ESB - Smart Meter

[LadyEloise1]

Have you had the ESB Smarmeter installed?
If so what are your thoughts please ?
Good
Bad
Indifferent.

I'm on my own here, so that may not equate with your situation. Anyway, I opted for the "Free Saturday" (or Sunday) tariff. I know that means it's normal rate during the week, but I don't use it that much at that time.

As I am on my own (again it's different for others), I do my washing (a few loads), turn on my lovely electric log effect fire, do baking, batch cook, dry clothes in the tumble drier, vacuum, and use the immersion to heat the water as I need it when the gas is not turned on (see electric log stove).

My bills are a little lower than normal, but were never huge to start with anyway. I like it because it encourages me to DO things on a Saturday between 8am -11pm

Thank you for replying @ladeluge

The smart meter itself does not do anything different to your current meter, other than allow the usage be recorded remotely in real time rather than needing someone to go to your house to read it. It means you will never have an estimated bill again. As far as I’m aware all meters in Ireland are being replaced with smart meters - it’s not a choice (unless you refuse to let them in the door).

The real benefit of a smart meter is that as it records usage in real time you can choose from a choice of tariffs - one similar to what you may have now, with the same price per unit all day, or ones where you pay more at peak times but less if you have most of your usage in off peak hours. I have a smart meter but chose to stay with the standard (all-day) rate as I have enough stress in my life without having to time when I use my washing machine, and the off-peak savings really aren’t that exciting. If you are willing to save all your washing etc. to evening or night hours there will be savings however.

Just FYI the smart meter system in Ireland is completely different to that in the UK so ignore the smart meter threads on mumsnet outside of those on Craicnet - they’re not relevant to us.

Sorry can I jump on and ask if smart meters can tell you what you’re currently using electricity on e.g can it tell you what percentage of usage is going on lighting, shower etc? Our bills are mental at the minute I’d love to see what areas I need to cut back

No @Magnalux . At least mine doesn't it just tells me how much credit I have left .

But I recently turned everything off ,checked the meter , had a shower and checked it again. Can't recall the exact figures now but having showers is way cheaper than using the immersion. Even using it on 'hand-wash ' .

@Magnalux no although I think some companies are starting to roll that out.

We got a smart meter, no difference apart from we don't have submit the reading every 2 months. I didn't switch to a smart plan though, I WFH and they just wouldn't have made sense.