@yogapaddlerun no, the main reason is so they can just drive by & get a meter reading without stopping at every house, walking to the meter & writing the reading in a notebook.
even with an old fashioned meter they can cut off your power remotely
@redenigma They can read mine remotely with the meter I have. But they do have to drive by.
@yogapaddlerun @redenigma Some can send the data back on the power line, and some can send via loRaWAN, saves the driving.
@b4cks4w @redenigma Iβm imagining these devices can tell what kinds of devices are drawing power at any given interval. But not seeing documentation anywhere.
@yogapaddlerun @b4cks4w @redenigma
Nah. That's like thinking your water meter can tell when you're running the bath rather than the washing machine.
Electricity doesn't come in flavors.
@mcfate @b4cks4w @redenigma I remember seeing some device that could tell the device by draw and would give you a report. Back when I was looking to reduce my electricity usage.
@yogapaddlerun @b4cks4w @redenigma
That's an extra you need to install yourself, the meter won't do that FOR you. It just feed power to the breaker panel, the panel distributes it.
@mcfate @b4cks4w @redenigma I get that. But when the promo materials for this βsmartβ meter makes claims about saving me money with a usage breakdown Iβm curious HOW they will generate that for me.
@mcfate I already get data like this, whatβs the upgrade?
All they say is Iβll get a usage breakdown that will save me money. Seems like an expensive nothing. So where is their motivation?
You'd get it per-outlet.
@mcfate Maybe they can figure out where the connections are in some of my outlets π€£
Someday I want to map all my outlets because the breaker list makes no sense.
@yogapaddlerun @mcfate
Carefully very carefully...I have old cloth wrapped wires. I am okay not turning a heater on and blowdryer at the sametime...but not sure what breaker the dishwasher is on or time schedule. Every 5 or six cycles it decides it doesn't want to work for a couple days? I feel it though I too could use a rest.
@yogapaddlerun @mcfate
If I win the lottery you will. It is a little adventurous...