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too smart meter or not to smart meter, that is the question?

username474

username474

Active member
I am trying to weigh the negatives vs. positives of smart meters. It seems like my power company is giving it's customers options. When using automated pay, coupled with a smart meter, very few humans are going to get the chance to notice a high bill. At the same time getting rid of the meter reader, who is the only person who normally gets very close to the house.


I am aware that the power company will be using all the data from the smart meters, and this alone could put me on a short list of high residential power users but, what do they do with the list from there? Do they forward that data to the PD? The PD department in this area is so over burdened with real crime there is no way they will be investigating high electric bills.


At the moment, I am leaning towards the smart meter. Can someone talk some sense in to me?
 
PoopyTeaBags

PoopyTeaBags

State Liscensed Care Giver/Patient, Assistant Trai
Veteran
your dumb if you get a smart meter... They are know for health concerns and on top of that they can monitor ANYTHING you plug in. They are not good for a grower or anyone its just another way for big brother to monitor your every move.
 
username474

username474

Active member
PoopyTeaBags said:
your dumb if you get a smart meter... They are know for health concerns and on top of that they can monitor ANYTHING you plug in. They are not good for a grower or anyone its just another way for big brother to monitor your every move.
Click to expand...
As far as health concerns, I do not live at any of the houses that I am talking about. Every one with this "big brother" talk give no actual reasons why it is bad.

Scenario A) fan breaks, can filters are not working. Meter reader happens to come over at that exact moment. House reaks of ganga. He also notices a more then avarge kilo watt hour use rate. He calls PD.
I would get investigated in this scenario.

Scenario B) utility company gives a list of 1000+ users to metro police department with high elec. use. Metro police laugh there ass off.
 
F

FreedomFightr

Member
Soon everyone will have to run a flip, Running 2 rooms so the power Co. cannot detect the 12 hr on & off schedule. We will be running 247! Get ready it's coming....
 
Hammerhead

Hammerhead

Disabled Farmer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
we dont have a choice. When PGE gets ready to do your area you cant stop them. I can tell ya my 90g custom cube reef tank takes just as much power as a 2k setup would. I don't think anyone that runs 4k or less imo are not even flagged...
 
twatticusfinch

twatticusfinch

Member
FreedomFightr said:
Soon everyone will have to run a flip, Running 2 rooms so the power Co. cannot detect the 12 hr on & off schedule. We will be running 247! Get ready it's coming....
Click to expand...


I was under the impression that running a flip doesn't solve the problem, as the energy spike is still present every 12hrs, but perhaps I'm wrong.
 
M

metadoneth

Member
yeah it really doesnt because even with a flipbox you need to shut the ballasts off and turn them on again so they restrike the lamps in the next room... unless you have ballasts that can detect that and can auto restrike lamps.... idk about that tho... not really sure...
 
Hammerhead

Hammerhead

Disabled Farmer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
many don't turn off there ballast at all. They just use a relay box a some timers. The relays turn on and off the different rooms. You would need to wait 15 min before you could re strike your bulbs on ea ballast if you turn them off. That what I have read anyway. I dont use a flip
 
E

eyes

Active member
Veteran
Hammerhead said:
we dont have a choice. When PGE gets ready to do your area you cant stop them. I can tell ya my 90g custom cube reef tank takes just as much power as a 2k setup would. I don't think anyone that runs 4k or less imo are not even flagged...
Click to expand...


this is for you guys-

SmartMeter™ Opt-Out Program

We support individual choice for residential customers when it comes to the meter at their home.
About your choices

PG&E's residential customers may choose between a SmartMeter™ and an analog meter.
1 Income-qualified customers pay $10 setup charge for meter reading
2 Income-qualified customers pay $5 monthly charge for meter-reading


Please note that SmartMeter™-enabled benefits will be discontinued if you switch to an analog meter.

Learn more about SmartMeter™ benefits >>
How to opt-out

For your convenience there are multiple ways to opt-out of SmartMeter™.

You may opt-out online using our SmartMeter™ Opt-Out Form.

You may also submit your opt-out request by visiting your local PG&E office (PDF, 40 KB).

You may also opt-out by phone. Call our dedicated 24-hour SmartMeter™ line at 1-866-743-0263. We're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you.
Want to choose an analog mechanical meter?

If you choose the analog mechanical meter option, the charges set by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will be added to your energy statement:

An initial $75 setup charge, as well as a $10 monthly charge
Income-qualified customers pay an initial $10 setup charge, as well as a $5 monthly charge

Decided to Upgrade to a SmartMeter™?

Please fill out the SmartMeter™ Upgrade Form.
 
Hammerhead

Hammerhead

Disabled Farmer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
are all states like that?? also if that is true why is everyone complaining about them if they don't have to use them. I don't have one. When my father got his they told him he had to have it. They did not give him a choice. Im pretty sure it was changed without him even knowing they changed it.
 
TripleDraw27

TripleDraw27

Active member
Veteran
username474 said:
As far as health concerns, I do not live at any of the houses that I am talking about. Every one with this "big brother" talk give no actual reasons why it is bad.

Scenario A) fan breaks, can filters are not working. Meter reader happens to come over at that exact moment. House reaks of ganga. He also notices a more then avarge kilo watt hour use rate. He calls PD.
I would get investigated in this scenario.

Scenario B) utility company gives a list of 1000+ users to metro police department with high elec. use. Metro police laugh there ass off.
Click to expand...

4 time as much as any neighbor here, 5 years and counting. Smart meter here. Make sure you factor in, when reading these responses. A lot of these dudes are just plain old sketchers.

