A contractor once told me: "You want to save energy at home? Put extra insulation! That is the easiest, lowest maintenance and cheapest in the long run."
Sage words.
When I built my new home 3 years ago I followed his advice. I added about $2600 in extra insulation and better windows, which in the total cost of a new home, is nothing. People spend more than that in bathroom fixtures.
Nowadays, although this new home is about 40% larger than my older one, my energy consumption is about 5% lower.
Another one, but this is a long time investment: trees. Two or three strategically located shade trees can do wonders during summertime in our south Texas weather.
No, I understand that. My electric bill has been dropping by ~$10 every month since my divorce and my getting the Ex moved out.
Coincidence? Maybe, but I'm not going to question the plausibility of the connection too far. I mean the cost behind everything else about living here has dropped drastically as well, so....? Could it be?
Didn't you just get married a few years back? Thought it was you anyway?
Yep. Lasted 5 years before she became the type of person I can't stand to be around whereas in those 5 years I barely changed a bit, just like I said I would.
It's a long and very amusing story.
You're telling me that the usage data transmitted back to the utility company is in units of £/$ and not in kWH? That seems very unintuitive. Why would it be done that way? Does each house have a different deal on their electric rate? If so, does the meter man have to come out and reprogram your meter if you strike a new deal with the power company? My electric bill shows how many kWH I used, times the dollar amount in my contract, and the resultant fee. If I had a special deal (which I don't think is possible, maybe a there's a price difference for business addresses), I'm sure my rate would be stored on the utility company's server, not on my meter, and they could adjust it from within an office somewhere remotely.Smart meters over 5 years old are easy to defeat, you can lower the £ per unit used or adjust various things.
No I am talking UK smart meters and mainly key meters.You're telling me that the usage data transmitted back to the utility company is in units of £/$ and not in kWH? That seems very unintuitive. Why would it be done that way? Does each house have a different deal on their electric rate? If so, does the meter man have to come out and reprogram your meter if you strike a new deal with the power company? My electric bill shows how many kWH I used, times the dollar amount in my contract, and the resultant fee. If I had a special deal (which I don't think is possible, maybe a there's a price difference for business addresses), I'm sure my rate would be stored on the utility company's server, not on my meter, and they could adjust it from within an office somewhere remotely.
Depending on the meter it should still have the functionality built in, dosnt matter if they dont use it. this is one type I am talking about http://www.wireless-mag.com/images/CMS/2011/News/Iskraemeco---Smart-meter.jpgUntil I get the new hose done some time in the next 10 - 20 years I am still living in my old 1974 14' x 70' partially fixed up trailer which is for eh most part like trying heat a parking lot in the winter and air condition a greenhouse in the summer.
Around her our remote read meters just send their ID number and KWH readings. All other adjustments to the bills are handled at the main office on the computer systems.
No I am talking UK smart meters and mainly key meters.
In the UK very few smart meters are used to collect bill data. ALL modern meters <15 years old are smart enabled. For whatever reason you normally get a guy come knock on the door and read the meter, Key meters are also fitted with a transceiver but the info and data is done via a smart key you push into the meter.
BUT
This isnt how it was designed to be used by now, all smart meters transmit your usage in KW/h and the idea I think was to have vans or whatever drive around an area and collect the data, any updating done via the equipment in the van (a bit like the courier systems). I have no idea why SMART meters are not used like the original intent.
Not the GSM type Nigel the older ones with wireless. The pic I posted is GSM I checked and is the wrong meter.Sorry LG, but you appear to have "lost the plot"
SMART meters haven't been fitted for the last 15 years, in fact non-smart ones are still been fitted now.
They also don't work like you appear to think?, they use GSM technology and report usage back via txt messages.
As they simply report the actual power used it doesn't make any difference if you can 'hack' the internal settings, as they are only used for displaying to the customer what costs 'might' be, it doesn't affect what it reports.
You get a guy 'knock on the door to read the meter' simply because the vast majority of meters aren't 'smart' so can't be read remotely.
Not the GSM type Nigel the older ones with wireless. The pic I posted is GSM I checked and is the wrong meter.
I will go look for the type I am talking about, they were designed for mesh networks
There are loads in Devon and up here, might depend which supplier your with, I have no idea. They were the original smart meter and came after ones that were like grey boxs with a small wire antenna on, we had one of those before we movedThere are effectively zero of those about, and are not what is considered 'smart'.
GSM wont be rolled out as the GSM operators are capping bandwidth, GSM modems are often refused connection now when you phone up to register a modem with the operator. I posted loads on that before as we couldnt get the GSM modem connected to a wind turbine registered with a mobile operator
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?