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Author Topic: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place  (Read 7291 times)

buickanddeere

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  Recently noticed more new wifi type communication nodes on the rural distribution transformers around here. Checked the Hydro One web site and sure enough I've been paying through the nose for peak power since July 13th.
  The online data shows plain as can be when the kids take a shower, the AC kicks on, the pool pump runs, stove/oven on etc.
   Going to have to do something around here to cut the 7:00AM to 9:00PM demand. Maybe finish the Kryslar Perroid and run it on something,anything for heat and power from the highest priced 11:00AM-5:00PM  to slow or backup the meter?
  Thanks Dalton McGuinty for doubling my power bill.

LowGear

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Re: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2010, 04:16:21 AM »
Hot water keeps pretty good.  Get a second tank and run only the first (closest to the cold water) tank bottom element during the cheapest power time of the billing day.  Put another timer on the second or main tank as well. 

Are you on main street - NG that is?

I'm really curious how much your electricity is during the cheapest hours (?) and the most expensive hours (?)?

Quote
power from the highest priced 11:00AM-5:00PM
Almost the optimum hours for solar.

You're only the first.  This new technology will spread like wildfire if it really pumps the power companies revenue as it will the first year before folks learn to live around the system.

Casey
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buickanddeere

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Re: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2010, 10:01:13 PM »
  Solar would be good to knock the peak down.
  I don't know if the "Net Metering" program after the entire power bill or if it's t.o.u. as well. Only NG here only after the wife's latest new health food recipe. Unlimited wind power here on the east coast of Lake Huron.
  Demand at any given time wonders between 2 - 7kw with 3-4 typical . I'm going to try and post a graph from the hydro one site.
  Electric stove, AC, electric water heater, electric and solar clothes dryers, pool pump which get unplugged in the morning and powered back up in the evening week days.

LowGear

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Re: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2010, 10:59:41 PM »
Hi buickanddeere,

Try and look at this as a wake up call.  ;)  OK an unwanted wake up call.  Getting up at 3 am to run the dryer isn't that bad is it?  OK an unwanted wake up call while you're doing the laundry.

I'll bet a timer on the water heater would pay for it's self in six months and the power company would no long know when anyone showered.  A pool pump without a timer is just money in the bank for the power company.  We're out in the sticks so natural gas just isn't an option and LP IS NOT price competitive here on the island.   

We know that if you slow the meter down at peak pricing that you'll be net even or approaching it.  Here, in Hawaii, if you over produce for the billing period its just tough solar panels.  No month to month slide or cash back program.  Hence sizing the program to about 2/3s monthly use is the prudent approach.

We're not on the "smart" meters yet but when we go net meter in October or November we will get a new meter that can run backwards but probably not "smart" enabled.

Casey
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contaucreek

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Re: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2010, 11:33:36 PM »
Yes Dalton sucks.I have been seeing those god damned things on the hydro wires over here and just knew it spelled bad news. Smart grid my ass ! Apparently the newest Energy Star appliances can be powered down remotely during times when the power provider sees fit. Too many eyes on our backs and hands in our pockets.Hydro one and OPG are so top heavy with operating costs and wages that it's a friggin wonder they don't topple over T.U. in the air.
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buickanddeere

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Re: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2010, 03:19:42 PM »
  You should see the place, I work there. The 1st priority is not cheap safe power. It's all about the "process", the paper work, the meetings, the pie charts etc. It's the classic case of " the operation was a success but the patient died.
  What's his name the liberal putting the 18 month freeze on Darlington doubled the price of the place. Babcox and Wilcox the boil makers doubled the price of Pickering B and delayed it's start up. The final straw was the American "experts" coming inn here and via corporate raiding in 96. They have mined/stolen the public assets in plain sight. You should see the outside contractors ripping off Bruce Power during the 1-2 restart and lining their pockets. Pickering A restart late 90's early 2000's was the same.
  There was not waste as such  when our own construction people did construction and overhauls.  Can't have that anymore as there isn't enough opportunities  to double and even triple bill expenses and justify overhead. Pickering 3 and four were re-tubed in less than 12 months each during the 1980's and early 90's.
  As for water heating. It appears a tankless unit used prior to 7:00AM would be the solution. Otherwise coast the tank heater from 7:00AM until 9:00PM. Pool pump was on a HD timer until it smoked after the kids let it lay in water. Now it's the manual unplug and plug in AM and PM.
 Even less privacy. Any government snoop can tell when somebody is home cooking a meal, doing laundry or taking a shower.

