Terrestrial shield
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Our meter here transmits wirelessly. Meters like this are something I would never have thought of in terms of interference. Interested to see if that's what it turns out to be!
Some power companies also have the ability to turn off water heaters,etc during peak hours. I would think that they would also work the same way.
Wouldnt the water heater have to be compliant for use with that ability? I dont think i like that ability if that isnt the case. all it would take is some enterpising hacker to figure out how to get into that system and wreak havoc on unsuspecting utility companies and its customers. Im not sold on all this smart technology, heck the refrigerator my wife picked out is smarter then the game boy my oldest had meaning its way more powerful then the computers were on the apollo capsule. All i want my refigerator to do is keep my food cold in the refigerator part, frozen in the freezer part and make ice. If i want my water heater to make 160* water then id expect it to make and keep it 160* cause i already know ill be paying for that luxury. But its a moot point on the water heater for me anyways as i have a tankless on demand gas water heater, but id be pretty peeved if they shut my ac down as my wife has an in home daycare so ours runs whenever needed to keep the house 72*.
For that I think you have to have their whole home package, like here our power company calls it Good Cents, and they put their thermostat in and put something on the water heater and then something connected to the internet.
In addition to cellular linked gas and electric smart meters, we've been on a voluntary program with the power company for two years that allows them to cycle the air conditioner during energy alert days in exchange for a reduced rate. The interrupt device is installed near the outdoor unit and is controlled via cellular link. The office alarm system is also linked via cellular with IP back-up.
RF devices are everywhere! Almost every home has WiFi with many linked devices (tablets, media boxes, printers, hvac controllers, security cameras, baby monitors and even the ridiculous smart refrigerators). Cars are linked and WiFi linked. Every man,woman and child has at least one wireless device with them, day or night. Often the wall and power port chargers emit more RF noise than the devices they charge!
Many neighborhoods have home with a grow operation with massive RF noise emitting lights. CFL and LED lights are replacing incandescent bulbs, solar panels and microwaves...
The RF noise level climbs higher every day!
RF devices are everywhere! Almost every home has WiFi with many linked devices (tablets, media boxes, printers, hvac controllers, security cameras, baby monitors and even the ridiculous smart refrigerators). Cars are linked and WiFi linked. Every man,woman and child has at least one wireless device with them, day or night. Often the wall and power port chargers emit more RF noise than the devices they charge!
Many neighborhoods have home with a grow operation with massive RF noise emitting lights. CFL and LED lights are replacing incandescent bulbs, solar panels and microwaves...
The RF noise level climbs higher every day!
Here in Colorado Comcast will kill a line for people that have magnetic ballast that spit out a load of noise.
Generally these people have several and are growing the crop that Colorado is best know for.
The Comcast guy paid me a visit because I was back feeding a LOT of noise into their lines. It had to do with a power passing splitter.
My cable box was passing power out and right into Comcast feedline. It was casing issues, telephone sercive, for the neighbors around me
Generally these people have several and are growing the crop that Colorado is best know for.
The Comcast guy paid me a visit because I was back feeding a LOT of noise into their lines. It had to do with a power passing splitter.
My cable box was passing power out and right into Comcast feedline. It was casing issues, telephone sercive, for the neighbors around me
They switched the meter out and the problem was lessened enough that it doesnt pixilate the picture but i can still see pulses on the signal meter. Apparently it was transmitting with too much power, im guessing.
Would be nice to check with a spectrum scope and see what kind of RF field these meters are generating.
Power company installed a "smart meter" here too, but I don't think the transmitter is activated, or it only transmits when "pinged" by the service truck when in the area. I have not detected any signals from it other than a bit of internal noise from the circuitry that is normal within a few feet of such devices as a TV, computer, or anything with a cheap switching P/S.
There is just way too much RF energy around us these days... Might be a strange opinion coming from a ham operator, but we would know!
Power company installed a "smart meter" here too, but I don't think the transmitter is activated, or it only transmits when "pinged" by the service truck when in the area. I have not detected any signals from it other than a bit of internal noise from the circuitry that is normal within a few feet of such devices as a TV, computer, or anything with a cheap switching P/S.
There is just way too much RF energy around us these days... Might be a strange opinion coming from a ham operator, but we would know!
I'm getting both Electric and gas smart meters installed next week. I'm sure hoping this doesn't cause issues with my OTA system, OR anything else. If so, I'm going to raise holy heck until they fix it. I've heard far too many horror stories about these things, and recently heard Canada is making the utilities remove ALL of them due to RF and other issues. Everyone that's received one here in the last year, has had their bills go UP 1/3 without them making any changes to their habits!
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/c...-rural-smart-meters-after-years-of-complaints
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/c...-rural-smart-meters-after-years-of-complaints
I been fighting the utility over a smart meter for years.
My meter was 70 years old at the office and I thought it was running slow. My bills where $1400/mo.
They put in the new Meter and we are at $600/mo
Turned out the old meter was running fast. I had the power company come and make sure it was wired properly for my commercial electric service.
So the question is do I try to get a refund for the past 70 years they over billed me and my family at our office?
My meter was 70 years old at the office and I thought it was running slow. My bills where $1400/mo.
They put in the new Meter and we are at $600/mo
Turned out the old meter was running fast. I had the power company come and make sure it was wired properly for my commercial electric service.
So the question is do I try to get a refund for the past 70 years they over billed me and my family at our office?
The same situation happened here at our house, our meter was around fifty years old and our bill was higher than our neighbors even though our lights and other stuff is on solar.
Electric company kept telling us it was because we used a electric dryer. We had a problem that I knew wasn't in the house and the electric co. said was in our house. I upgraded our breaker box and service, had a electrician friend actually pull our meter and had him call the electric company.
When they came out, they found the neutral out on the pole was only connected by two strands, barely holding on. They fixed that and popped in a new meter. Since then, our bills have been right.
I've had the same thoughts as you and wondered about all the money they over-charged us.
Well, thanks to both of you. Your experience with bills going DOWN, and Claude's with having a bad meter, give me hope that this whole smart meter thing isn't rigged. Maybe there's a lot more bad meters and such out there causing billing issues either way, and the new meters fix them.
Our electric bills were reduced approx. 15% with the smart meter install. We were able to sign-up for tier, peak and cycled air conditioning usage plans. A bonus is to be able to track usage online. This allowed me to catch a programming error on the HVAC as I noted increased usage on specific day/times when there shouldn't have been.
That is pretty cool. I wish we could monitor ours on-line like that. We have had the smart meters for 4 or 5 years now. I have looked but no way, that I see anyway(I have not asked), to monitor on-line.
At least it only produces a couple of second burst of interference once a month, when they ping it from the power station.
At least it only produces a couple of second burst of interference once a month, when they ping it from the power station.
You can't see your usage, even if you log into your account on your electric providers website?
TBH, it has been awhile since I looked. 
Maybe time to take another look.
...but no, awhile back it didn't have it where I could look daily, it would show the monthly on the on-line bill, of course.
Maybe time to take another look.
...but no, awhile back it didn't have it where I could look daily, it would show the monthly on the on-line bill, of course.
Well I'll be. They have added it! Could of swore I looked for this a few months back and didn't see it.
I guess they are pinging the meter more than one a month then.
I guess they are pinging the meter more than one a month then.
My electric company resolves timing down to 10 minute intervals. I was part of a pilot program where they provided an in-house LAN device that showed instantaneous feedback. Was able to see the effects of fan speed change and even a USB wall charger. Didn't need another gadget, so sold at hamfest.
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