XPost: rec.arts.comics.strips   
   From: YourName@YourISP.com   
      
   On 2025-10-25 00:47:46 +0000, Lynn McGuire said:   
   > 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   
      
   It's not possible to see the meter, unless I open the cabinet (I've   
   never bothered to look to see how it opens), because the little plastic   
   window has become discoloured and clouded over the years.  :-)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)