Smart meter monitors what good are they? Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[ericmark]

I have had a smart meter fitted, forced to fit one if I want paying for export, and also split tariff can reduce costs further, so totally see the point. But it came with a little monitor, we placed it on the TV stand and started to observe the readings, from sun up to sun down it alternates screens from no import to no export for most of the time, this time of year on a sunny day around 1 pm we start to see export.

Between 6 pm and 9 pm depending on how charged the batteries are, we see it show some import, but then we go to bed, so it tells me very little about usage, and the solar panel software plus three plug in energy monitors and two clamp on ammeters tell me far more about energy use.

It seem some monitors do connect to internet, but not the one we have, there is a BG app which shows what you have used, with a two day delay. OK the app it seems can also be used to view our account, and change so items, but that is not really anything to do with the monitoring.

So if you don't have a solar array and battery, you don't need a smart meter, if you do, what the display shows is useless, so why are we given this useless display? What am I missing?

[ericmark]

I do get a display on the in house display which can be set to show pounds, and the solar panel software shows what I use in the day and I can go back until fitted, but same does not go for the IHD so can't view what I used yesterday in pounds, and the total kWh used does not help, as midnight until 8 am the cost is a lot lower than for the next 16 hours, so cost and use are not related over the whole day, and the idea is midnight to 8 am I charge batteries so power used in the day is supplies by solar or/and battery until the battery is down to 10% so most days solar is exported which is a waste at moment as not being paid for it, and battery will run out between 7 pm and 9 pm at this time of years, so between 5 and 7 hours where I pay high rate for power, so costs around £2 to £3 per day.

The IHD flits between the two screens most of the day showing maybe up to 20 watt, as the inverter matches the output of battery and sun to homes demand, and even when exporting at 2.5 kW the needle on the IDH hardly moves, if I notice it I will turn one one of the three heavy uses which can be used at any time, the washing machine, tumble drier, and dish washer.

But what would be far better is the phone app if it were up to date. It tells me 26 Feb - 03 Mar 2024 used 7.25 kWh costing £2.14 but go to daily it shows 26th Feb 2024 also £2.14 and today 8th Mar it will not show any results past 26th Feb, and the only way I can remember what was done that long ago is to look at the solar panel display.

So smart meter yes it will in fullness of time mean I get paid for export, and it allows duel tariff so cheap rate over night. But both the in house display (IHD) and the app have been next to useless. Interesting to hear what others have found.

[ericmark]

Now the meter has been installed for some time, I can say the IHD (in home display) is rubbish. Last night just past midnight it showed used today £0.00 which was I suppose correct but then says of which 59.3p is standing charge so clearly an error. Also I had used 5.01 kWh which since only 3 minutes past midnight would mean I was drawing over 100 amp, with a 60 amp DNO fuse?

Waiting a little time for update no change, at 0:30 the battery started to charge, however I went bed.

So morning looked again showed used 3.49 kWh so down on last night, at £1:36 which would mean paying 22p per unit, where my rate midnight to 5 am after which time the battery supplies all needs, is 8.95p per unit.

So the solar panel software says I have imported 5.1 kWh which seems around right with 3.2 kWh to charge batteries, this would make it 15p per kWh also not the 8.95p they say is charged. The solar graph does seem about right, so I trust the solar software over the IHD, however most people will not have both, so will not realise the IHD is incorrect, can't really look at the actually meter, is means balancing on a chair to read it. I did have a quick look, but Rate 01 Act imp 00433 kWh clearly does not show daily use, and the app shows 18th April as last day shown at 10.02 kWh no data available for this time period shows when selecting £. The solar software shows 10.2 kWh for same day, so they are near enough to each other.

However as said most people will look at the IHD not the actual meter, and it seems this is wildly out on daily use.