Smart Meter 101: Everything You Need to Know

A smart meter is like a regular meter at home. But it can smartly measure energy use. It is digital and talks to your utility from afar. Often, it can send your usage details to the utility provider every 15 to 60 minutes. So, no more waiting for a meter reader.

Let's find out more about a smart meter. Today, we will talk about how to read a smart meter, whether it affects your health, how it differs from a normal meter, and so on.

• What is a Smart Meter? What Does a Smart Meter Look Like?
• How to Read a Smart Meter
• Pros and Cons of Using a Smart Meter
• Smart Meter Dangers - Radiation and More
• Difference Between Smart Meter vs Regular Meter
• EVVR Energy Monitoring Smart Plug and Relay - Elevates Your Smart Meter's Efficiency

What is a Smart Meter? What Does a Smart Meter Look Like?

A smart meter is an upgraded version of traditional gas and electricity meters. Unlike regular meters, smart meters don't require manual tracking of readings. They offer a more convenient and efficient way to monitor your energy consumption.

A smart meter can communicate wirelessly through a secure national network. This is a unique feature of a smart meter, which eliminates the need for manual meter readings. This feature transmits your actual energy usage to the energy supplier automatically and accurately.

Now, let's talk about the physical appearance of a smart meter. Generally, a smart electric meter resembles its traditional counterpart. It maintains the familiar box-like structure. However, the transformation occurs within the meter itself, where smart technology is seamlessly integrated.

The in-home display is a distinctive feature of a smart meter. The display shows real-time insights into your energy expenses and consumption patterns. Therefore, you can make informed decisions about your energy usage. A smart meter can promote energy efficiency and potentially reduce costs.

How to Read a Smart Meter

Usually, you don't have to worry about reading a smart meter. As the name suggests, this device is smart. By operating in what is known as "smart mode," it can send readings to your energy supplier automatically.

However, there are certain situations where you might need to read your smart meter.

• Connection Issues: In some cases, if your supplier encounters difficulties connecting to your meter, you may be required to manually provide a reading. This situation can arise with older smart meters.
• Switching Suppliers: If you have recently switched energy suppliers, you might need to take the first meter reading yourself. This is especially true during the initial transition period. This transfers accurate data to your new supplier smoothly.
• Personal Monitoring: If you are curious about your energy consumption patterns or want to check how your usage has changed recently, you may choose to read your smart meter for your own records.

When the need arises to read your smart meter, you can do it easily. First, you need to locate your smart meter. You should look for a fixed device on a wall or board. Don't confuse the smart meter with the in-home display, as they serve different purposes.

Upon installation of a smart meter, you will likely receive a handy device called a "smart energy monitor" or an "In-Home Display" (IHD). It provides real-time information about your energy usage. You can either plug this portable device into a socket or run it on batteries.

It is important to note that while you might be able to obtain a reading from the IHD, the most accurate reading should be taken directly from the smart meter itself.

Contact your energy supplier to provide them with the reading. Many suppliers also offer convenient online platforms or mobile apps where you can submit readings effortlessly.

Pros and Cons of Using a Smart Meter

Like any technological innovation, smart meters come with both advantages and drawbacks. If you are contemplating the installation of a smart meter, you should consider the following pros and cons.

Benefits of a Smart Meter:

• A major benefit of smart meters is their ability to put an end to estimated bills. With a smart meter, you are billed only for the energy you use. It ensures accurate billing without the intrusion of meter readers into your home.
• Some energy suppliers offer more cost-effective energy deals exclusively to households with smart meters. These deals can save electric bills for consumers.
• In some countries (such as Britain), smart meters play a crucial role in creating smart grids. This initiative aims to provide low-carbon, efficient, and reliable energy to households. So, it contributes to bringing the energy infrastructure into the 21st century.

Drawbacks of Smart Meters:

• Without a professional, it might be hard to install a smart meter. Some individuals may see this as a disadvantage.
• The installation process will take a couple of hours. Plus, there may be a temporary loss of power. Some may find the inconvenience a downside.
• Smart meters can lose their smart functionality if you switch away from the initial supplier. This may discourage users from switching suppliers. The risk of losing functionality is higher for first-generation SMETS1 smart meters compared to newer SMETS2 meters.

Smart Meter Dangers - Radiation and More

Concerns about smart meter dangers, particularly related to radiation, have been a topic of discussion. However, according to extensive testing and research, smart meters do not pose health risks.

Smart Meter Radiation:

Smart meters emit radio waves as they record and transmit information about your electricity and gas usage. The radiation from smart meters is well within established guidelines. Public Health England has affirmed that the radiation exposure from smart meters is considerably lower than Wi-Fi routers.

On top of that, peer-reviewed research indicates that the amount of radio waves produced by smart meters is much lower than those emitted by common household items such as microwaves, TVs, and mobile phones. In fact, the level of radio waves is one million times less than established guideline levels.

No Side Effects Using Smart Meters:

There is no evidence of smart meter side effects; they are considered safe. To surpass every UK and EU safety standard, smart meters have undergone thorough safety testing. Ultimately, one can enjoy the benefits of having a smart meter without worrying about health issues.

Difference Between Smart Meter and Regular Meter

If you want to make informed decisions about energy monitoring and management, you must understand a smart meter vs regular meter. On that note, we have made the following comparison table that showcases how a smart meter differs from a regular meter.

EVVR Energy Monitoring Smart Plug and Relay - Elevates Your Smart Meter's Efficiency

Let us introduce the EVVR Energy Monitoring Smart Plug and Relay. It is a game-changer in optimizing your smart meter's efficiency. It will allow you to better manage your home's energy.

Even if you don't have a smart meter, the EVVR Smart Plug and Relay can act as one. Just connect all your smart home devices to this smart plug.

For a range of features, you may be eager to get this innovative device instead of a smart meter.

● Energy Monitoring and Saving:

Track your plug-in device's hourly energy consumption with 99% accuracy. Using the EVVR app, you can predict power use. Plus, the Magnetic Retention Relay consumes 90% less working energy than comparable products.

● Smart Energy Monitoring:

The EVVR Smart Plug and Relay automatically stops any plugged-in home appliance from reaching hazardous temperatures. So, you can detect appliances overdrawing power and heating up.

● Designed for Safety:

This smart plug has a tamper-proof shell design and button lock function. Moreover, it has a current capacity of 16 amps. All these make it compatible with high-power appliances. As a result, it can reduce the risk of electrical fires.

● Plug and Play:

Users without electrical expertise can set this plug up hassle-free with a QR code. The EVVR Energy Monitoring Smart Plug and Relay offer more setup options for DIY enthusiasts.

● Remote Control, Autonomous Schedule:

It gives you the flexibility to turn on or off lights and appliances. You can control all the connected devices via the EVVR App, HomeKit, or the built-in button. You can also remotely control your appliances. What's more, you can set up automation scenes or use wireless Siri voice commands with the HomeKit hub.

● Space Saving:

This smart plug has a compact design and a 90-degree angle extension cord. There is no need to protrude several inches from the wall. So, it can save valuable space compared to typical smart plugs.

Conclusion

In wrapping up, we have uncovered the simplicity and efficiency of the smart meter. This digital marvel transforms the way we monitor and manage energy. In addition, it eliminates the old hassles of manual readings.

To have more flexibility and benefits in managing a smart meter, you should integrate the EVVR Energy Monitoring Smart Plug. This will make your life a little smarter and a lot more efficient. Contact us if you want to elevate the performance of your smart meter with the EVVR Smart Plug.