Day/Night plans

After about a year I've got about 75% of my usage in the EV window. However when I compared plans the EV smart plan came in at a very similar price to my current D/N plan with a 41% discount

So it depends on the person and their usage pattern and how much they can change to suit the cheaper times

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123765302#Comment_123765302

I said "almost everyone".

The insights a smart meter can give you are available instantly and that alone can show you where savings can be made without needing a year of experimentation.

All I know is my bill has dropped substantially (I'm 10 months into my day/night plan) and I don't have a €70 additional annual fee that is charged for a day/night meter.

P_Cash

Thanks folks, while ill give them the go ahead to change the meter, ill keep the 24 hr tarriff for now. Our bills hover around €200

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123765424#Comment_123765424

Fair, I do agree that the data from the ESB networks portal is extremely valuable, and I like that it's available without having to sign up for a smart plan

guil

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123765228#Comment_123765228

Are you sure it's not 11am to 8am for the night rate?

beggars_bush

We still have the original meter from electrification in the 1960s

It even runs backwards

thoneaseessi

Can you refuse the meter

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123767954#Comment_123767954

Currently, yes. They have no interest in arguing with people who don't want them, so you can just say no.

Eventually every old meter will be replaced due to age (or failure) and they won't have non smart meters left in stock; but we aren't at that point yet. Plenty of people have 50+ year old meters currently so its not like they fail easily.

blackvalley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123767995#Comment_123767995

Slightly off topic but doubtful that any of the smart meters being installed today will still be operating successfully in another fifty years. It would hardly be in the interest of the company supplying them.

Zionist.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058422719/circet-esb-want-to-change-electricity-meter-to-smart-meter

Tis very simple, say no

They are not changing the meter for your benefit but their's

When someone (private / for profit) comes to you with a proposal it is always vastly in their benefit

Nigzcurran

I needed all my meter box wiring upgraded to get a charger installed and discovered if I got a smart meter installed I would get all the wiring needed done for free. Didn't sign up to a smart plan but probably will in the near future if it makes sense

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123767852#Comment_123767852

finger slip on my post (and yours 😁) - 11pm until 8am is the night rate.

BarryM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123769004#Comment_123769004

Mine used to be that, but it is now some time in the night and around 9am, presumably due to outage(s)?

I note the posts about saying no, I did to some 'sales' outfit from Kerry who wanted to install a smart yoke.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123768061#Comment_123768061

I'd totally disagree.

Think of changing from the old dialing bakelite phones to a smart phone.

ESB networks are doing this to upgrade your information ability to make informed choice. This will hopefully have more people move usage to off peak times and balance the power grid.

Electricity is not something that is stored in a warehouse and sent out as needed. It is generated 247 - if they gererate too much in the evening or overnight - its wasted. There's also massively under utilised generation plants which switch off about 7pm and don't come on til the next morning.

At some peak times all generation plants are going full throttle. These are costly. So a better spread of usage means less need for additional generation plants and getting more use from current plants and maximising wind power at night.

But like anything new, you quickly find conspiracy theorists come up with all sorts of nonsense and sadly a lot of people simply believe what they say as they don't bother to fact check the rubbish they spout.

ESB networks don't need everyone to take it. They really don't care if you refuse.

thoneaseessi

Bsck in the day i think ESB were losing money on the old 20A meter when they were spinning fast

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123769062#Comment_123769062

Bit of a funny aside, I was watching a YouTube channel taking apart a UK smart meter (Big Clive)

He made a pretty sarcastic comment about how he couldn't find any microphones or listening devices that the tinfoil hat crowd were saying the smart meters had

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123768061#Comment_123768061

So far this month my smart meter has made me €90 from metered export

Seems to have been in my benefit so far

Zionist.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123769062#Comment_123769062

That's alot of explaining on a seperate point that also is directly related to manipulating your useage

Also, if the ESB don't care, why are they doing it ?

***You*** buy a smartphone

You failed on all the points and then grasped desperation on conspiracy theory, the core point is when someone proposes something it's because ***they*** want it. If you do not understand that concept you are in trouble

Zionist.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123770307#Comment_123770307

If you had an older meter it'd run backwards and you would have gained even more

There's absolutely nothing to stop them from having a simple export meter, you would have saved the same and it would be more robust, longer lasting and cheaper

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123770919#Comment_123770919

when someone offers you an upgrade and doesn't care whether you take it or not and don't even TRY to make to change your mind - maybe the upgrade is good.

People, like you will continue in blissful ignorance where people like me will save about €400 a year of virtually no effort.