The Truth about "Smart" Hydro Meters

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
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According to the news there are still 60,000 British Columbians resisting the installation of smart meters for various reasons. I think it's time a knowledgeable, disinterested third person provided us with all the relevant answers to the questions about health, privacy, etc. I, for one, have absolutely no problem with mine. We don't frequent the location where it's installed. I don't give a particular sh*t if someone finds out how long I run the toaster for every day. On the plus side I can monitor my usage daily on line, get a prediction of what my next bill is going to be and get and idea of how much juice various appliances are using. (So far I've found out the biggest "killers" are air condition and the clothes dryer.) I'm not sure what the health hazards are compared with say, talking in a cell phone for half an hour a day. Perhaps some answers would be helpful in "selling" this gadget.
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
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63
Nakusp, BC
According to the news there are still 60,000 British Columbians resisting the installation of smart meters for various reasons. I think it's time a knowledgeable, disinterested third person provided us with all the relevant answers to the questions about health, privacy, etc. I, for one, have absolutely no problem with mine. We don't frequent the location where it's installed. I don't give a particular sh*t if someone finds out how long I run the toaster for every day. On the plus side I can monitor my usage daily on line, get a prediction of what my next bill is going to be and get and idea of how much juice various appliances are using. (So far I've found out the biggest "killers" are air condition and the clothes dryer.) I'm not sure what the health hazards are compared with say, talking in a cell phone for half an hour a day. Perhaps some answers would be helpful in "selling" this gadget.
California banned them after a number of houses burned. The fire did not start in the meter but just behind the meter where the old house wires met the new meter wires. Power companies will not pay because they say it is your fault for having old wiring. Shouldn't be a problem with new houses. But that is a serious health hazard if you happen to be asleep in the house when it goes up in flames. That would be my biggest concern.

Have you noticed any increase in your monthly bills?
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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My friend is in BC running the smart meter program for Itron and BC Hydro.

I recently had an eye opening experience with the smart meter. During a windstorm, tree branches were stealing juice from my line to the house. First everything went black, then a couple minutes later, my kitchen light, fridge and bathroom light came back on. I called SaskPower to see what was up. They explained there was line issues and they were on their way to make repairs and that I'd have partial service for a few hours. The gal at the other end of the line asked if it was cold. I said yes it's getting chilly. VOILA my heat pump cut in. They can control each and every appliance or socket in your house.

F*ck me with a wire brush, talk about Big Brother having control.

If you want to know who to talk to about smart meters I'll give you the name of the chick working for Itron setting up the BC system., she'll answer all your questions.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
547
113
Vernon, B.C.
California banned them after a number of houses burned. The fire did not start in the meter but just behind the meter where the old house wires met the new meter wires. Power companies will not pay because they say it is your fault for having old wiring. Shouldn't be a problem with new houses. But that is a serious health hazard if you happen to be asleep in the house when it goes up in flames. That would be my biggest concern.

Have you noticed any increase in your monthly bills?

Haven't had it installed long enough to really know one way or the other. Have had extra house guests for the past little while and so far had an exceptionally hot summer with a/c running most days.

My friend is in BC running the smart meter program for Itron and BC Hydro.

I recently had an eye opening experience with the smart meter. During a windstorm, tree branches were stealing juice from my line to the house. First everything went black, then a couple minutes later, my kitchen light, fridge and bathroom light came back on. I called SaskPower to see what was up. They explained there was line issues and they were on their way to make repairs and that I'd have partial service for a few hours. The gal at the other end of the line asked if it was cold. I said yes it's getting chilly. VOILA my heat pump cut in. They can control each and every appliance or socket in your house.

F*ck me with a wire brush, talk about Big Brother having control.

If you want to know who to talk to about smart meters I'll give you the name of the chick working for Itron setting up the BC system., she'll answer all your questions.

I don't know, Petros - that "Big Brother" has a lot of siblings to keep of! -:)
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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When your AC gets shut off because industry need your hydro, you won't like it too much.

wait a second...WTF Am I talking about? BC has no industry.

Okay lets try his again. If you're an American where 200 power plants have been closed because it's cool to be green and industry needs your AC juice....
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
192
63
Nakusp, BC
When your AC gets shut off because industry need your hydro, you won't like it too much.

wait a second...WTF Am I talking about? BC has no industry.

Okay lets try his again. If you're an American where 200 power plants have been closed because it's cool to be green and industry needs your AC juice....
Yup, the Yanks have priority over our power. If the need more, we get less. They own all the water in the Columbia river system. We are not allowed to stick a pipe in that river to take water out because it is not ours to use. The water level is dropped every summer so the Grand Coolie can put on an impressive light show for tourists.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
547
113
Vernon, B.C.
When your AC gets shut off because industry need your hydro, you won't like it too much.

wait a second...WTF Am I talking about? BC has no industry.

