End of an era - Smart meter installed

[bkenobi]

I've been tracking the power usage at my house by writing down the numbers on the face of the meter for the better part of 15 years.  I have added a Blueline/Black and Decker meter reader which helps but since it fails periodically, hand written has been the backup.  As of just now, my PUD swapped the old mechanical wheel for a connected smart meter.  I'm hoping that I can use the software to grab the info and put in a local database for tracking but if not theirs should work fine.

I guess that means I no longer have to go to that side of the house regularly any more!  On the other hand, it will be interesting to see if the new smart meter causes any issues with X10.  The guy claimed all communications are via 900mHz radio which should mean it wouldn't be an issue.  Though if that signal was not encrypted, it's possible I could capture it and use it locally.  Maybe a new project!   

[brobin]

My last three homes have had Smart Meters with no adverse effects.

[Brian H]

X10 Uses 310Mhz so it probably would not be effected
Insteon Uses 915MHz so it maybe possible.
My RF Explorer Spectrum Analyzer should see the data pulses and the RF frequency.
On the smart meter. You may find an FCC Registration number.
You should find it in the FCC Dada base and maybe photos and test data. If the meter manufacturer didn't request it being kept hidden.
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm

[bkenobi]

I was surprised at how easy it was to change the meter out.  I figured it was a whole box that needed swapping.  Nope!  Just cut off the "lock", flip up the tab, open the metal flap, unplug the meter, and reverse with new one.  Even including testing a few things and taking a stupid amount of pictures it took 5 minutes.

[SkipWX10]

I've had a smart meter for about 4 years now. No issues with X10 that I've seen. I don't use it for the data, but my supplier has a website where you can track usage and cost yearly, monthly and daily and download data to your own offline database.

[bkenobi]

My new meter is a Stratus IQ Watthour Meter by Sensus a Xylem brand.  I don't see a link on the meter for the web site but I should be able to find it from the main PUD page.  They said this one provides 15 minute resolution or updated every 15 minutes.  My water meter is 15 minute resolution so probably pretty similar.  In that case, the data is available on eyeonwater.com and can have leak notifications etc.  I don't expect this to be as good as my personal meter but I will probably try to get that hooked up as well.  It's supposed to work with both spiny wheel and flashy light meters.  I don't know if this one has a flashy light but it does have a couple LED looking things on the front. Possibly that's just for some kind of communication with a tool I don't have though.

[SkipWX10]

Mine has a green light that flashes yellow approx every 10 seconds or so. I assumed it was when it was in a state of communication to the monitoring station. I believe the new meter system is a mesh network that allows the meters to communicate over a short range, but don't know for sure.

One thing I have noticed, which I like, is that the meters provide almost instant down detection to the provider and allows them quite robust network monitoring and troubleshooting ability. Also allows for pretty quick text notification for outages and restoration times. Also allows for end user ability to browse affected areas in real time during an outage to see scope of an outage and restoration stages.

[bkenobi]

There are a lot of things to like about it so long as it doesn't have any significant down sides.  Mine apparently works over 900MHz so they must have local receivers.  I'm in an area where all homes have 5 or 10 acres so I'm not sure how that would work since the transmission range of 900MHz somewhat limited (according to the installer).  Google claims up to 18 miles in ideal LOS scenarios.  We have hills, trees, structures, etc so would assume that would be much less.  He indicated that in another area of the state, they tried a number of options and failed on all of them so they had to change plans on communication (don't recall the outcome).  In my case, I assume it will be receivers spaced out as needed (1 or 2 every mile maybe?).

I need to look up the web site for tracking so I can see what it provides.  Seems like it could be pretty great tool!

[toasterking]

I'm late noticing your post, but your subject line scared me.  My first assumption was that "End of an era" referred to the end of your using X10 due to interference from the smart meter.  I'm relieved that this isn't the case, and also that I haven't seen any reports of that happening since the Echelon meters over 10 years ago.  It seems that most smart meters do not use the power lines to communicate anymore, anyway.

It's peculiar to me that there are so many different types of "networks" used for smart power meter communication, many of them using an ad-hoc/mesh topology.  It's especially curious since in my (rural) area, a fiber-only ISP partners with the local power utility to use the same utility poles used for power delivery to make fiber Internet available to all the same customers, yet all the power meters use a separate, RF mesh network.

[bkenobi]

I heard back from the PUD representative and they state there is no way to link an automation system up to their data to capture the data directly.  I know it could be scripted to scrape the data but I'm not a web developer so don't know exactly how to use Node Red to navigate a site and grab the data correctly.  Might be an interesting hobby project though!

I'll also have to look at the model of meter to see if the Blueline unit can read it.  I watched the LED port but it never flashed.  It's the middle of summer so the wheel wouldn't be spinning fast anyway so I might have not watched long enough.  Also, it's possible the flash is in the IR spectrum.  Or, that LED port is strictly for some kind of IR communication with a tool the PUD tech would have.