[OZAPRS] smart meters ?

[Darryl Smith]

Tony,

I need to be even more careful with what I say here. But if you check the national minimum requirements for smart meters, you will find that one of the required capabilities is for people to be able to extract real time consumption data. I hope to be able to say more about the subject later this year, but right now I am somewhat constrained. The summary is that not every power company is evil, but you would expect me to say that since I am doing a lot of work for one. 

Getting this back close to the subject of APRS, a good rule of thumb is that if you take the wattage of a device and double it, then that is about what the device costs a year to run. It is slightly over, but you get the point. The thing is that a computer using 300W continuous consumes about $567/year of energy at $0.22/kWh. A more modern computer will consume under 100W, or $189/year. By replacing the computer with a more efficient one, you can save at least $350/year! And the newer computer will probably not cost more than that anyway

I replaced two servers, one running at 300W, and another at about 400W, with a single unit running at under 100W. This saved over $1000/year with a capital cost of under $1000. 

I know there is a great need for low power computers out there, and I am keeping my eye out in order to assist the APRS and HAM community with the availability of hardware. There are now sub $200 netbooks on the market (Sam's Warehouse for instance) that can also be used. 

Darryl


---------
Darryl Smith, VK2TDS POBox 169 Ingleburn NSW 2565 Australia 
Mobile Number 0412 929 634 [+61 4 12 929 634 Int] - 02 9618 6459 
www.radio-active.net.au/blog/ - www.radio-active.net.au/


-----Original Message-----
From: ozaprs-bounces at aprs.net.au [mailto:ozaprs-bounces at aprs.net.au] On Behalf Of Tony King
Sent: Saturday, 11 December 2010 8:21 AM
To: Australian APRS Users
Subject: Re: [OZAPRS] smart meters ?

It is probably easier to wait until the "hacks" come out then use the Wireless network to monitor the data direct from the meter
                                                                                                                                Regards Tony


On 11/12/2010 12:14 AM, Gary Stern wrote:
> Thinking about, it should really be too hard to self monitor power 
> consumption, total, circuit by circuit etc.... and even possibly work 
> out power factors, I wouldn't doubt there is a setup somewhere on the 
> market, usb to a computer and store everything, do your own 
> calculations and then you could check these smart meters...
>
> Any bets on their accuracy :-)
>
> On 10/12/2010 11:53 AM, Tony King wrote:
>> By the way has anybody been fitted with a smart meter yet. I notice that
>> they use 2 watts of power continuously from the consumer side of the 
>> meter.
>> The man turned up here to fit one yesterday but went away without
>> installing it when I asked to see the certificate of compliance (or it's
>> number) for
>> electromagnetic compatibility. They work on 2.3 GHz as far as I can find
>> out but I would be interested in any details ......
>>
>>
>> With heaps of RF originating here I can imagine swamping the things
>> receiver and leaving myself on permanent maximum rate charge or
>> conversely the thing jamming alll my receivers as in the reports on the
>> highly technical and reliable talk back radio shows of broadcast
>> interference......
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>

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