I like the idea of knowing what each electric device in my home is using but I hate the idea of ceding control of my thermostat to the power company.

Many years ago, my local utility experimented with the idea of selling prepaid smart cards that consumers would purchase and insert into a specially designed meter. The idea was mainly to eliminate meter readers and save costs associated with that activity. They never implemented it and I don't know the reasons why. Perhaps they were concerned about counterfeiting.

This effort is aimed at making consumers more aware of their power consumption life style which is good so long as the utitlities or government agencies don't exercise control over that life-style.

Unfortunately, experience shows that these efforts start out innocently enough but eventually turn into grand schemes to dictate how others believe we should live (socialism). Social Security cards were NEVER to be used for the purpose of identification. Yeah, right - you cannot function in this society without one, unless, of course, you are here illegally - then they look the other way.

No, let them sell devices to monitor electrical consumption at Home Depot if consumers want to purchase them - but, please, no Big Brother schemes of involuntary rationing from the idiots in our government. They already have too much power over our lives (no pun intended).

How soon before the Al Gore minions (IF they get their way) make this a mandatory apparatus for all houses in this country. So big brother can keep an eye on you and prevent you from running your lawn mower during an "Ozone Action Day?" I will go to jail first before I put up with this Enviro-Nazi BS!

DENY DENY DENY THE GLOBAL WARMING LIE!!!!!

1) Who's paying for the meters? If the power company wants to put one in my house, go for it as long as they pay for it and don't tack it on to my utility bill. Otherwise, thanks but no thanks.

2) If it's mandatory, you can always cover it up with a dishtowel, picture, or just paint it. I get enough of a sticker shock every month when the utility bill arrives. I don't need it on a daily basis.

Well, they can install the meter if they can get by the barbed wire, the Dobermans, and the Smith & Wesson.

So I'll just turn off the range and stop cooking my meals in the kitchen, or let food spoil in the refrigerator so I don't have to run it, or just decide to sweat inside the house instead of running the air conditioner. May as well drain the pool and shut off the pump too. May as well stop washing clothes and go back to reading books and newspapers and get rid of the TV & PC.

May as well just join the Amish way of life.

NO THANKS ! I work so I can live decently and have some comforts and pleasures when I am not at work. I don't need a meter in my face telling me how much electricity an appliance uses because A) I need to use it, and B) I doesn't matter how much it uses because A) I NEED to use it !

NO THANKS ! I work so I can live decently and have some comforts and pleasures when I am not at work.

REPLY: I'll dare you, sir! I'll dare you question the heart felt intentions of those who are "suggesting" these things "for the common good of mankind!" I'll dare you to think that your working is so you can live decently, when in effect it's to feed the Government Machine! I'll dare you live decently and have comforts and pleasures when the "earth has a fever!"

Ok, that's enough. Just enough sarcasm to hopefully burn the bridges of the guilt inflicting Al Gore crowd and the MoveOn.orgs. Don't take it seriously, Bill!....;-DDD....

DENY DENY DENY THE GLOBAL WARMING LIE!!!!

No, you don't have to buy the meter. No, you don't have to help. No, you don't have to learn anything that you might not want to hear. These meters are only for people who actually care about what is going on around them and are interested on how they contribute to it. With that information they might decide not to use an appliance as much if they don't need to, or (Bill) they can find out how to get the same level of comfort more efficiently. But only if they care, which most people obviously do not.

Hmmm.... let me see...! The power company charges you $200. for the meter, times 20 million homes. That's an incredible profit that will offset any money they loose from folks conserving and not using as much of the companies juice. That's on top of the profits made with monthly charges.

Those power boys have been around the block more than a few years and can see a sucker born every minute. This warming scare is playing right into their hands.

I guarantee they will lobby to have these meters and a bunch of other ideas they have to sell, legislated and added to building and electrical codes.

They tell you they're doing you a favour right to your face and you happily watch them pick your wallet and then thank them, for finally seeing the light and being on the environmental bandwagon with you.

Go rent the movie "The Sting" and you'll get an idea of how things are done in the world.

Same BS here in Ontario: http://www.energy.gov.on.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=electricity.smartmeters
They want you to get up extra early or stay up late to do your laundry and will charge you through the nose by higher kwh prices if you don't. I'd like to see a lawsuit brought forth by someone who refuses to let them install one of these meters.The old one is doing it's job, stay off my property.There is supposed to be a surcharge on the bill for these meters also which will be collected forever.

No, you don't have to buy the meter. No, you don't have to help. No, you don't have to learn anything that you might not want to hear. These meters are only for people who actually care about what is going on around them and are interested on how they contribute to it. With that information they might decide not to use an appliance as much if they don't need to, or (Bill) they can find out how to get the same level of comfort more efficiently. But only if they care, which most people obviously do not.

