XPost: rec.arts.comics.strips   
   From: noone@nowhere.com   
      
   On 25/10/25 15:52, Your Name wrote:   
   > 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.  :-)   
      
   If it is not possible to see the meter, then your power company will be   
   getting its information from your smart meter which they think you have.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)