pistonbroke Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Does anyone have experience of these ? Got a phone call today to say United Utilities are coming to "upgrade" our water meter , didn't say what type or why but reading on the WWW leads me to believe they will be fitting one of the new Smart Meters ? The technology used for these meters to operate uses microwave energy to transmit signals to and from a control station , In reading on the web , there seems a whole lot of bad press about the long term effects on health of microwave radiation , afaics there has been no proper research done into the pros & cons yet the power companies are rolling these out at leisure . Any experience or thoughts , previous issues on this subject ? All comments ( sensible or otherwise ) would be much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Our lecky and gas have smart meters, bin about 9 months now, I don't think my brain is any more frazzled now than it was before they were fitted, but maybe other folks have a different opinion on my brain I cant think how it would work on a water meter, mine is under an inspection panel on the pavement outside my gate, it's about 18" deep and when you lift the panel it's allways full of muddy rainwater, when the guy comes to read it he has to scoop out the water first then soak up the residue with a sponge to be able to read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 It's yet another government driven dangler up. Whether it's gas, electric or water, for most people, knowing how much you will be using won't really save the planet! e.g. If you know the telly is using 1p per hour. Are you going to switch it off for an hour to save 1p? Clearly lots of people and companies are going to make a fortune advising us and the nanny state, and selling the kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted October 14, 2015 Author Share Posted October 14, 2015 Coming soon to a neighbourhood near you http://www.unitedutilities.com/automated-meter-reading.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Mine didn't cost me anything, I don't use the monitor thingy, and it saves me having to remember to go out and read the meters once a month. Although it does say on my bill estimated reading, when I queried this they told me they were receiving data from my meters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonPeffers Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 About 6 years ago my gas and electricity supplier fitted smart meters and the electric one phoned in a reading hourly and the gas one did it once per day. Later I changed suppliers and the new supplier said they don't get the reads as they still go to the supplier who arranged the meters installation---clever or what?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 As far as microwave radiation energy dangers from these sorts of things go, it's an absolute nonsense in my experience, bandied about by people whose own ignorance on the subject makes them believe it must be dangerous because they don't understand it, just like the twaddle about emissions from overhead power lines. I worked around powerful microwave transmitters for years without issues (yes, really), and emissions from something like a battery-powered transmitter on a water meter is going to be practically nil. You're more at danger from the background radiation from your smoke alarms, or from eating bananas or Brazil nuts (both faintly radioactive), than from a smart water meter. There is ZERO credible, empirical, scientific evidence on microwave dangers from mobile phones or smart meters. Fun fact: Because energy from a microwave oven dissipates very quickly, if the interlock on your microwave oven door was broken and you left it open with the oven on full, you'd be safe up to about six inches in front of the opening. Note I do not recommend you try this at home or anywhere else, and your house is at risk if you set fire to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 I also worked with microwaves for some years. My company made Doppler movement sensors for the security industry throughout the eighties and nineties - ours were unique in their signal processing and were used on government buildings and Royal houses. Between 1978 and 2012 I had a 1000 mW 'X'-Band transceiver a couple of metres from my kitchen window 24 hours a day. Neither of my heads came to any harm! Microwaves are not ionising radiation and are not what could truly be called radioactive despite being radio waves! In the US the military developed a high power microwave crowd control weapon - it literally heated up the rioters. Those nice people from the Pentagon wouldn't hurt anyone, now would they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhutch Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 I got smart meters fitted by EON on my house, for gas and elec. Water is un-metered. Six months later I changed to co-op rendering the things and my table-top useless display thing inoperable. Great What a crock of ****. Daniel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 I won't have one because I am suspicious of the ulterior motives of the overly enthusiastic proponents. Tinfoil hat time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 The water one we have just has a sender unit so the meter reader doesn't need to enter our house to get the reading. Just check it periodically against the statement for accuracy. Not been a problem in the last 2 years so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dombanks Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 have you all been drinking or smoking something and if so pass it along i could do with a pick me up. you've got more chance of roasting your crown jewels with your mobile in your pocket than you have with a smart meter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welly Jen Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 I won't have one because I am suspicious of the ulterior motives of the overly enthusiastic proponents. Tinfoil hat time! Tinfoil hats only work if they are made of tin. A government conspiracy changed the foil to aluminium, which actually amplifies the mind reading microwaves from your smart meter. Jen A black helicopter has just landed outside... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Damn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SootySport Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Don't think it's Microwave technology they be using as this is very directional and only travels short distances. It's more likely to use a band closer to Mobile phone frequencies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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