Put off "a lot of radiation" or put off "radiation"? Cause a granite counter-top puts off radiation too.

I like having it because now I don't have to worry about my dog going nuts when the person walks onto the property. But thats just me.

 

I was installing these meters for PG&E until we finished this area up and I can say first hand theres nothing wrong with the meters. Most people just jump on the ignorant band wagon that the news stations keep rolling by saying youre gonna get cancer and your bill is going to tripple, its not the case.

The thing about the new meters is everyone is getting put on tiered power plans where you get charged more at peak times in the day and less around the low times.

No, the smart meter gets rid of all the meter readers by transmitting the reads to an antenna then back to pg&e's office.

 

And if you havent been following the news, PG&E is going to be court ordered soon to give customers a opt out plan, all the opt out will do is use your telephone line rather than sending a wireless signal to get reads back to the office. Although that's not the case yet and they can still going around installing them until thats official.

 

Yup. The blurb that came with my house's installation said that the peak rate tiered charging isn't in effect at the moment, but may be introduced in the future.

The only variable rate in effect at the moment is that there are charge tiers based on total usage, but this applies to old-style meters as well.

I haven't noticed any change to my bill with the new meter. It also seems ok w.r.t. not causing rf interference which some people were concerned about.

 

RayDZ, how much power (or EIRP) до еthey emit and at what band/frequency?

 

I think its 2watts 900mhz there is 2 radios in the unit, one for its LAN on the PG&E side at 900mhz and there is another radio I think it was on 2.4ghz for a new bluetooth protocol to add on things to the meter like be able to add a device in the house that shows the current PG&E rate which is using the new bluetooth protocol to pull that info off the meter itself. 2watts at 900mhz 4 feet away is harmless. its not like you sleeping with the meter under your pillow. I was able to find all this info by pulling up the FCC ID I found on the meter on to the FCC web site, it gives you all the specs of the meter.

Also since the meter was installed at my house, the bill went down as well.

 

BULL****!

Ive had to have my bill adjusted 5 times now because their stupid meter is wrong or reports wrong. (edit) and no, before anyone says it, I did not have this problem with the older unit. Its only the wireless pile of crap that causes the issue.

You need to google before you post up, they are the WORST idea, and cause all kinds of problems. I have to be honist I have been pondering putting a small scrambler on the wall just the inside of the meter just to keep it from transmitting and forcing them to drive their sorry lazy asses out and checking my meter.

 

So your singular anecdotal assessment has the power to negate the entire practice of smart meters and deam them a "horrible idea"? What about the multiple positive accounts of these meters? Shouldn't they overshadow your account? Or is that not how it work?

There is a difference between efficiency and lazy, FYI.

 

opted out at my house, told them no they werent gonna install it when they came to my door. they are more accurate so they are most likely going to charge you more than your meter is now, the main reason for them is so they can read the bill from inside the office or something like that

 

YFZ450Lynx, thank you! Yeah 2 Watts at 900MHz are the same as GSM (850/900MHz) handset max power level spec. Not really a big deal. Don't know why people are complaining about that.

 

dont know what it is about the smart meter but if your directv is grounded to it it can cause some interference, had the problem today in fact at a customers house

 

And that was it? They left and didn't bother you afterwards with mail/phone calls/emails etc?

 

I guess I won't be opting out now...

PG&E Opt Out Fees:

$270 for initial opt out plus $14 per month charge to "recover losses"

or

if you have the meter already,

$135 initial fee to turn off wireless transmitter, plus $20 per month charge to keep transmitter off.

If you opted out and decided to sell your house and move, an "Exit Reactivation Fee" is charged to your account.

Talk about extortion.

 

yup no phone call email or anything. it was an option to opt out.
that is rediclious, u can put a note on ur meeter saying no smart meeter. idk what kinda fees they are charging you, we are not getting charged any fees. its all a scam anyways haha. in marin county they are banning them because of radiation.

 

You will get charged a fee once the opt out plan goes into affect. You didn't opt out of anything yet other than the contractor putting the meter on your house that day. And no single county can "ban" the meters, the moratoriums that are being passed mean nothing.