Skip to main content

Smart Meters may be dumber than you think, according to Dutch study

Smart meters are one of the new ways that energy companies are looking to keep a closer eye on our energy usage, while ostensibly making life easier for consumers. However, new research suggests that self-checking meters may actually be exaggerating the amount of energy being used, in some cases by as much as 580 percent.

The concept of the smart meter is a relatively simple one. Instead of requiring a regular meter reading from consumers, they electronically record how much energy is used and then transmit that information to the supplier on an hourly or daily basis. It shouldn’t be too complicated because beyond transmitting the data, less-smart meters have, of course, been reading energy usage for a long time. But this new generation could stand to learn something from its elders.

Recommended Videos

This latest investigation was conducted in The Netherlands, where some 750,000 smart meters have recently been installed in homes, in conformity with a government mandate introduced to see every home fitted with a smart meter by 2020.

Following rumors that smart meters were seeing excessive charges applied to consumers, Professor Frank Leferink, at the University of Twente, Netherlands (via Engadget), conducted a study of several commercial electronic smart meters manufacturers between 2004 and 2014. When hooked up to a number of power-consuming devices, actual consumption was compared to the meter readings.

Out of the nine meters tested, five of them were found to give readings higher than the power actually consumed. In one case it was 582 percent higher, though in two others, the meters recorded 30 percent less power usage than actually took place.

Although the largest discrepancies seem likely to be due to problems with the meters themselves, many of them struggled with specific appliances used in peoples’ homes. Energy saving lightbulbs, LED bulbs, and dimmer switches all seemed to cause the most variation when it came to the meters’ outputs.

The suggested reason for the inconsistency with certain hardware is a lack of a perfect waveform, often found with more energy efficient devices.

Although all meters tested meet all legal requirements, the study’s authors believe that they do not factor in the effect of many “modern switching devices,” and are therefore not capable of wholly accurate readings.

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and…
Tineco carpet cleaner at lowest-ever price for Prime Day — here’s how to save more
A man using the Tineco Carpet One Cruiser Smart Carpet Cleaner.

Not all vacuum deals will be able to provide in-depth cleaning for your carpet. You're going to need something more specialized, and we highly recommend the Tineco Carpet One Cruiser. From its original price of $699, it's available from Amazon's Prime Day for its lowest-ever price of $489, but you can get an additional 5% off with the checkout code TIN25PDPR. That means you'll only have to pay $465 for this smart carpet cleaner, for total savings of $234, but you'll need to act fast as we're not sure if the stocks that are up for sale will last until the final minutes of the shopping holiday.

BUY NOW

Read more
Tineco vacuum nearly $300 off for Prime Day — use this code for extra savings
The Tineco Floor One Stretch S6 cordless vacuum cleaner cleaning a spill.

In one of the most attractive vacuum deals that you can shop for Prime Day, Amazon has slashed the Tineco Floor One Stretch S6 to its lowest-ever price of $319 from its sticker price of $599. However, we've got a code for you to be able to get the cordless wet-dry vacuum cleaner with an extra 5% off — just enter TIN25PDPR during the checkout process so that you'll only have to pay $303, for total savings of $296. That's an excellent offer that you wouldn't want to miss, and you better hurry if you want to take advantage of it as it may not remain available until the end of the shopping holiday.

$303 at Amazon

Read more
Tineco’s docking vacuum has a special Prime Day price, but you can get it cheaper
A Tineco Pure One next to its charging base.

Vacuums feel like they're getting more and more expensive, and not just robot vacuum and mop combos, but ordinary hand vacs. You can go to Walmart and see bagged, corded vacuums that cost hundreds of dollars. It doesn't have to be that way. Tineco's Pure One vacuum brings power and convenience for the same price that other vacuums have, but with new features instead of going backwards into the world of cords and bags. Usually $459, it is down to $319 for Prime Day (that's a savings of $140 already) and we're happy to report you can get an extra 5% off with the code TIN25PDPR on Amazon. Tap the button below to see the vacuum yourself and snag this great deal, or keep reading for what makes this vacuum truly unique.

BUY NOW

Read more