Smart metre removal

discostu1 · 29-12-2022 11:16pm

From old job I know of a few guys who had a battery only set up.We are straying from the title but my own opinion is give everyone who could benefit from it a 10 year interest free loan to install Solar and Batteries.

taylor3 · 30-12-2022 12:26am

Yes you can refuse this. I did. Here's my story. I received a letter in the post informing me they were offering me a smart metre. I emailed them to say Thank you for the offer of a smart metre but at this time I am declining. I heard nothing back for about a week. I did notice the vans in and around my area installing them in neighbours property. And just like that I received a phone call from EI saying that workers are in my area installing them and asking would I like one... to which I said No thank you, I emailed your office advising i did not want one, to which she very nicely said oh that's fine get a pen and I will call out a reference number for you to jot down and if in the event you receive any further correspondence on this issue just quote that number and they will see we have had this conversation and clarifying you do not want the smart metre installed. I haven't heard a peep since (that was early Nov last) Good luck.

kirk. · 30-12-2022 12:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045294#Comment_120045294

Same as

I'm sure it's only a matter of time before they put the squeeze on

discostu1 · 30-12-2022 12:34am

No problem refusing , the issue/question is getting one out if it’s already in 😂😂

touts · 30-12-2022 12:42am

I don't know anyone who had one removed but I know a couple of people who, when contacted, said they didn't want it and were told they had no choice it was mandatory.

Gooser14 · 30-12-2022 1:02am

Do a search of boards for "smart meter removed" and will find posts of people having the smart meter replaced with a D/N meter.

windowcills · 30-12-2022 10:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045092#Comment_120045092

There is a lot of waste (heat generated) when charging a battery, so best to use free otherwise unusable solar to charge them

discostu1 · 30-12-2022 10:40am

I think the point was to charge at night rate and discharge during ,Peak/Day.The poster referenced not having panels

Alun · 30-12-2022 11:31am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120044856#Comment_120044856

Agree 100% on your last point. What should be happening is that they make all the data available, along with the ability to see what difference simply moving to a smart plan would make, and also to move X kWh per day or week from day or peak to night and see what difference it would make.

BoxcarWilliam99 · 30-12-2022 11:34am

Is a smart meter the same unit as the pay as you go electricity?

Iv heard this is more expensive which doesn't seem right as maybe some people on the pay as you go system might be on a lower income.

Iv seen people go into SuperValu and buy 10 euro electricity and 10 euro scratch card . Unbelievable

30-12-2022 12:17pm

PAYG has a huge standing charge, so whilst the unit rates may be the same or similar, it works out far more expensive.

elperello · 30-12-2022 12:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045956#Comment_120045956

No, they are two different things.

With smart meter you still get a bill.

RainInSummer · 30-12-2022 12:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120041541#Comment_120041541

Yet I have a smart meter almost a year and still have someone coming to read the meter because the smart meter doesn't work as described.

And none of the things you listed.

User142 · 30-12-2022 1:46pm

If you want to get rid of a smart meter you can phone ESB Network, they will confirm it is possible if your supplier puts in a request. Then phone your supplier and demand they put in that request.

If you want to get a smart meter down the line they will warn you it will cost €200.

I haven't tried this, but its what I found reading a the Irish EV Owners Association page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/IEVOA/permalink/3253308651577067

If you do not have a smart meter and don't feel like being punished for having the audacity of using electricity in the few evening hours you are at home and awake. You can contact ESB Networks with youre MRPN and opt out of having one installed. A quick google will show you this.

If you have one installed but are still on a 24 hour or day and night rate, do not switch to a smart tariff. And do not opt into any rubbish data analytics service they offer as that is a way for them to activate your smart meter too, you then can't avail of any offers other than smart plans going forward.

If you do not have to submit meter readings, then your meter has been activated even if you are on a 24h or D/N tariff

User142 · 30-12-2022 1:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046134#Comment_120046134

You haven't activated the meter. Don't do it unless you like spending more money.

Sarn · 30-12-2022 2:08pm

Just a minor correction to User142’s comments above. Not having to submit readings does not mean your meter has been activated. We’ve had our smart meter for over two years, readings are automatically uploaded and we are still on the standard 24 hour rate (as confirmed again when we switched in June).

