Nor mine JB, I understand the suppliers send a meter reader once a year and he takes readings for many of the companies at the same time but I have never seen him around.
I have taken readings from my own meter monthly for many years and posted the details online. Even before I had a PC I used to telephone in the meter readings.
Same Same, itās no hardship. No doubt those of use who refuse smart meters will get punished in some way or other.
I wonder how many people have become or will become refuseniks?
The only trouble with that is if you have a bosch or similar washing machine that beeps when itās finished the wash. Kind of annoying at 3am!
I think one did come in the last two years but perhaps it was before that. Maybe they do spot checks. They do send emails to say they want a reading.
Ours plays the trout, but it can be disabled in the programming
Iām the same with fire safety ST. Not because I have a craft room, (although I do envy yours!), but because I am very safety conscious. Also when I was a child my dad would always be switching off lights when not in use and I guess I do the same as itās such a waste if you donāt need it. I can never understand how people can have all the lights on in their house when they are in one room. It shows how upbringing has a strong influence.
Apparently using a kettle uses the most power, so Iāve been told. I wonder if itās better to boil an old fashioned kettle on a gas hob? Or does it use the same power?
Sounds wonderful. I wish I knew how to disable the blinking beeps. Iāll google because perhaps thereās a way.
There are lots of variables involved in that comparison which makes it difficult.
It takes the same amount of energy to heat water regardless of the source. The issue is how efficiently you can get that energy into the water. A gas hob will of course lose energy in the heating of the metal pan support and the kettle itself as well as losing heat to the surrounding air.
An electric kettle is more efficient because itās largely a self contained machine and it switches itself off automatically. With the gas hob kettle youād have to be standing there watching it until it boils which most people probably wonāt do.
However gas is cheaper than electricity so on balance a gas kettle might be marginally better in terms of our domestic energy usage.
There is a bigger picture though which is that electricity is not a raw energy. It is produced by burning coal and that process is about 30% efficient. So in terms of ECO stuff the electric kettle is terrible. Gas is a natural form of energy so is better.
All kind of moot though because both gas and electric companies are jumping on the Smart Meter gravy train scam in order to bring in variable rate billing and thereby hike up everyoneās bills and make $billions.
Using a gas hob to boil a kettle would be cheaper than an electric kettle Annie, because gas is about half the price of electric. But only filling your electric kettle with just the right amount of water that you need will considerably reduce the amount of electricity that it takes to boil the water.
With the new LED light bulbs, leaving the lights on in each room you are going to visit would use very little electricity. In fact, in some cases you would use more electricity if you keep turning lights on and offā¦Some lights use more power to warm up initially before dropping to a more economic level once warm.
Also worth pointing out the very significant dangers of leaving washing machines and tumble dryers running during the night. These devices are some of the most common that fail and catch fire and if you are asleep in bed when it happens you and your family could easily be killed. The fire services are already very worried about the advent of Smart Meters making everyone use appliances at night. Read on . . .
[size=3]Using your washing machine at night could cost you your life: Firefighters warn over plan to charge different rates at different times of day[/size]
If you really want to save electricity, hang your washing out on a washing line and wash your pots in the sink by handā¦simples!
Crikey, life is terribly complicated these days! But whatās the difference between led and regular energy saving bulbs? Because I think they are all the latter.
I would not do that anyway, Primus, it is a fire risk !
I already do that, Foxy, nothing nicer than the smell of clothes dried outdoors.
I do hang the washing out when itās sunny. Or indoors when not. No tumble dryers here! But you can forget washing pots in the sink thoughā¦
Regular energy saving bulbs take too long to reach a decent light - by the time they do I have forgotten what I wanted them on for anyway. LED bulbs still save energy but light up instantly.
Also some of the regular ones contain mercury - so are difficult to dispose of.
If you really want to save electricity, hang your washing out on a washing line and wash your pots in the sink by handā¦simples!
How very Councilā¦
So you canāt win. I guess candle light is out!
I was wondering if there were any forum members on here that actually have smart meters installed? Maybe they have some positive experiences about smart meters that they could share ?
I believe Judd said the other day that heād got one, Rehab, and he is an electrician by trade, so his opinion might be interesting?
