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  • October 16, 2010 at 6:46 AM #18080
    Bubblesitter
    Participant

    I’m started tracking my power usage via smart meter and web tools. You probably already have a smart meter already installed, all San diego SDG&E customers suppposed to have one by 2011. You can set up google app that pulls in your smartmeter info. Shows usage in 10 min increments, hourly, daily, weekly trends and usage. Reduced consumption already by 15% with goal of another 10% without taking extreme measures.

    Made it sorta of a game with the kids. Let try to get the all time low power. They are now actually turning off the switch when they leave a room. Switched bunch bulbs already to CFCs. They are much cheaper now and put out softer light than they used to. Paying more attention to light timers.

    Interesting to see how some appliances spike the power charts. Moving heavy appliance usage to evening. I’m trying to get family to move washing machine and dishwasher usage to evening. Dishwasher has heating element sucking power. At least dryer is natural gas. Time of day metering coming with rates much lower on off peak hours.

    Bubblesitter

    October 16, 2010 at 7:30 AM #618774
    no_such_reality
    Participant

    I tried setting mine up. We got the smart meter installed eight months ago (Orange County). SCE’s website still wasn’t up and running as of two months ago.

    We moved, no Smart meter. Don’t know if the power company website is up and running.

    Consider it another government bureaucratic boondoogle. My bill paid for the smart meter, mandated by the State and neither State nor the utility the petitioned for them provide the service to leverage the tool.

    IMHO, if the Government and Utility is going to mandate the meters and then make us pay for them, the minimum should be that the tools and benefits we are supposedly going to get should be available to the first people put on the meters.

    If you found a way for Google to get your info, please share. Is it secure? No, seriously. That’s a real question. Google is an external company and it is somehow assessing the grid, what controls are in place to insure that only the real inhabitants of the house and owner of the bill can review the information?

    October 16, 2010 at 7:30 AM #618857
    no_such_reality
    Participant

    I tried setting mine up. We got the smart meter installed eight months ago (Orange County). SCE’s website still wasn’t up and running as of two months ago.

    We moved, no Smart meter. Don’t know if the power company website is up and running.

    Consider it another government bureaucratic boondoogle. My bill paid for the smart meter, mandated by the State and neither State nor the utility the petitioned for them provide the service to leverage the tool.

    IMHO, if the Government and Utility is going to mandate the meters and then make us pay for them, the minimum should be that the tools and benefits we are supposedly going to get should be available to the first people put on the meters.

    If you found a way for Google to get your info, please share. Is it secure? No, seriously. That’s a real question. Google is an external company and it is somehow assessing the grid, what controls are in place to insure that only the real inhabitants of the house and owner of the bill can review the information?

    October 16, 2010 at 7:30 AM #619845
    no_such_reality
    Participant

    I tried setting mine up. We got the smart meter installed eight months ago (Orange County). SCE’s website still wasn’t up and running as of two months ago.

    We moved, no Smart meter. Don’t know if the power company website is up and running.

    Consider it another government bureaucratic boondoogle. My bill paid for the smart meter, mandated by the State and neither State nor the utility the petitioned for them provide the service to leverage the tool.

    IMHO, if the Government and Utility is going to mandate the meters and then make us pay for them, the minimum should be that the tools and benefits we are supposedly going to get should be available to the first people put on the meters.

    If you found a way for Google to get your info, please share. Is it secure? No, seriously. That’s a real question. Google is an external company and it is somehow assessing the grid, what controls are in place to insure that only the real inhabitants of the house and owner of the bill can review the information?

    October 16, 2010 at 7:30 AM #619525
    no_such_reality
    Participant

    I tried setting mine up. We got the smart meter installed eight months ago (Orange County). SCE’s website still wasn’t up and running as of two months ago.

    We moved, no Smart meter. Don’t know if the power company website is up and running.

    Consider it another government bureaucratic boondoogle. My bill paid for the smart meter, mandated by the State and neither State nor the utility the petitioned for them provide the service to leverage the tool.

    IMHO, if the Government and Utility is going to mandate the meters and then make us pay for them, the minimum should be that the tools and benefits we are supposedly going to get should be available to the first people put on the meters.

    If you found a way for Google to get your info, please share. Is it secure? No, seriously. That’s a real question. Google is an external company and it is somehow assessing the grid, what controls are in place to insure that only the real inhabitants of the house and owner of the bill can review the information?

    October 16, 2010 at 7:30 AM #619405
    no_such_reality
    Participant

    I tried setting mine up. We got the smart meter installed eight months ago (Orange County). SCE’s website still wasn’t up and running as of two months ago.

    We moved, no Smart meter. Don’t know if the power company website is up and running.

    Consider it another government bureaucratic boondoogle. My bill paid for the smart meter, mandated by the State and neither State nor the utility the petitioned for them provide the service to leverage the tool.

    IMHO, if the Government and Utility is going to mandate the meters and then make us pay for them, the minimum should be that the tools and benefits we are supposedly going to get should be available to the first people put on the meters.

    If you found a way for Google to get your info, please share. Is it secure? No, seriously. That’s a real question. Google is an external company and it is somehow assessing the grid, what controls are in place to insure that only the real inhabitants of the house and owner of the bill can review the information?