10-10-20 · 30-12-2022 2:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046134#Comment_120046134

There may be a potential issue if the smart meter can't communicate with the network. Initially it was thought that the meters were going to create a mesh (probably based on LoRA) and use that to send reading back to a local base-station, but I beleieve that it was canned and all meters are now using a 3G SIM. If you have poor reception in the area or your meter was on the side of the house with weak reception, then your meter may require manual reading. There was going to be an antenna added for more remote sites (I saw one once) but this may not be on offer just now.

User142 · 30-12-2022 2:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046503#Comment_120046503

Interesting, I must try switch again because that was what I was told in earlier in the year when I tried to switch a lower 24h tariff..

mct1 · 30-12-2022 3:05pm

I had an interesting chat with a installer who called to the door two weeks ago - nice guy. I said we hadn't decided yet, couldn't really see any advantage to ourselves of the smart meter. He mentioned smart plans so I said they didn't suit us. He said they didn't suit him either. Then he mentioned the inconvenience of having the meter reader calling, so I pointed out our meter was outside so she helped herself, never bothered us, and would be out of a job, he agreed with all that too.

He was quite clear that we could refuse or delay our decision for a good while and put us down as a don't know - we'll probably go for it though. One interesting thing he said was that if no-one had been home, they were authorised to replace the (external) meter anyway!

Citizen Six · 30-12-2022 3:49pm

Had mine installed a number of months ago. Last month they said I could access my usage data. But they now say they won't let me access the usage data unless I sign up for a smart tariff.

kirk. · 30-12-2022 3:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046689#Comment_120046689

Think you have have to agree to the install and arrange a time

They won't call unannounced and switch off your electricity and change the meter

Alun · 30-12-2022 4:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046689#Comment_120046689

Regarding the meter reader being able to access the meter because it's outside, that doesn't mean they'll read it every 2 months, more like one or two times a year if you're lucky, so you'll still get estimated readings unless you submit your own.

RainInSummer · 30-12-2022 6:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046467#Comment_120046467

When you say activated do you mean I haven't signed up to a smart plan?

RainInSummer · 30-12-2022 7:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046515#Comment_120046515

Definitely a poor reception area. That said I got a partial two week period of data back in Feb/Mar.

Fairy godmother · 30-12-2022 7:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046421#Comment_120046421

The smart meter has been installed. ESB tell me there is no option to revert back to the analog meter as they do not have any available. My supplier directs me back to ESB, who repeat the same line every time I contact them. I am on 24 Hour, and do not intend to switch to anything else. I just want the meter removed though.

Fairy godmother · 30-12-2022 7:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045378#Comment_120045378

I don't want a D/N meter, just the analog meter. I was always on 24 Hour tariff.

smuggler.ie · 30-12-2022 7:43pm

You sure you are asking for the right thing?

I believe ESB would not install "analog" meters, what they might is digital.

Ultimanemo · 30-12-2022 7:49pm

I requested a smart meter then I cancelled, I was planning to install solar then I found prices gone up so much, Then I started looking at day/night tariffs for a smart meter, I found many companies are charging premium rate at 5 to 7 pm "EI has one without that but I don't know how long will it last", they can't charge premium rate at 5 to 7 pm with day/night meter

Companies are behaving as if they don't want you to install a smart meter

Sorry I posted the same before and I couldn't delete this one

discostu1 · 30-12-2022 11:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046689#Comment_120046689

They are not...unless you were previous oh advised they were calling

discostu1 · 30-12-2022 11:13pm

The original CER/CRU document says initially Suppliers can offer 3 tariffs.Day, Night and Peak 5 to 7 pm as you say.The current pricing offers no incentive to embrace Smart tariffs and until the market hits maybe 70% installed can’t see that changing

31-12-2022 7:05pm

All I know is my energy bills are becoming very unaffordable. Smart meter or not, the unit rates are way too high at the moment and there's no prospect of them coming down. It will start having a significant impact on the economy the way things are going. I'm cutting back on spending because of energy bills.

01-01-2023 9:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120050438#Comment_120050438

Welcome to 2022. It probably won't get any cheaper in 2023. Nothing to do with smart meters however.

