k0ua
Epic Contributor
Roger that.:thumbsup:
Smart Meter rant- technology going Backwards!
- Thread starter BSVLY
- Start date
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Roger that.:thumbsup:
Mace Canute
Elite Member
Just this last year (2012) the provincial electrical utility here had a pilot project where they installed a bunch of Smart meters and they had the same problem. They went around and pulled them all and reinstalled the older meters again and lied to the people with some bull**** reason to explain why they did. I might be retired but I still have friends there who know the truth about it and I found out from them.
It's a different business climate than when the old electromech meters were developed. Now, the contract for a high tech meter often goes to the low-bidder who can deliver it the fastest. There are some hurdles in between, but essentially that is what it comes down to.
Seemed like the initial reaction of some utilities was mainly just to lawyer up. Sad to see this going on.
Like we needed proof that a simpler design is the better one.
Rgds, D.
crazyal
Super Member
It sounds like the problem is not the meter but that when the meters are being installed the techs doing the work are not verifying that the sockets in the meter box are in good shape. The meter is like a giant electrical plug. The box is just like the outlets in your walls, only larger. Because most boxes are located outside they are subject to normal weathering. In lots of cases the boxes are not weather tight. Since the box is owned by the home owner, in the case of overhead wires feeding the house the home owner owns from the masthead down except for the meter itself that comes off the meter box as well. Since this is not the responsibility of the power company they don't replace it. Most techs don't want to inform the homeowner that they need to hire an electrician to replace the box at the homeowners cost (as much as $1000).
I found this out because a tree branch broke off knocking down the mast and snapped the fitting at the top of the meter box at my fathers house. He wasn't home so the neighbor called me asking what to do. I said call 911 and inform them that live wires are on the ground and I'm on my way. I got there at about the same time the power company showed up. They turned the power off at the pole. The next morning I had an electrician there to repair the damage. When he pulled the meter we found that the ground was very rusted and the sockets for the meter were tarnished pretty badly. He said that it looked normal to him for a house of that age. We replaced the box for safety reasons, it also really didn't add much to the cost of the repair. This was on a house that was built in 1966. I think the total cost of the repair was about $600.
I found this out because a tree branch broke off knocking down the mast and snapped the fitting at the top of the meter box at my fathers house. He wasn't home so the neighbor called me asking what to do. I said call 911 and inform them that live wires are on the ground and I'm on my way. I got there at about the same time the power company showed up. They turned the power off at the pole. The next morning I had an electrician there to repair the damage. When he pulled the meter we found that the ground was very rusted and the sockets for the meter were tarnished pretty badly. He said that it looked normal to him for a house of that age. We replaced the box for safety reasons, it also really didn't add much to the cost of the repair. This was on a house that was built in 1966. I think the total cost of the repair was about $600.
crazyal
Super Member
It sounds like the problem is not the meter but that when the meters are being installed the techs doing the work are not verifying that the sockets in the meter box are in good shape. The meter is like a giant electrical plug. The box is just like the outlets in your walls, only larger. Because most boxes are located outside they are subject to normal weathering. In lots of cases the boxes are not weather tight. Since the box is owned by the home owner, in the case of overhead wires feeding the house the home owner owns from the masthead down except for the meter itself that comes off the meter box as well. Since this is not the responsibility of the power company they don't replace it. Most techs don't want to inform the homeowner that they need to hire an electrician to replace the box at the homeowners cost (as much as $1000).
I found this out because a tree branch broke off knocking down the mast and snapped the fitting at the top of the meter box at my fathers house. He wasn't home so the neighbor called me asking what to do. I said call 911 and inform them that live wires are on the ground and I'm on my way. I got there at about the same time the power company showed up. They turned the power off at the pole. The next morning I had an electrician there to repair the damage. When he pulled the meter we found that the ground was very rusted and the sockets for the meter were tarnished pretty badly. He said that it looked normal to him for a house of that age. We replaced the box for safety reasons, it also really didn't add much to the cost of the repair. This was on a house that was built in 1966. I think the total cost of the repair was about $600.
I found this out because a tree branch broke off knocking down the mast and snapped the fitting at the top of the meter box at my fathers house. He wasn't home so the neighbor called me asking what to do. I said call 911 and inform them that live wires are on the ground and I'm on my way. I got there at about the same time the power company showed up. They turned the power off at the pole. The next morning I had an electrician there to repair the damage. When he pulled the meter we found that the ground was very rusted and the sockets for the meter were tarnished pretty badly. He said that it looked normal to him for a house of that age. We replaced the box for safety reasons, it also really didn't add much to the cost of the repair. This was on a house that was built in 1966. I think the total cost of the repair was about $600.
powerpace
Platinum Member
Built the house and barn in 2005. Smart meter installed on panel at the barn. 2012 smarter meter installed. Never have anyone coming onto the property to read anything. We have two power companys locally. We have a Co-op that covers a large portion of the county and a public utility that parallels many areas with the Co-op. One side of the road may have the Co-op or the PU. When the power is knocked out for any given reason 90% of the time it will be out on the PU side. I was very impressed with the Co-op and the knowledge they gave me when we brought power to our location. Not so much with the Public Utility. The PU still uses meter readers.
chopped
Veteran Member
In some cases like mine where I live, One company is responsable from the meter top out, and another company is the opposite the home owner is responsable for the meter to weaterhead.