    October 16, 2010 at 8:01 AM #618779
    Bubblesitter
    Participant

    SDG&E online site has place to register.

    You need to be comfortable providing information to google and having them mine it. Application is called google power meter. I don’t opt into any of the realtime “share” features. Share with your friend, etc You can opt out any time. I will read thru the T&Cs, I would be more concerned about the real-time distribution of power data, e.g. someone can see if power is very low…you’re on vacation..etc.

    I suppose they plan to mine the data, perhaps targeted advertising by solar power, or appliance companies. If you’re power consumption is much higher than your neighbors you my get targeted ads by energy efficiency “consultants”. THey will probably generate energy consumption maps perhaps as overlays to google earth, etc…..

    Personally, I’m OK with that level of data mining.

    For me the utility of tracking my power usage out weighs potential privacy concerns.

    Bubblesitter

    October 16, 2010 at 8:01 AM #618862
    Bubblesitter
    Participant

    SDG&E online site has place to register.

    You need to be comfortable providing information to google and having them mine it. Application is called google power meter. I don’t opt into any of the realtime “share” features. Share with your friend, etc You can opt out any time. I will read thru the T&Cs, I would be more concerned about the real-time distribution of power data, e.g. someone can see if power is very low…you’re on vacation..etc.

    I suppose they plan to mine the data, perhaps targeted advertising by solar power, or appliance companies. If you’re power consumption is much higher than your neighbors you my get targeted ads by energy efficiency “consultants”. THey will probably generate energy consumption maps perhaps as overlays to google earth, etc…..

    Personally, I’m OK with that level of data mining.

    For me the utility of tracking my power usage out weighs potential privacy concerns.

    Bubblesitter

    October 16, 2010 at 8:01 AM #619850
    Bubblesitter
    Participant

    SDG&E online site has place to register.

    You need to be comfortable providing information to google and having them mine it. Application is called google power meter. I don’t opt into any of the realtime “share” features. Share with your friend, etc You can opt out any time. I will read thru the T&Cs, I would be more concerned about the real-time distribution of power data, e.g. someone can see if power is very low…you’re on vacation..etc.

    I suppose they plan to mine the data, perhaps targeted advertising by solar power, or appliance companies. If you’re power consumption is much higher than your neighbors you my get targeted ads by energy efficiency “consultants”. THey will probably generate energy consumption maps perhaps as overlays to google earth, etc…..

    Personally, I’m OK with that level of data mining.

    For me the utility of tracking my power usage out weighs potential privacy concerns.

    Bubblesitter

    October 16, 2010 at 8:01 AM #619529
    Bubblesitter
    Participant

    SDG&E online site has place to register.

    You need to be comfortable providing information to google and having them mine it. Application is called google power meter. I don’t opt into any of the realtime “share” features. Share with your friend, etc You can opt out any time. I will read thru the T&Cs, I would be more concerned about the real-time distribution of power data, e.g. someone can see if power is very low…you’re on vacation..etc.

    I suppose they plan to mine the data, perhaps targeted advertising by solar power, or appliance companies. If you’re power consumption is much higher than your neighbors you my get targeted ads by energy efficiency “consultants”. THey will probably generate energy consumption maps perhaps as overlays to google earth, etc…..

    Personally, I’m OK with that level of data mining.

    For me the utility of tracking my power usage out weighs potential privacy concerns.

    Bubblesitter

    October 16, 2010 at 8:01 AM #619410
    Bubblesitter
    Participant

    SDG&E online site has place to register.

    You need to be comfortable providing information to google and having them mine it. Application is called google power meter. I don’t opt into any of the realtime “share” features. Share with your friend, etc You can opt out any time. I will read thru the T&Cs, I would be more concerned about the real-time distribution of power data, e.g. someone can see if power is very low…you’re on vacation..etc.

    I suppose they plan to mine the data, perhaps targeted advertising by solar power, or appliance companies. If you’re power consumption is much higher than your neighbors you my get targeted ads by energy efficiency “consultants”. THey will probably generate energy consumption maps perhaps as overlays to google earth, etc…..

    Personally, I’m OK with that level of data mining.

    For me the utility of tracking my power usage out weighs potential privacy concerns.

    Bubblesitter

    October 16, 2010 at 8:32 AM #619415
    DataAgent
    Participant

    “Dishwasher has heating element sucking power.”

    Have you tried turning off the dry cycle? We turned ours off and were really surprised. Most dishes need minimal hand drying without the dry cycle.

    October 16, 2010 at 8:32 AM #619854
    DataAgent
    Participant

    “Dishwasher has heating element sucking power.”

    Have you tried turning off the dry cycle? We turned ours off and were really surprised. Most dishes need minimal hand drying without the dry cycle.

    October 16, 2010 at 8:32 AM #619535
    DataAgent
    Participant

    “Dishwasher has heating element sucking power.”

    Have you tried turning off the dry cycle? We turned ours off and were really surprised. Most dishes need minimal hand drying without the dry cycle.

    October 16, 2010 at 8:32 AM #618867
    DataAgent
    Participant

    “Dishwasher has heating element sucking power.”

    Have you tried turning off the dry cycle? We turned ours off and were really surprised. Most dishes need minimal hand drying without the dry cycle.

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