Thread: Electricity company smart meters rort

Originally Posted by land864

Thanks guys

kW/hr usage has gone from 1800 kW/hr last year to 4500 kW/hr for the same period this year

Now that's odd. I wouldn't expect a smart meter to make such a change unless the old meter was faulty.

What does that work out to be in daily consumption? Was it for 90 days thus making it 50kWH per day? That is a lot of energy usage.

At the moment we are using approx 15kWh per day but we have a gas stove and gas water heating. We don't have a pool or freezer nor are we using our air con.

Whilst we were away in the USA, our standing consumption was 7kWh (I was looking at it from the USA) with spikes every so often for, we assume, the fridge cycling. We'd forgotten to turn the TVs and washing machine off at the wall. The only computer stuff on was the cable modem, router, and power monitors. 'Tis amazing how much power one uses with no one home.

Unfortunately the days of 'cheap' power are over and the costs are going to skyrocket over the next few years - carbon tax etc, if you can afford it get a solar system installed; it is the biggest investment in money saving you can make for the future. Also get the biggest one you can afford/fit on your roof.

Get a gas stove/oven installed if you have an electric one and go for a solar/gas hot water system.

To get an air con to run at 23c uses double the power it takes to run at 25c so dont run your air con so low you need a doona to keep warm.

boiling the kettle only use enough water for the cups your going to make dont fill it to the brim for 1 cuppa.

Turn off fans and lights when not in a room.

send your teenage kids to the neighbours to live they cost too much anyway

Then there is passive power saving; by planting trees / shrubs to shade walls to keep the summer heat off.

as already mentioned be smart in using your appliances like the washing machine etc including not doing several small loads but rather less loads with more clothes in the machine.

put a jumper on instead of turning on the electric heater in winter.

Really turn off things like the tv and computers when not in use.

Much of my power saving comes from my parents who as pensioners dont have a large income and it is amazing just how low you can get your bills by changing your life style mental attitude.

All of these thing will help but if you are already doing things like that then to be honest there is not a lot that can be done. (perhaps sending the kids to live next door may be seen as extreme)

Once "they" get a critical mass of people hooked into smart metering it will be like spot pricing for service stations and they'll jack up prices dependent on use/needs etc...except it will be all over Australia. The massive power cuts in the USA a few years ago, especially in California were not the infrastructure issues publicly claimed at the time... a later Inquiry found that the generator companies were load shifting to other States where the unit price was higher... the same thing will happen here...watch this space!

Originally Posted by Hoges

Once "they" get a critical mass of people hooked into smart metering it will be like spot pricing for service stations and they'll jack up prices dependent on use/needs etc...except it will be all over Australia. The massive power cuts in the USA a few years ago, especially in California were not the infrastructure issues publicly claimed at the time... a later Inquiry found that the generator companies were load shifting to other States where the unit price was higher... the same thing will happen here...watch this space!

Gee your cynical

In the imortal words of Yahoo Serious "if you cant trust the government, who can you trust?" looks like we are heading towards deep caa caa

Unfortunately this is what happens when everything the government owned got sold off and then deregulate the market. far less checks and balances and much more focus on profit than supplying a utility to the masses.

We have been working through the joys of getting a smart meter. Previous power company did guestaments, then did a yearly adjustments. Bills were all over the place. Finally worked out they were making a mint from us. New power company and a correct quarterly bill. Still high. Was asked if we had a pool heater. Don`t even have a pool. But we had a big hot water heater. 315 ltr. With our smart meter it`s a flat rate. So the hot water heater was forty percent of the bill . So with in a week of working out the cost of our hot water unit could have made a difference to a the national debt we have a gas unit.
Cheers Hall

But we had a big hot water heater. 315 ltr. With our smart meter it`s a flat rate.

That is strange.
I have a 315 L heater on Off Peak 1 and it costs me between $20 and $28 per quarter for 2 adults. I did the sums over and over and there is NOTHING cheaper for me although I only have bottled gas.

When you say a flat rate , can't you have fitted a timer so it only went on at night between 11 and 7? That is the whole aim of a 315L heater, to only be used on off peak at night.

Of course it all depends on how many teenagers and how much drama you are willing to take to force them to take 5 minute showers.LOL

Regards Philip A

It did have a timer. But for what ever reason we only get a set rate. There is now four of us Halls ( eldest has recently left the nest. ) Our quater bill was $900 or there a bout. All was fine with a peak and of peak rate till the evil smart meter was installed.
Cheers Hall

Originally Posted by land864

I am just being lazy but where do I get the diferent time /tarriff schedule from?

Pete

From your electricity supplier .... check their web site, or ring them.