REPLY: Let me be the first to say that if anyone wants to have this (expletive) apparatus in their home by their OWN FREE WILL, then fine! Let's see just how much demand for something like this is out there! (My guess is not much). However, if (and when) the power companies start to make it mandatory for every home across the country, via directions and instruction (marching orders) from the Government and the Al Gore MoveOns at the cost of the American people, then that is NOT fine! So just spare us the guilt, Jock. We get enough of that from guys like Mark and Brookline Tom.

DENY DENY DENY THE GLOBAL WARMING LIE!!!!

Well its a shame to read the comments some people have written, if you don't beleive in saving the planet because you don't think there is a problem, use a smart meter to save some money for yourself.

A month ago i visited England and my friend had a Smart Meter in his house and he was delighted with it and said it is helping him save 25% on his utility bill.

The smart meter he had simply clipped onto the electricity cable entering his house by the meter. It told him how much it was money it was costing him an hour and he said he saved money by simply turning things off that he wasn't using that were using electricity.

He said when he went on his vacation he would check what appliances were still using electricity and he turned them off or unplugged them.

The meter he had wasn't a government or utility company product but a private company who were fed up of the utility fat cats getting fatter off people ignorance about what power products actually waste without our knowledge.

The unit cost him $80 which he was pleased to pay,giving the saving.He has ordered one for me.

If anyone is intersted i will try and find the web site.

Frank,

So you are saying that your friend needs a meter to tell him he should turn off appliances that he's not using......................

Everyone think about that for a moment; it speaks VOLUMES about those who believe our warming climate has purely anthropogenic causes.

I guess if you are $#%^ enough to believe in AGW, you are $#%^ enough to NEED a meter to tell you to turn off your appliances when they are not in use.

Hey Bill Thanks for your reply, There's a difference between turning a something off and leaving it on standby, if you don't mind wasting your money, far be it from me to advise you what to do.
Also other people in the house can leave things on in their rooms and the bill payer may not realise it.Kids go of to college and leave things on standby; products not used for months on end but still drawing power.

My friend had some cordless tools in his garage that he left in their chargers, he thought that once they had charged they would no longer use power, wrong! They had been on since the last time he half finished some home DIY and had be costing him money every since, i am not saying it is a lot but it soon builds up, hours, days and months passed by.
If you choose to live an ignorant life Bill so be it, but don't mock other for having some wisdom.

If you don't beleive in global warming and you don't for that do it for your wallet.

The website is www.efergy.com for anyone intersted in the smart energy saving meter.

Hey Bill Thanks for your reply, There's a difference between turning a something off and leaving it on standby, if you don't mind wasting your money, far be it from me to advise you what to do.
Also other people in the house can leave things on in their rooms and the bill payer may not realise it.Kids go of to college and leave things on standby; products not used for months on end but still drawing power.

My friend had some cordless tools in his garage that he left in their chargers, he thought that once they had charged they would no longer use power, wrong! They had been on since the last time he half finished some home DIY and had be costing him money every since, i am not saying it is a lot but it soon builds up, hours, days and months passed by.
If you choose to live an ignorant life Bill so be it, but don't mock other for having some wisdom.

If you don't beleive in global warming and you don't for that do it for your wallet.

The website is www.efergy.com for anyone intersted in the smart energy saving meter.

Hey Bill Thanks for your reply, There's a difference between turning a something off and leaving it on standby, if you don't mind wasting your money, far be it from me to advise you what to do.
Also other people in the house can leave things on in their rooms and the bill payer may not realise it.Kids go of to college and leave things on standby; products not used for months on end but still drawing power.

My friend had some cordless tools in his garage that he left in their chargers, he thought that once they had charged they would no longer use power, wrong! They had been on since the last time he half finished some home DIY and had be costing him money every since, i am not saying it is a lot but it soon builds up, hours, days and months passed by.
If you choose to live an ignorant life Bill so be it, but don't mock other for having some wisdom.

If you don't beleive in global warming and you don't for that do it for your wallet.

The website is www.efergy.com for anyone intersted in the smart energy saving meter.

Frank,

You just don't get it. I don't, and intelligent people shouldn't, need a meter in order to apply simple common sense.

Look around the house to see if lights are on and check the rooms. Turn off the TV when no one's watching it; unplug it and the stereo too when you go away. Check the room if the kid goes to school or college. Of course battery chargers maintain capacitance in the circuitry even after the battery's charged.

My entire home theater/cablevision/stereo setup is plugged into a power strip with an on/off switch which turns the whole system off - No standby power wasted during the overnight - and I didn't need a meter to tell me to do it.

I'm sure the Americans can make a better 'smart meter' than the Efergy! I made the mistake of buying one, it's very cheaply made.

I wish I'd paid more for a decent one!

Hey Dave, I agree the Efergy does look a bit cheap compared to the more expensive ones on the market in the UK but it was the only one with a memory which swung it for me. This thing let you compare how much energy you used yesterday, last week, last month, two months ago. I think this is a lot better than one that just tells you what you are using at the present time, even though it doesn't look as good.