Smartmeter: Anyone knows how to get detailed info on them?
in [Design]
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From: Jim Thompson on 28 Apr 2010 11:05 On Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:21:06 -0700, Joerg <invalid(a)invalid.invalid> wrote: >Jim Thompson wrote: [snip] >> >> I think we (those of us on the productive end of the stick) will >> prevail. If not, I have my escape plan. I would suggest everyone >> else develop the same. >> > >Just remember, past a certain age (which you have exceeded ...) NZ >requires immigrants to bring a major amount of money into the country. >Probably so they have some assurance that the new folks won't plop into >the welfare/health system. I was just struck by an amusing thought: I can easily get the equivalent of a green card in NZ... I'm already doing business there. And you can collect your Social Security and Medicare while living in another country. With no "earned income" in the US, that would be untaxed. Earnings in NZ would be taxed in NZ, but NZ is currently giving grants for high-tech start-ups :-) > >How's the gnat problem coming? They went away... probably the sudden jump to 92�F. But they'll probably be back... global cooling predicted by the weekend :-) But the rabbits are getting gross... wander thru the backyard unperturbed by my presence... they only scatter when I get close :-( ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | The only thing bipartisan in this country is hypocrisy
From: Charlie E. on 28 Apr 2010 11:11 On Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:52:23 -0700, Joerg <invalid(a)invalid.invalid> wrote: >sj wrote: >> On Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:56:34 +1000, "David L. Jones" <altzone(a)gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >>> I wonder what happens if the new gadget completely fails for, err, some >>> mysterious reason... Do you get your electrons for free until they can >>> replace it? >>> >>> Dave. >> >> From bits of information I have heard in the media about California PG&E >> complaints, some of the meters have failed to record and the PG&E >> solution is to estimate the bill from previous history. I don't have any >> confirmation link to cite. >> > >But there were people who claimed the bill was 3x the previous year's or >more. That can't be an estimate. Also, on the bill it should clearly say >"estimated". Even with mechanical meters they can get away with 'estimating' your usage! Back in Irvine, it apparently was the practice to actually read the meters only every other month. We could tell, because every other month we would get hit by large 'overuse' charges, as they 'estimated' that we would have used a lot more electricity, and gone into the high tariff rates, and then the next month we would be barely out of baseline. A couple of times I got the bill, looked at what they said the meter read, went out and LOOKED at my meter, and realized that I wasn't there yet a week after they had supposedly read the meter. And no, they never put on there 'ESTIMATED'... Charlie
From: Joerg on 28 Apr 2010 11:18 Charlie E. wrote: > On Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:52:23 -0700, Joerg <invalid(a)invalid.invalid> > wrote: > >> sj wrote: >>> On Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:56:34 +1000, "David L. Jones" <altzone(a)gmail.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> I wonder what happens if the new gadget completely fails for, err, some >>>> mysterious reason... Do you get your electrons for free until they can >>>> replace it? >>>> >>>> Dave. >>> From bits of information I have heard in the media about California PG&E >>> complaints, some of the meters have failed to record and the PG&E >>> solution is to estimate the bill from previous history. I don't have any >>> confirmation link to cite. >>> >> But there were people who claimed the bill was 3x the previous year's or >> more. That can't be an estimate. Also, on the bill it should clearly say >> "estimated". > > Even with mechanical meters they can get away with 'estimating' your > usage! > > Back in Irvine, it apparently was the practice to actually read the > meters only every other month. We could tell, because every other > month we would get hit by large 'overuse' charges, as they 'estimated' > that we would have used a lot more electricity, and gone into the high > tariff rates, and then the next month we would be barely out of > baseline. A couple of times I got the bill, looked at what they said > the meter read, went out and LOOKED at my meter, and realized that I > wasn't there yet a week after they had supposedly read the meter. > > And no, they never put on there 'ESTIMATED'... > That would warrant a report to the PUC, if needed also some media exposure. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ "gmail" domain blocked because of excessive spam. Use another domain or send PM.
From: Joerg on 28 Apr 2010 11:41 Jim Thompson wrote: > On Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:21:06 -0700, Joerg <invalid(a)invalid.invalid> > wrote: > >> Jim Thompson wrote: > [snip] >>> I think we (those of us on the productive end of the stick) will >>> prevail. If not, I have my escape plan. I would suggest everyone >>> else develop the same. >>> >> Just remember, past a certain age (which you have exceeded ...) NZ >> requires immigrants to bring a major amount of money into the country. >> Probably so they have some assurance that the new folks won't plop into >> the welfare/health system. > > I was just struck by an amusing thought: I can easily get the > equivalent of a green card in NZ... I'm already doing business there. A work visa is not a green card, usually. Same in the US. If you get a national interest waiver it's smooth sail (after a wait of several year, that is ...), else you'll probably have to show the dough. > And you can collect your Social Security and Medicare while living in > another country. With no "earned income" in the US, that would be > untaxed. Earnings in NZ would be taxed in NZ, but NZ is currently > giving grants for high-tech start-ups :-) > Not so. Read up on the tax code. There is an exemption of somewhere around $80k. Beyond that the IRS wants its cut, unless you renounce your citizenship. Oh, and you would no longer be accountable to a president but to her majesty :-) >> How's the gnat problem coming? > > They went away... probably the sudden jump to 92�F. But they'll > probably be back... global cooling predicted by the weekend :-) > > But the rabbits are getting gross... wander thru the backyard > unperturbed by my presence... they only scatter when I get close :-( > The biggest prowlers of that sort out here are deer. And you can't mess with the buck. One guy did and the buck didn't let him win. Then the occasional mountain lion or bear. -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ "gmail" domain blocked because of excessive spam. Use another domain or send PM.
From: Jim Thompson on 28 Apr 2010 11:49
On Wed, 28 Apr 2010 08:11:58 -0700, Charlie E. <edmondson(a)ieee.org> wrote: >On Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:52:23 -0700, Joerg <invalid(a)invalid.invalid> >wrote: > >>sj wrote: >>> On Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:56:34 +1000, "David L. Jones" <altzone(a)gmail.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> I wonder what happens if the new gadget completely fails for, err, some >>>> mysterious reason... Do you get your electrons for free until they can >>>> replace it? >>>> >>>> Dave. >>> >>> From bits of information I have heard in the media about California PG&E >>> complaints, some of the meters have failed to record and the PG&E >>> solution is to estimate the bill from previous history. I don't have any >>> confirmation link to cite. >>> >> >>But there were people who claimed the bill was 3x the previous year's or >>more. That can't be an estimate. Also, on the bill it should clearly say >>"estimated". > >Even with mechanical meters they can get away with 'estimating' your >usage! > >Back in Irvine, it apparently was the practice to actually read the >meters only every other month. We could tell, because every other >month we would get hit by large 'overuse' charges, as they 'estimated' >that we would have used a lot more electricity, and gone into the high >tariff rates, and then the next month we would be barely out of >baseline. A couple of times I got the bill, looked at what they said >the meter read, went out and LOOKED at my meter, and realized that I >wasn't there yet a week after they had supposedly read the meter. > >And no, they never put on there 'ESTIMATED'... > >Charlie SRP bills say "Estimated" if such were done. But it's only allowed for such extenuating circumstances, as in your dog ran the meter reader out of your yard :-) New builds here require all metering to be on the street-side of your fencing. Old houses, with alleys, the meter reader would use binoculars :-) Some years ago I did have a problem with a lazy meter reader. So I took to "reading" it myself with a camera. Problem stopped promptly. With electronic reading (as I now have) there's no way for the "reader" to fudge. ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | The only thing bipartisan in this country is hypocrisy |