Is there any reason left not to go smart meter?

jasgrif11 · 06-11-2023 10:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121334487#Comment_121334487

Day: 40 ( I marvel at those of you sub 5kWh day use). Albeit some of that 40 was me playing with balancing the battery

Night: 597

Export: 220

My system has finally settled down for a configuration and tinkering perspective.

graememk · 06-11-2023 10:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121334592#Comment_121334592

Its a tough one, and your correct, the SM has its own connection, (and i assume you have poor phone signal too?)

Possible workarounds:

If a Day/Night tariff is more suitable for your use, you possibly could push for a DN meter and get the Smart meter with the blue lid and button swapped for a green one (RM107 to a RM108, The rm108 supports the old DN tariffs)

this one would cost you money but could be a benefit for you:

If you can get good phone reception outdside/on your roof/etc you can get signal repeaters, that you can mount somewhere and then its rebroadcast where you dont have reception. (where is your meter? is it in the middle of a house surrounded by stone walls/foil insulation?)

Id need someone to confirm this but I think the smart meters still use the 2G network. and them repeaters are pretty cheap... I might actually have one but hasnt been used in a long time now as they upgraded the reception here a good while ago, 2G only.

graememk · 06-11-2023 10:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121334715#Comment_121334715

Meter went in on the 8th oct 😁 Playing about in excel to see how it tallies with the HDF data

con747 · 06-11-2023 10:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121334739#Comment_121334739

AFAIK it is the 2G network they use, That's why I am holding out on the smart meter. No mobile signal where I live. Might be of use to the OP https://coveragemap.comreg.ie/map to see where the best mobile mast is. https://siteviewer.comreg.ie/#explore

graememk · 07-11-2023 1:59am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121334715#Comment_121334715

Just to show how much data is missing from the HDF currently... (and its 5 days out again)

It also somehow has counted more day units than the actual meter shows!

Im even taking DST into account in the spreadsheet!

buzz11 · 07-11-2023 9:09am

If I upgrade to a smart meter but keep my non-smart tariff, do I get deemed export or actual export?

TIA - This has probably been asked & answered before but I can't find it

Bobeagleburger · 07-11-2023 9:27am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121335735#Comment_121335735

Actual export

idc · 07-11-2023 10:53am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121334592#Comment_121334592

One point the meters don't use your internet connection, so getting fibre in 2025 will make no difference to this. The smart meters currently being installed in Ireland use 2G or a specific type of 4G technologies.

Jonathan · 07-11-2023 2:53pm

Got my RM108 install letter from Circet today. Finally making their way to North Dublin.

Clo-Clo · 08-11-2023 12:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121337146#Comment_121337146

How do you know which meter will be installed?

Does it say RM108?

Jonathan · 08-11-2023 2:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121340697#Comment_121340697

Doesn't say RM108, but I currently have a D/N meter and the letter says that it won't impact my current tariff, so it has to be RM108 then.

Clo-Clo · 08-11-2023 3:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121341318#Comment_121341318

Im the same so I guess it is a RM108

Installation Friday

championc · 08-11-2023 7:46pm

RM108 has lime green button while it's Blue on the RM107

Mountainsandh · 08-11-2023 8:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121334739#Comment_121334739

Thank you and other posters, between you all I got more information than we got from ESB & EI. Yes, our mobile reception is also very bad. The meter is installed on the outside gable end of the house, facing away from the "best" (mediocre) reception for mobiles. There would be a better reception at the apex, but since it's on the outside it would be a bit complicated to install anything. I am thinking of a spot on a shed that might repeat enough, possibly, and would be more accessible, but it would have to repeat wirelessly.

I have repeaters that you just plug in inside the house for the signal from router to devices, but they're not outdoor ones, they're recent enough so not sure they'd be suitable for 2G, and if there is any connection that needs to be done (wirelessly), with passwords, or device identifiers etc., I would assume only a technician could do it.

Is the green D/N meter like what the farmers have?

There was a week-end rate that actually seemed a bit better suited to us, and I was hoping to be able to try out different rates over time, to find what suited our family best.

I was actually looking forward to getting the smart meter, I nearly volunteered to get it early some time back, then we got the letters telling us they were coming soon...😕

graememk · 08-11-2023 9:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121343187#Comment_121343187

the repeater you are thinking of is for wifi/internet

The phone signal one is more "simple" than that, There is an antennae to pick up the signal, goes to the signal boosting box and then has a second antennae to re transmit it again.