Also note, these people who will tell you they are bad and all that, are the same guys that post grow shows on the net. I happen to know a guy at my local coppers, who's jobs is soley to scan the net. Thats just a local guy, I'm certain theres more =)


Just a thought, I'm in my 30s, all my neighbors are in their late 60s to 80s. Naturally they go to sleep and use less electro. Of course I'm going to use more electricity than some geezer who is sleeping by 8pm... So this whole bullshit about having more usage is stupid, to many variables...

Lastly, to each his own. I prefer people not touching my house with their hands and their working noses.
 
username474

username474

Active member
TripleDraw27 said:
4 time as much as any neighbor here, 5 years and counting. Smart meter here. Make sure you factor in, when reading these responses. A lot of these dudes are just plain old sketchers.

Also note, these people who will tell you they are bad and all that, are the same guys that post grow shows on the net. I happen to know a guy at my local coppers, who's jobs is soley to scan the net. Thats just a local guy, I'm certain theres more =)


Just a thought, I'm in my 30s, all my neighbors are in their late 60s to 80s. Naturally they go to sleep and use less electro. Of course I'm going to use more electricity than some geezer who is sleeping by 8pm... So this whole bullshit about having more usage is stupid, to many variables...

Lastly, to each his own. I prefer people not touching my house with their hands and their working noses.
Click to expand...

Thank you for confirming I am sane in my thought process. It WAS a big decision, to stick with the status quo or eliminate two of my security concerns. I will go with the latter.

Are there deuce to seven TD games running out that way? It is the one game I can truly say I run like god at!
 
Strainhunter

Strainhunter

Tropical Outcast
Veteran
FreedomFightr said:
Soon everyone will have to run a flip, Running 2 rooms so the power Co. cannot detect the 12 hr on & off schedule. We will be running 247! Get ready it's coming....
Click to expand...


I don't know how much more often I need to say this:

The flip flops cause the ballast(s) not having to turn off.
However the loads are generated by the bulbs, not the ballasts hence once a flip flop changes loads from one bulb to another you are having a cold start of that bulb - a temporary usage spike occurs while that bulbs is firing up and there goes your intended stealthiness!
 
G

Guest 18340

Man, the level of paranoia and amount of misinformation in these smart meter threads is scary...
OP, if you can opt out then you're lucky. Opt out is not uniform in the electric biz so it comes to to weather the state you live in's power commission forced the electric company's hand.
Folks need to check witht their electric provider.
Smart meters were tested in the southern part of the state I live in and have been in us for a few years now and their have been ZERO busts because of a 12/12 pattern.
The only "smart meter busts" came from those who were stealing power.
The way the meters are networked together power company knows exactly how much power going into and coming out of any transformer. If the numbers don't ad up the system notifies them immediately and within second they'll know exactly which house it is.
Smart meter came about because company's wanted to cut cost of man power AND stop theft.
Company's do not monitor for "patterns".
In a legal sense, a pattern is no more a probable cause for a warrant than a high bill. It is always combined with a "tip" or a "confidential informant" or a nosy neighbor or scorn woman or a lying cop who says they smelled it, or the drug dog, etc. THEN 1+1= warrant. <So says the attorney I had for a past legal issue.
I have several reef tanks that the MH lights are set to 12/12 to stop algae growth:whistling:
 
G

Guest 18340

TripleDraw27 said:
4 time as much as any neighbor here, 5 years and counting. Smart meter here. Make sure you factor in, when reading these responses. A lot of these dudes are just plain old sketchers.

Also note, these people who will tell you they are bad and all that, are the same guys that post grow shows on the net. I happen to know a guy at my local coppers, who's jobs is soley to scan the net. Thats just a local guy, I'm certain theres more =)


Just a thought, I'm in my 30s, all my neighbors are in their late 60s to 80s. Naturally they go to sleep and use less electro. Of course I'm going to use more electricity than some geezer who is sleeping by 8pm... So this whole bullshit about having more usage is stupid, to many variables...

Lastly, to each his own. I prefer people not touching my house with their hands and their working noses.
Click to expand...
Right on 'triple:tiphat:
 
username474

username474

Active member
evlme2 said:
Man, the level of paranoia and amount of misinformation in these smart meter threads is scary...
OP, if you can opt out then you're lucky. Opt out is not uniform in the electric biz so it comes to to weather the state you live in's power commission forced the electric company's hand.
Folks need to check witht their electric provider.
Smart meters were tested in the southern part of the state I live in and have been in us for a few years now and their have been ZERO busts because of a 12/12 pattern.
The only "smart meter busts" came from those who were stealing power.
The way the meters are networked together power company knows exactly how much power going into and coming out of any transformer. If the numbers don't ad up the system notifies them immediately and within second they'll know exactly which house it is.
Smart meter came about because company's wanted to cut cost of man power AND stop theft.
Company's do not monitor for "patterns".
In a legal sense, a pattern is no more a probable cause for a warrant than a high bill. It is always combined with a "tip" or a "confidential informant" or a nosy neighbor or scorn woman or a lying cop who says they smelled it, or the drug dog, etc. THEN 1+1= warrant. <So says the attorney I had for a past legal issue.
I have several reef tanks that the MH lights are set to 12/12 to stop algae growth:whistling:
Click to expand...
Thanks for the feed back evlme.
 
lost in a sea

lost in a sea

Lifer
Veteran
i have other things on 12/12 besides ganja lights and run massive watts anyway without grow lights and i still worry for some reason lol,, but ive accepted its nothing now..

and how many businesses must use 20+ sodiums worth of watts just for their lighting alone that will get turned on and off everyday, even them and security lights possibly on 12/12 timers,, i suppose unless your running over like 20k you have nothing to worry about and even then it would take a tip off before your electricity was even checked out..
 
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