Okay lets try his again. If you're an American where 200 power plants have been closed because it's cool to be green and industry needs your AC juice....

I suppose, but I try not to "borrow" trouble before it happens. And hey, I lived for years without a/c, probably before there was such a thing.-:)

Yup, the Yanks have priority over our power. If the need more, we get less. They own all the water in the Columbia river system. We are not allowed to stick a pipe in that river to take water out because it is not ours to use. The water level is dropped every summer so the Grand Coolie can put on an impressive light show for tourists.

Glad to see you are your optimistic self this morning Cliffy. -:)
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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I suppose, but I try not to "borrow" trouble before it happens. And hey, I lived for years without a/c, probably before there was such a thing.-:)
It's a good thing somebody can get preference over you or turn off power in your home circuit by circuit, appliance by appliance?

That means just your computer and your TV can be shut off, leaving you oblivious to what may be something horrific or highly illegal and immoral being performed by the powers that be.

You are far too trusting of Govt.
 

Cliffy

Standing Member
Nov 19, 2008
44,850
192
63
Nakusp, BC
It'll only get worse the more you back the GE green movement.
You assume too much. I don't back anything. I would like to see that sun flare my friend is praying for wipe out all power grids and fry all electrical equipment on the planet. I would like to see the world population drop by 75%. I would like to see human stupidity be the cause of their own demise. I do not hold humanity in any high regard whatsoever. We may have the intellect of a 40 year old, but we have the emotional and spiritual level of a kindergarten drop out.
 

karrie

OogedyBoogedy
Jan 6, 2007
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It's a good thing somebody can get preference over you or turn off power in your home circuit by circuit, appliance by appliance?

That means just your computer and your TV can be shut off, leaving you oblivious to what may be something horrific or highly illegal and immoral being performed by the powers that be.

You are far too trusting of Govt.

How is it different from having control of the grid and just shutting you down entirely? They already just shut the whole grid down if they need to, they can literally, already keep you in the dark. The only reason for this kind of targeted control, is service
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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No, city dwellers will.
Why would city dwellers be gone?

How is it different from having control of the grid and just shutting you down entirely? They already just shut the whole grid down if they need to, they can literally, already keep you in the dark. The only reason for this kind of targeted control, is service
Shutting down a grid takes days. Shutting you off takes milliseconds.
 

karrie

OogedyBoogedy
Jan 6, 2007
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Why would city dwellers be gone?


Shutting down a grid takes days. Shutting you off takes milliseconds.

They run rolling brown outs all the time, it doesn't take days. If they want you in the dark, you'll be in the dark.

The idea of control like this is good. Shut down the a/c units, but not the refrigerators. Dryers, but not oxygen machines.
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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Brown out isn't a black out. You can't just shut off power stations and hydro damns without making really big bangs.

It's not good. Controlling people's lives through supply is outrageous.
 

JLM

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 27, 2008
75,301
547
113
Vernon, B.C.
They run rolling brown outs all the time, it doesn't take days. If they want you in the dark, you'll be in the dark.

The idea of control like this is good. Shut down the a/c units, but not the refrigerators. Dryers, but not oxygen machines.

Now someone is talking some sense. I just want to find out what all the paranoia of smart meters is. Like I've heard they can fry your brains (not unlike the cell phones they natter on all day) -:)

Brown out isn't a black out. You can't just shut off power stations and hydro damns without making really big bangs.

It's not good. Controlling people's lives through supply is outrageous.

You mean like when people don't pay their hydro bill? -:)
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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They can't fry your brains but they allow control of what you consume or products you want to run to be in someone else's hands.

JLM go ahead and shut off a 10 story tall coal boiler and it's generator with no load and see what happens.
 

karrie

OogedyBoogedy
Jan 6, 2007
27,780
285
83
bliss
Brown out isn't a black out. You can't just shut off power stations and hydro damns without making really big bangs.

It's not good. Controlling people's lives through supply is outrageous.

Controlling people's lives through supply is an inevitability. They already make you pay. They already metre your use. They already can cut your house off when they feel like.
 

DaSleeper

Trolling Hypocrites
May 27, 2007
33,676
1,665
113
Northern Ontario,
I actually do not see any difference with that smart meter except that my wife has got into the habit of doing the clothes drying in the evening...
Were on equal billing and my bill is $75 a month and august is the even out month..
Last year we spent two and half months on the road with just the fridge and one automatic light coming on and off at different times at night and when we came back August was a refund of $31.75....
From sept. last year to now we were away maybe one month and I just received my bill and I will be getting a $66.00 refund on the 15th...so maybe that smart meter is paying off......