I've just turned my induction hob off at the wall.

[TalkinPeace2]

Listening to the report on the news about "standby" use of electricity.

Anything that is touch sensitive - like an induction hob - is using electricity every minute of every day running the sensors waiting for you to touch it.

Anything that has a light or screen on it - like a microwave or breadmaker - is using electricity 24/7 even when not in use.

Off switches no longer mean off. They mean standby.
No wonder our utility bills are rising.

Wait, which?

Smart Meters don't support PAYG?
Or the paperwork for switching a Smart Meter to PAYG will be long?

~~drawing 87W~~

Actually that thread is quite dangerous. People can die from ignoring that their meter is due for exchange. Once of a certain age they are dangerous. Again the big six are constantly monitored by external auditors and regulators. to ensure information can not be used the ways described.
By insisting warrants are uses, the price of energy will go up. One of the big six has has several people attempt to sue due to unwanted smart. None had basis. Because alot of it is scaremongering.
Take the pays as you go. When smart Meyers do support this function it will only be simple out the customer requests it. If it is due to debt legal channels through the court must be followed as a customers account can not be changed without the customers or courts consent.

Right, so Smart Meters do support remote switching to PAYG?

And sorry, what has replacing old meters with new ones for safety reasons got to do with installing Smart Meters? That could only happen if an energy company refused to replace a meter unless the customer accepted a Smart Meter. (Can't remember, but think I read the company legally can't do this.)

No not yet. I am speaking about WHEN they do. They are a time away yet, but should be ready in the next few years.

I don't really want to derail the thread. My point was that energy monitors can be obtained freely by your energy supplier.

Oh dear, I've just read something that really will derail the thread. The Register thinks the EST study is rubbish - and their case is convincing.

Not that this is going to stop my fun of reading my energy monitor at ridiculous intervals.

~~drawing 123W~~

The people who have smart Meyers are told in advance their meter will be a smart meter.
I didn't say nit having a smart is dangerous, I was referring to that statement in the other thread that says they had ignored their letter about having a meter change.
Not everyone who has a meter change will have smart. There are many people whose properties are not yet compatible. British gas is taking the brunt as they are the furthest along in development. Possible phase 4. The others are far behind.
And no i am not a British gas customer. I work within the industry, not for the big 6 but know alot about smart meters and the data they collect and its protection.

Also, your chargers (mobile/camera/DS etc) are still using electricity if they are plugged in but not plugged to the device.
Probably not a lot - but a lot of people seem to leave them plugged in.

DPrince
What on earth are you on about ?????
I have a monitor that records my electricity usage. My "meter" is a totally separate thing and I NEVER mentioned PAYG.
You have utterly misinterpreted this thread.

It is about appliances drawing power when they do not seem to.

serial
Before posting this thread I actually read the DEFRA report (rather than a websites 'analysis' of it)
They were quite open about the fact that the samples were rolling over many households a month at a time and a few for the whole year - it was the methodology used to calibrate the figures.

What shocked me was the realisation that appliances that were turned off, with no lights, no screen, no heat - were still drawing more power than a light bulb every minute of every day.
And the fact that when I went back to the manufacturers tech spec (in this case Neff) they neglected to mention that fact.

Without my energy monitor I could not have checked such things.
I would encourage EVERY household to buy one as it will save its cost in a few months.
For the record, my 4 bed semi has a base load (fridge, oven clock, phones, smoke detectors, solar panel pump) of 69 watts.
What is yours?

I bow to your superior knowledge Talkin, as I haven't read either the DEFRA report or the EST reporting of it.

And agree completely that making yourself aware of all the household usage is a very, very good thing.

Hmm. How do you include your fridge in your base load? Over 24 hours or something? My load is a lot higher than that when the fridge cooling system clicks in but a lot lower when it goes off.

serial
fridge I counted as when it was quiet - middle of the day today - EVERYTHING switched off and watched my monitor (not meter as Prince ranted about) and it takes a second or two to spot each thing.
Some time in an acinine moment I may switch everything off and see how much the smoke detectors and meters pull
but my hot water at this time of year is 16w for the panel pump !!

I would suggest skim reading the report - its 152 pages but mostly graphs and really is a template for saving money (even if one is not green, one is tight !!)