01-01-2023 1:08pm

The talk from the energy companies is 18 months of high prices as they’re stuck in gas contracts.

Fairy godmother · 01-01-2023 8:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120047416#Comment_120047416

i see. ESB have advised “the older stock of meters are no longer available”. But surely that couldn’t be correct? I’m not sure where to go from here with ESB.

RainInSummer · 05-01-2023 6:14pm

So I'm in a state where I have a smart meter installed almost a year now and my current contract is up next week.

I can't sign up to any smart plans as my smart meter doesn't have reception and the plans I've picked that are the least worst option for someone with a solar array and an EV are all unavailable. I can't sign up to any non smart plans as I have a smart meter.

Been on to support with ESB and EI (current provider) and Bord Gais, in the case of the providers they just offer up some significantly worse alternative to the smart plans I've selected. ESB will 'call me back' within two days.

And before anyone says you don't have to sign up to a smart plan just because you have a smart meter, please try it now before trotting out that line (I've not tried all providers admittedly).

My best option is to get a day/night meter installed if I'm one of the lucky ones that gets their smart meter removed.

I can't be the only person with no mobile reception in the country.

Not sure what the moral of the story is but I wish I never saw the bloody thing.

kirk. · 05-01-2023 6:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120053513#Comment_120053513

You would expect that response .They would want nothing to do with smart meter removal

That would generally be seen as a backwards move

Fortunate for the ones who can hold out on current day/nite metering

Sarn · 05-01-2023 7:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120070076#Comment_120070076

They must have activated your meter despite not having reception. It’s possible they did it when trying to set you up on a smart plan.

Check your bill, if it says MCC01 you can still sign up to standard 24 hour plans even with a smart meter. If it’s a different code then it would appear they changed the functionality of your meter and you were switched over to smart plan only.

05-01-2023 9:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120070343#Comment_120070343

You might want to re-read the post you quoted.

Sarn · 05-01-2023 11:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120070967#Comment_120070967

I did read it. They should check their bill to see if the MCC has changed. If they were on a standard 24 hour plan and their bill no longer says MCC01 then the smart functionality of the meter would appear to have been activated (despite being unable to use it) and they’ll technically be stuck with smart plans.

Edit: I see that RaininSummer mentions in a previous post that they got two weeks of data earlier in the year. At the moment, you can only get detailed data if your smart meter has been activated (that is, locked into smart plans once your contract expires).

10-10-20 · 06-01-2023 12:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120070076#Comment_120070076

Next time you're onto ESB ask about getting an antenna fitted to the existing meter. I was in a house in Wicklow in 2012 during the trial period and I saw a trial meter with an small antenna fitted to the gable of the house as the 3G signal wasn't strong in that location. I'm not saying that they still do antennas for these non-trial boxes, but it would be worth asking all of the same.

RainInSummer · 06-01-2023 12:37pm

Just to clarify, I have MCC01 on my bill alright, but the plans that I am offered are all more expensive and less suited to me (solar and EV) than I'd like to choose. I'm locked down to a pretty narrow amount of plans. Best set up would be day/night metering, which bizarrely none of the providers offer.

@10-10-20 Cheers for that, if they call when they say they'll call, I'll ask them about it.

MPRN · 06-01-2023 1:04pm

Hi guys,

I came here looking for info on how to get rid of my smart meter.

I spoke with an electric Ireland rep and he told me the "peak tariff" will be 5/8pm from April!

My bill is already insane with the same usage as last year.......

Fairy godmother · 07-01-2023 7:10am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120073302#Comment_120073302

What steps have you taken to date to have it removed?

10-10-20 · 07-01-2023 11:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120077308#Comment_120077308

...😴

ted1 · 14-01-2023 10:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120040079#Comment_120040079

EI don’t install meters. ESB Networks do

there is no change to your tariffs unless you move onto a smart plan.

prices have shot ip and previous bills may have been estimated

Zorton · 17-01-2023 9:17am

I've searched this whole thread and the only 2 points made regarding Smart Meter removal were -

There's more than a few posts on the Solar Irish facebook group where people are saying they have
Do a search of boards for "smart meter removed" and will find posts of people having the smart meter replaced with a D/N meter.

Has anyone had success on here in having one removed and if so - can you outline the steps taken to getthis done ?