smart meters and paranoia

[jasoncran]

first off, I had this discussion with [MENTION=52402]Pizzaguy[/MENTION]on fb. today I saw a letter in several meter rooms and they didn't want to go to the smart meter.View attachment 3267

 

[jasoncran]

here are some pictures of the digital meters and also the smart meter.

 

[jasoncran]

[MENTION=841]StoveBolts[/MENTION], the analog meter that is the easiest readable to me on this sight reads 44837.that is a five dial and there are other types.some are like odometers and others are like this one and also the 4 dial. the smart meter I have pictured looks close to what we have and many a customers hate those and don't want them. lol. we have none that are smart meters.

 

[tim-from-pa]

Some people are afraid of the radiation they put out.

Another thing is intrusion into monitoring what one uses. I'm not talking just a reading like the old meter, but constant communication back to the power utilities constantly, and information about the electric user.

The advantage (to the power companies) is that your power can be turned on or off remotely without sending a guy out.

I'm not afraid of #1, despite my interest in health. I think there's a lot more radiation coming from our electronic gizmos elsewhere. As for #2, that's a consequence of technology. Already the cable and Internet companies can tell a lot more about a person than a smart meter could, so gathering personal information is a moot point since this only adds a small amount of information relatively speaking. This only becomes a problem when this information is used wrongly. For example, saying to a paying customer "Hey, the government saw your records and told us utility people to tell you to stop using so much power in order to keep the earth green." Now that's invading personal space. But if the power companies need to know where the power is consumed for proper infrastructure, that is another thing.

On a similar example, some people (due to privacy issues) protest cameras on the street. I don't because when one goes out in public they are in plain view of anyone on the road anyway. What's the difference if a COP on the beat saw what you did instead of a camera (as long as the technological limitations are considered if used for evidence)? Now, if the camera could have x-ray vision into your car (or thru your clothes) :o, that would be unconstitutional because a person has the right to be secure in their persons, etc because unlike the street, that is personal space.

As a conspiracy theorist myself, I am more concerned about the taking away of constitutional rights, and the big stuff. Sometimes people stress over little token stuff that's really nebulous.

 

[jasoncran]

uhm, I am a government employee and I work for a government owned power grid. we can and do know if you use to much. I can with the machine look at prior history of power usage and back in the office the boss can look up usage. I have told my step daughter whom is on the grid I read her first read and what the meter said when she was turned on. You cant legally stop me or any utility worker from reading you meter its rented by you from the power company. we have that argument with the wealthy and we win. they either read it and email it in or let us read it.

the fear of being turned off remotely is moot,why? because we have to be able to get to it and threatening the ulility worker with violence and is a felony and don't think it hasn't happened to my boss and others. it has been recent that a millionaire went to jail for do just that. so either we will turn it off the old way with a cop escort or remotely.

 

[tim-from-pa]

uhm, I am a government employee and I work for a government owned power grid. we can and do know if you use to much. I can with the machine look at prior history of power usage and back in the office the boss can look up usage. I have told my step daughter whom is on the grid I read her first read and what the meter said when she was turned on. You cant legally stop me or any utility worker from reading you meter its rented by you from the power company. we have that argument with the wealthy and we win. they either read it and email it in or let us read it.

the fear of being turned off remotely is moot,why? because we have to be able to get to it and threatening the ulility worker with violence and is a felony and don't think it hasn't happened to my boss and others. it has been recent that a millionaire went to jail for do just that. so either we will turn it off the old way with a cop escort or remotely.

Won't disagree with you, Jason. That's exactly what I said. But if I use a lot of power, heck, that's more money to you, so Al Gore can move aside and not complain about the environment.

My power company already thinks I use more power than my neighbors. While that may be true depending on my appliances, they probably think it's my heating usage. They are dead wrong. I have solar heat because my furnace was out since mid-March before getting it replaced with another furnace in May. The sun kept my house warm all that time, even though they said it was my heat. Plus... I have those low wattage CF bulbs that Al Gore approves of. I guess it must be my refrigerators as I can't figure out what in the name of all creation is using so much power that they swear I use. I guess smart meters are not so smart since they are wrong.

 

[jasoncran]

the smart meter cant tell them which appliance you use, its a faster way of getting live reads and allows you the customer to see your usage and to be able to see if you have a bad water heater or ac/heater.