Electronic energy meters’ false readings almost six times higher than actual

[tszaboo]

Only 50% over? some of them are out by factors of thousand, with at least one customer having apparently used £38,000 pounds worth of electricity in a single day.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39169313

 I would refuse the installation of a smart meter and if it becomes compulsory I will install an old fashioned meter after said smart meter which should me labeled stupid under the trade description act.

"Yes, I have a 200KA circuit breaker at home, and I was burn-in testing the new orbital defense laser grid."

[coppice]

Both Ferraris wheel and electronic meters are designed not to read below a specified starting current, which is set out in the specifications. They typically start at something like 10W, although the start point varies from place to place. This feature is intended to eliminate any tendency to creep under no load conditions, and slowly record usage when there is no load at all.

I wonder how many have observed this and tried to profit from this source of "free energy"

Well, if the only appliance in the house which is on is, say, a phone charger it won't be charged. Its hard to get much value out of loads below the start current, though. You might if you could charge a storage system at a steady 7 or 8 watts, 24 hours a day. Water meters, on the other hand, do offer the ability to get useful amounts of free water. Most water meters are mechanical, and the mechanics have some stickiness. Most water is used in small bursts. Spread out your consumption over 24 hours, and you might stay below the point where the meter unsticks and records. Put the plug in the bath tub, and leave the tap dripping all day. Now you have many litres for free. This is a problem in some parts of the world, where families can obtain most of the water they need without it being recorded.

[james_s]

I've had a smart meter for years, it's a conventional electromechanical meter with an additional portion that enables remote reading. It's great because I can log into my account and see the day to day consumption. I never really understood the resistance to these things, they're a convenience for both the utility and the customer. An additional perk is that meter readers don't have to come onto my property regularly to read the meter.