Do smart meters limit your tariff choice?

A

AJAM

Registered User
Messages
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Hi,

So my understanding is the following
  1. Once you get a smart meter, you can't switch back to a non smart meter
  2. You don't have to switch to a smart tariff just because you have a smart meter
  3. If you do switch to a smart tariff you can't switch back
I have an old meter and am on the 24 hour tariff. If I get a Smart Meter, I know that I can stay on the 24 hour tariff, but can I switch to a day/night tariff? Not a smart tariff but a day/night one.

The reason I ask is that the smart tariffs rates are often far worse than the day/night rates. And the standing charge can be higher too. I really think that is unfair to stop people switching to the tariff that is best for them.
 
I've heard both you can remain in the old tariff and you can't. Mainly EV forms debating this as they like to take advantage of the night rates.

Id like to know did people's bills go up with the smart meters or but. But probably used to tell with all the increases lately anyway.
 
I got a smart meter about 2 years ago. I continue to sign up for the regular 24 hour tariffs. I calculated an estimate of my bills using a smart tariff (no EV) and it was more expensive.

There was no increase to my bills due to installation of the smart meter (lots of increases due to other factors,of course).

I understand that for a day\night tariff, you need 2 meters at the moment, so the smart meter would need to be replaced. Not sure if this happens.
 
AJAM said:
So my understanding is the following
  1. Once you get a smart meter, you can't switch back to a non smart meter Correct
  2. You don't have to switch to a smart tariff just because you have a smart meter Correct
  3. If you do switch to a smart tariff you can't switch back Correct
If I get a Smart Meter, I know that I can stay on the 24 hour tariff, but can I switch to a (non-smart) day/night tariff? I'm not 100% certain, but I strongly doubt it. If you have a spinning disk meter then, as mentioned above, you'd need to have a replacement meter installed. However if you have the more recent, but non-smart electronic meter, then it can be configured to record separate day and night units (mine is). But I suspect that ESB Networks would refuse to reconfigure it and insist that you have smart meter installed, which would then force you into taking a "smart" day/night package.
Click to expand...
 
Thus far I've procrastinated over a smart meter. No EV (yet) and mostly active during the day.
 
AlbacoreA said:
Thus far I've procrastinated over a smart meter. No EV (yet) and mostly active during the day.
Click to expand...

The only (slightly) convincing argument that I have ever read for getting a smart meter is that it enables people to sell their surplus, self-generated electricity to the network.
 
Last edited:
mrperty said:
I understand that for a day\night tariff, you need 2 meters at the moment, so the smart meter would need to be replaced. Not sure if this happens.
Click to expand...
Is this required though?
It has been touted that the Smart meters can store readings of 30min intervals so surely the meter just has to send two meter readings per day as opposed to one every 2th month.
 
I heard they originally had them set to some crazy interval like 10 mins or something. I don't know if true or not.
 
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