Will Smart Meters be the END for growers?

[Rolando Mota]

Our letter said that it will not be implemented in our area until 2010 with latest being 2011. You will have a 2 week in advance notice that the meter switch will take anywhere from 5 - 15 minutes and the power will be down in that time.

They suggested saving any important information on your computer and shutting it down, also any TV's or other powered items. They will give you a time frame in advance, and they should be there within that time frame. Might have to shut down operation for 10 minutes, but they are not coming inside your home. They just need a clear access to the meter.

They suggest keeping pets indoor too during the meter switch. No animal attacks on them I guess?

Thanks for the reply. Glad to hear it's going to be a quick procedure. Not sure if they'll send another letter, this one says "Over the next several weeks you may see crews in your neighborhood as they exchange old meters for the new models. Here's what to expect the day of the meter upgrade: A meter technician will knock on your door to let you know the will be exchanging the meter...etc" So it sounds like it will be soon.

 

[SoCaliSmoker]

Take some time in the day time to water your grass. If you see one of them outside, ask them when they will be able to change your meter. Kind of give yourself a heads-up and give them the acceptance outside so they can go about their business and leave.

I guess its one way to try and not get them to knock on your door.

 

[mpd]

Some will, some won't, so what?

In the end, there will people who act stupidly and they will go to jail. This helps our population by thinning out the dirty end of the gene pool.

For the rest of us, LEDs are our future it would seem.

 

[Rolando Mota]

Take some time in the day time to water your grass. If you see one of them outside, ask them when they will be able to change your meter. Kind of give yourself a heads-up and give them the acceptance outside so they can go about their business and leave.

I guess its one way to try and not get them to knock on your door.

Meter is easily accessible so that's not a problem, just concerned it might get smelly outside while the power is off. I have 3k going so it's enough to smell if the fans aren't running.

And lol, you definitely are in so cal. Who else would think of watering their yard in December?

 

[SoCaliSmoker]

LOL -

I didn't even realize that as I typed it!

(Fucking Global Warming huh?)

 

[TNTBudSticker]

Those are called "SmartMeters"

It's mainly to update the power grid.I knew that these are happening all over the world.Just updating technology.


I knew this last year.Checking stocks ELON and DUK they work together in updating the power grid.I was reading the news about SmartMeters,its a good thing.

But as far as "Hey! Whats this power spike and what were you doing at that time?"

LooseLips Sink Ships

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

we should all just buy solar panels. They cant moniter that shit.

 

[Red Swan]

I would love to install a solar panel as I hate the wasted electricity. I'm using about 1200 watts not including pumps and heating pads.

I'm also a legal med grower, so that puts me in a different position. But I'm more worried about my carbon filter burning out. I'm running Chemd , OG and Bubba and it's the first time my filter has failed. That will cause more probs than electricity.


Stay safe.

 

[Badgermonkey]

briteideas.com has ballast 'flippers', for example:

I have a 1000w HPS on 12/12 in a 3x4 area x 2; when my timer kicks off, the flipper sends the ballast current to the other fixture. No power spikes, and Mr. Smartmeter gets a steady 1000w draw rather than 2000w for 12, off for 12 - which seems to be a dead giveaway. My pc is 1200w, so I'm not concerned. I bet I could run 4 like this with no problems, not that my tiny personal grow needs that much. In fact, this would pretty much mean you AREN'T growing, as growing would have 18/6 or 12/12 power usage cycles in most cases, so if your power usage goes to 2000w 24/7, a program designed to single out 'statistically grow-specific power usage parameters' ie 'I'll write a program that will flag any customer that has a power cycle of 12/12 or 18/6 in multiples of common HO bulb wattage - 1000w, 600w, 430w'. If your consumption just went up by 2000w or even 4000w constant the computer would never find it, and if they have a computer doing it odds are there's no person double checking its work. Even if they did, they'd be looking for the same type of power usage cycle.

Its better on the ballast too (its one of those things that lasts longer if left on)!

ps Yes, this means I can run 2 lights from one ballast, and yes they have to be the same wattages

 

[Yes4Prop215]

i think as long as your below 5k you should be good. considering the average flat screen runs about 1200 watts, plus a computer 400 watts, plus another few TVs and heaters, the average house probably runs around 3k watts.

so just cut your power usage down or use a flip cycle. i only intend on running about 2k, i dont need to grow big myself when i know so many people who do so whats the point!

 

[TNTBudSticker]

This grape bud is good.BlueBerry family.

 

[Rolando Mota]

Well I've got the smartmeter now and I really didn't have to sweat it, the whole process took maybe two minutes. Pop the old jobber out and slap the new one in, done.

 

[alaskan]

Set it and forget it?

Until your door is kicked down by a bunch of guys with a search warrant for suspicious energy usage...