On Wed, 11 Jan 2017 13:24:55 -0000, "Brian Gaff"
wrote:

When they managed to concrete up my last water meter in the footway
due to
the very efficient contractor doing it, they put in a smart water
meter
which apparently can be read by just driving by it in a car.
However I am
told it still has a dial or display I can look at. I told them that
I was
blind so it hardly matters, but if the readings go wrong I might
ask to be
informed how to log in and check it!
As for leccy meters, I'm being told that all properties will have
to have
smart meters by the end of 2020, oh good can I have one now, no,
they cannot
cope with enconomy rates yet, Huh? I'd sack the designers.

A little while ago, when I lived in a place with Economy 7, I tried
to find out how 'smart' meters might fit in (mainly as a matter of
interest), but no-one seemed to know. Clearly there are important
questions involved, such as whether the peak times will be the same -
if under control of the electricity suppliers they might be too short
or too long - and whether, as currently, off peak appliances (such as
storage heaters and immersion heaters) will be controlled remotely.
Also, if the user doesn't know when off-peak times are, how is he to
know when he can take advantage of the cheaper rates to, for example,
run the washing machine?

--
Max Demian