[RFI] Smart meters

[EDWARDS, EDDIE J]

I believe many U.S. utilities have tried similar power load control programs over the years.  In the 1980s our local utility conducted a trial project using a licensed VHF freq for the comm link to control air conditioners and water heaters in one hour ON-OFF increments.  The project failed to become popular with customers because a house could warm up pretty fast in one hour on a really hot day.

This spring they will try it again for 15 minute increments only on the outdoor AC units thus allowing the inside fans to continue operating even during the 15 minute OFF increments.  Not sure what comm link they plan to use (perhaps cellular?), but it won't be that same 1980s VHF channel since I now have an 11-site simulcast paging system operating there.  

73, de ed -K0iL  

-----Original Message-----
From: Alan NV8A

40 years ago in Brisbane, Australia, electric water heaters were 
normally connected to a circuit with a separate meter and a switch that 
could be controlled by audio tones superimposed by the City Council (our 
electricity supplier) on the 50Hz supply. This electricity was at a 
cheaper rate than the rest, with power usually being uninterrupted 
during the night, but possibly available at other times too  -- when 
loads were not heavy.

There was also a switch to supply the water heater with full-price power 
at other times if needed, but we had a 60-gallon system (real gallons, 
not the skimpy US ones), and some people even had 80-gallon ones.

I suppose some people had gas water heaters, but I'm not sure that gas 
was even available in our part of town.

My point is that time-dependent pricing has been around for a looong time.

73

Alan NV8A
(long-ago VK4NDV. VK4ZDV, VK4AFE)

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