LowGear

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Re: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2010, 08:40:00 PM »
There's an eye opener if not a wrinkle in the gray matter.  So you go for efficiency and install an "on demand" electric hot water system.  Three months later the power company installs a smart meter system and all of a sudden you're back generating most of your hot water during the peak pricing times.  Ahhh, the white noise of the dryer singing me to sleep.  I guess once you get over the freeway racket by pretending it's a waterfall everything else is just data.

We use a timer and have a one bath B&B that shares the tank.  It takes four people in the B&B (total of six) using the baths before we notice anything.  We do have the luxury of all watts costing the same (35 cents a KWH) so the timer does come on at 5PM to get ready for early evening use and I do take my showers right about 5 o'clock now.  We are human.  This ability to adjust and modify our behavior is one of the things that makes us so powerful and dangerous.

I thought back when I was taking a few bean counter classes at the University of Washington that much of it was hampered by short term thinking.  I believe it's going to kick our butts if nothing else does.  I don't prescribe to the butterfly effect either but we do need to find balance.

Casey
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contaucreek

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Re: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2010, 12:32:56 AM »
I have a buddy in the Bruce right now as a General Foreman over Electricians and he says the pot is bottomless....200 bucks just to clean the radiation safe suit for a worker x a couple a day x how many workers.....
« Last Edit: August 16, 2010, 12:35:42 AM by contaucreek »
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westcoaster

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Re: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2010, 12:53:09 AM »
well, sitting over here in BC. Actually the lower mainland. We haven't got the "smart" (or whatever they are called) power meters just yet. My hot water is on NG same with my heating.

Think I'm out of the woods?
Not so fast...

I have the transit levy on my hydro bill (that I now pay HST on, so a tax on a tax) and I have our very own made in BC "carbon tax" that continuously increases year over year yntill I change my ways and consume less.

What do they expect? take fewer showers? turn the heat off during the winter?
Ha! wait untill I get my big huge wood burning home furnace on line.... (then the bastids will out law that.)


If I could find it I may just have to resort to COAL!
Carbon tax that Gordo!








Tijean

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Re: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2010, 04:52:48 PM »
We had the smart meters installed nearly a year ago but see no sign of graduated rates. Once the heating season starts, the coil in the wood cookstove heats the water tank. I have thought of solar for water heating but a winterized system that looks after itself is not that simple or cheap.
Frank

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mike90045

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Re: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2010, 08:33:41 PM »
  Recently noticed more new wifi type communication nodes on the rural distribution transformers around here.

I thnk they are using ZigBee for the meters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZigBee

buickanddeere

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Re: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2010, 01:03:56 AM »
I have a buddy in the Bruce right now as a General Foreman over Electricians and he says the pot is bottomless....200 bucks just to clean the radiation safe suit for a worker x a couple a day x how many workers.....

  Want to know where the $$$ is coming from? Dalton McGuinty is writing Uncle Duncan Hawthorn a cheque every month to make up the difference between income and expenses. Dalton knows the province is going to need all eight Bruce units or the province will go into rotating blackouts during Pickering and Darlington outages. As there will be no coal power and un-reliable wind power.

buickanddeere

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Re: Time of Use power meter, d*mmed thing is now in service at my place
« Reply #12 on: August 17, 2010, 01:21:08 AM »
  Recently noticed more new wifi type communication nodes on the rural distribution transformers around here.

I thnk they are using ZigBee for the meters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZigBee

  That would be 16 spread spectrum channels at a best of 32k baud . So similar to 16 simultaneous dial up modems. 
  The power company could offer decent internet service way out in the rural boonies. And snoop on your habits with the new communications enabled appliances.

 b&d