JoeM 7,873 #1 Posted January 5 I receive from time to time correspondence concerning energy use for my home. Usually just glancing at it and then a move on. I looked over today's email pretty good. As always, I am the guy that uses to much but those folks are comparing me to the neighbors that sit in the dark and twiddle their thumbs. Well any way, I get to the bottom of the letter and there is a section that announces what days of the week I use the most and least energy. Hmmmmmmm. I think their intentions are good but can't help wondering how this may end up being used against me. Just something about this that just don't sit right. Concern or not? IDK 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,418 #2 Posted January 5 What don't sit right? Doesn't look like it's very far off from one day to the next anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 12,211 #3 Posted January 5 41 minutes ago, JoeM said: Concern or not? IDK Do you still harbor residual thoughts as to your privacy? Once online storage became really cheap and was supplemented by low cost computer servers, personal privacy began to evaporate. In my opinion, for the vast majority of folks, it is already gone. I believe that, at some point in the not-distant future, we’ll all have to justify our consumption of everything. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 6,998 #4 Posted January 5 It is said that the 'smart' meters currently in use can determine what you are running based on the power usage signature curve, and that information is being recorded. Tin foil hats won't help here..... 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,418 #5 Posted January 5 19 minutes ago, 8ntruck said: . Tin foil hats won't help here..... Maybe not but I still look pretty damn good in one 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeM 7,873 #6 Posted January 5 3 hours ago, Handy Don said: Do you still harbor residual thoughts as to your privacy? I'll say somewhat, but mostly concerned about the right of freedom. Like you said justification. I can see this being another area of easy manipulation.... 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,418 #7 Posted January 5 34 minutes ago, JoeM said: I'll say somewhat, but mostly concerned about the right of freedom. Like you said justification. I can see this being another area of easy manipulation.... I'd agree. Unfortunately we as a consumer society give our right to freedom away to the vendors of our favorite consumptions. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,130 #8 Posted January 5 WOW, 50KWH/ day. Joe are you in the shop 24/7 burnin weld wire or you got one of them 2500 ev pickups that you drive 200 mile a day ? I panic when mine exceeds 25 /day. 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,533 #9 Posted January 5 (edited) My highest is ~25 usually in January and February... And yes, they are monitoring and building information about all users. Here in Michigan a big part is DTE trying to figure out grid needs for EV's, because no, the existing grid isn't ready... Edited January 5 by SylvanLakeWH 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,418 #10 Posted January 5 Most of the bills for the house are between 24 and 36 KWH. Five were higher. Six were lower. That does NOT count the barn workshop. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CCW 1,293 #11 Posted January 5 Do you have a navigation system in your car? Is your car an electric car that updates over the air? How about a smartwatch or smartphone? Are location services on the smartphone turned on or do you use WAZE for navigation. The electric company has nothing on these other guys. 2 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeM 7,873 #12 Posted January 5 2 hours ago, Ed Kennell said: burnin weld wire Oh I burn it up and not to mention my next love it the plasma cutter. No EV yet. It could be that bunch of battery maintainers on the those tractors tho. 1 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 6,998 #13 Posted January 6 1 hour ago, CCW said: Do you have a navigation system in your car? Is your car an electric car that updates over the air? How about a smartwatch or smartphone? Are location services on the smartphone turned on or do you use WAZE for navigation. The electric company has nothing on these other guys. I had to chuckle about the "they are making you get a Covid shot, 'cause they are also injecting a micro chip to track you" shtick a few years back. That one was spread largely by social media - ON CELL PHONES! No need for the micro chip, the location data is already out there on the cell phones! 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,130 #14 Posted January 6 While we have all these electron experts watching; Some type of control box is being installed in our area on every electric pole that has a transformer. After attaching this box, they sit at a folding table for days and appear to be programming the box. Any ideas what this may be? Sorry hijack your post Joe, but this may be related. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,533 #15 Posted January 6 Well sitting at a folding table for days may just be padding overtime like the utility boys around here do, only they park behind buildings and wait for the bell... Could be a wireless monitor for the transformer? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elcamino/wheelhorse 9,297 #16 Posted January 6 (edited) They could be trying to order Chinese take out Edited January 6 by elcamino/wheelhorse 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 6,998 #17 Posted January 6 @Ed Kennell next time you see one of those guys, stop and ask what new feature they are working on. There is a power pole winith a transformer in the corner of our yard at our Michigan location. A power company guy had stopped and was looking at it and the surrounding area. My neighbor asked what was up. The reply was this one is going onto an upgrade list. We will have to see what happens. Two neighbors and I believe that the transformer is undersized for the current load hooked up to it. It feeds 7 houses. I was mixing grout with my 1/2" drill when my neighbor came over to see what I was doing. Seems his LED shop lights were flickering when I was mixing with the drill. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee1977 6,656 #18 Posted January 6 6 hours ago, 8ntruck said: I had to chuckle about the "they are making you get a Covid shot, 'cause they are also injecting a micro chip to track you" shtick a few years back. That one was spread largely by social media - ON CELL PHONES! No need for the micro chip, the location data is already out there on the cell phones! The microchip isn't for location, that to shut you off if they think you are a threat. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 55,184 #19 Posted January 6 We have three meters, one for the house, one for the guest house and one for my shop. Each month I receive three reports and recommendations on saving energy which are a total farce. The average bill for the shop is under $ 20.00 a month including the fixed rate of $ 14.00 for having an electrical connection. They tell me my electrical consumption for the shop is average. The guest house was unoccupied for quite some time with a single table lamp on a timer and it too was average. Our house is ALWAYS listed as above average and the suggestion is that we reduce the temperature on our water heater and put an insulation blanket around it. That is a wonderful idea except for the fact that our water heater is a gas fired tankless unit. They also suggest that we freeze in the winter and roast in the summer but I don't suspect they have nerve enough to tell my wife that in person! 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynnmor 7,305 #20 Posted January 6 14 hours ago, Ed Kennell said: While we have all these electron experts watching; Some type of control box is being installed in our area on every electric pole that has a transformer. After attaching this box, they sit at a folding table for days and appear to be programming the box. Any ideas what this may be? Sorry hijack your post Joe, but this may be related. Glo Fiber is coming. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldlineman 1,481 #22 Posted January 6 That could be remote meter reading devices. We installed those in the Pittsburgh area several years ago ,well now that I think about it, was more like 15 or 20 years ago, how time fly's. Ours where Itron brand. Bob 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
