XPost: rec.arts.comics.strips   
   From: lynnmcguire5@gmail.com   
      
   On 10/24/2025 5:15 PM, Your Name wrote:   
   > On 2025-10-24 16:53:03 +0000, Paul S Person said:   
   >> On Fri, 24 Oct 2025 07:16:04 +1100, sjharker@aussiebroadband.com.au   
   >> (Stephen Harker) wrote:   
   >>   
   >>> Cryptoengineer  writes:   
   >>   
   >>    
   >>   
   >>> My concern is information on usage. We have smart power meters used by   
   >>> the power companies to get usage information and so bill more   
   >>> automtically.  There were repors of this being used tofind houses which   
   >>> were not occupied (on trips away for example) and so target for   
   >>> burgling.  Like most I have my heat-pump hot water progrmmed to heat in   
   >>> the period 1000 to 1500 hours where solar should be good and the grid   
   >>> power is on non-peak.  Some also progarm other devices (heating/cooling   
   >>> or washing) in similar times.  This is laragely to bank the solar when   
   >>> at a maximum.   
   >>   
   >> I am eagerly (OK, that's satire) awaiting my next power bill because   
   >> it may reflect a new scheme where they charge for electricity   
   >> depending on the time of day it is used.   
   >>   
   >> The notice was very interesting: it /talked/ about two periods/rates   
   >> ("light use" and "heavy use"), but it showed a chart with /three/   
   >> colors on it: one (11PM--5PM, say -- this is from memory) for low   
   >> demand, one (5PM -- 8PM, again, from memory) with no explanation and   
   >> one (8PM-11PM, again, from memory) for high demand.   
   >> But three periods make sense (even if my time frames are off): heavy   
   >> demand for cooking dinner, less heavy for watching TV, light for   
   >> everything else.   
   >> What will really happen is unclear at this point. I will have to see   
   >> it to even have a chance of figuring it out.   
   >   
   > Our electricity company offers "free days" (I think it is three per   
   > year, plus you can 'buy' more using their loyalty scheme rewards   
   > points). You of course need a smart meter, which they say we do have,   
   > although we've had the house since new and nobody actually installed one   
   > that we know of.   
      
   Go look at your power meter.  Does it have a digital display which is   
   flashing various things like instantaneous power demand, cumulative   
   power demand, etc.  If so, it is a smart meter.  If it has the five or   
   six analog dials then it is not a smart meter.   
      
   Lynn   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)