Id consider it for your own phone reception, but for a smart meter, nah.

simpsimp · 09-11-2023 9:17am

Out of contract next week. Coming from Energia.

Currently on D/N, but with a Smart Meter.

Are there any good deals I should be aware of?

Thanks!

Mav11 · 09-11-2023 11:58am

Got my letter from Circet this morning, to say that installation will occur over the coming weeks.

yankinlk · 09-11-2023 1:47pm

Im with EI. Had the new RM108 installed on the 21st. At some point... will this start displaying readings in my online account? or will my view completely change when its finally working right? im keen to switch my tariff - but they say i have to wait until the data beds in. (so i get screwed for 30 days on standard tariff i expect).

graememk · 09-11-2023 2:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121345977#Comment_121345977

Sign up for the ESB networks account,

When in DN mode, the supplier (electric ireland) only get the same information as if it was read manually, So once every 2 months.

yankinlk · 09-11-2023 5:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121346086#Comment_121346086

I have that setup and the data is flowing since a few days after the install. So why will EI hold me to ransom for at least a month... Why not allow me to change tariff now.

idc · 09-11-2023 6:23pm

They use the month to determine the quality of the connection with a rating from 1 to 4. Can't recall exact ratings but depending on your rating indicates which smart tariffs your allowed use. The best connection allows for the full 30 minute granularity, but worst they might only be able to do an overall reading once a month. So even if data is flowing after a few days they still use the full 30 days to work out your overall rating.

championc · 09-11-2023 6:59pm

The month seems like complete BS, especially when you see your data appearing on the ESB Networks website.

However, it would appear that they only start recording daily Meter readings after a month.

Right after I got Energia to change my old MCC02 Day Night to a RM107 Smart Meter, I jumped to the Pinergy Smart Drive EV plan. But two weeks later, the final Energia bill had 48 "Estimated" units used. I had only used 4.

I contacted ESB Networks to then confirm as to what Meter readings they had stored against my account. They gave me a full list, showing DAILY readings from One Month after the meter was installed

idc · 09-11-2023 8:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121347580#Comment_121347580

I expect its not entirely BS if you are in an area where connection is on the borderline of being good enough for 30 minute details vs not. No point you have 5 or so days of great connection and you sign up for very detailed smart plan only for the following 25 days the connection is rubbish and you then get that plan pulled!

In your case your connection is fine and I expect most urban users will have no issues due to better mobile coverage, but its those users in the middle of nowhere where they won't know for sure if you'll have a good or bad connection until after the 30 day evaluation period.

staples7 · 10-11-2023 1:13pm

Looking at the stats from my smart meter my load bottoms out around 0.25kw. but can vary up to 0.4kw Is this good/bad? Can see this level during the night (When HP not running) or during day when nobody's home.

Obviously power being pulled for items on standby, bicycle air pump, night lights for the kids etc etc

DC999 · 10-11-2023 2:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121350579#Comment_121350579

If you’re asking if having a constant 250-400w (0.25kW to 0.4kW) running overnight is good, I’d say it’s decent. But you could get it lower. We’ve a low energy house. Our lowest overnight would be is 40w, then 150-200w for the house when the fridge or freezer kick in. Tbh I’d rather use energy during the day when we need it than have devices sucking juice at night when not in use.

All we leave at night is: modem is 20w, house alarm box – no idea, smart speakers are a few watts on standby. Fridge, freezer. We turn everything else off at night bar the stuff that runs on timers.

Check the smart meter stats against any other energy monitor you have, as some aren’t very accurate when the usage is low. myenergi account (if you have it) shows as low as as under 50watts. Your inverter might have info if you’ve solar.

I don’t have a HP, so no idea what it draws when not running.

graememk · 11-11-2023 10:08pm

The Esb website is starting to fill in the gaps now, Im only missing some data between the 25th and the 28th all other dates are complete

Edit: update, only a few hours on the 27th are missing now.

Mav11 · 14-11-2023 9:29am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121346086#Comment_121346086

I'm due to get an installation tomorrow. Am I correct in thinking that you still can at anytime read the meter manually, i.e. go out and get the T1, T2 readings at that time. You do not have to wait for these to upload to your account?

Thanks