Hmmm, Chuck M is showing a lot of interest in smart meters.  I'm
calling it right now:  UniMeter.  Cloud-based 900Mhz meshed smart
meters.  I'll license you the use of that name for a nominal fee.

On Wed, Nov 5, 2014 at 2:46 PM, Chuck Macenski via Af <[email protected]> wrote:
> In fact...the smart grid can help eliminate rolling brownouts/blackouts by
> carefully managing the power delivered to customers on the end of the lines
> by controlling the delivered voltage. Basically, these meters give power
> companies the ability to measure the voltage delivered to meet the minimum
> requirements at the end of each feed... Substation transformers can then be
> set to deliver lower voltage (= lower power usage) thus avoiding
> brownouts...of course, load control (turning off your A/C) doesn't hurt
> either.
>
> Pre-smart grid, the main way the power company knew about lines going down
> (storms, trees, etc) was when they got a phone call. These meters will tell
> them where they have issues so they can route around much much much faster;
> other parts of the smart grid can allow power to be rerouted from a control
> panel rather than a power company truck and a guy with an insulated stick
> throwing a switch in the rain.
>
> It is a fascinating topic...
>
> Chuck
>
> On Wed, Nov 5, 2014 at 11:48 AM, That One Guy via Af <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> The smartgrid does have the benefit off allowing essential services to
>> stay up in the event of rolling black/brownouts
>>
>> I watched a PBS show about the power situation over in India or one of
>> those places, its crazy, people steal power left and right just tying onto
>> the wires. The transformers are always catching fire and people dump water
>> on them. As much as I hate US power companies, I cant imagine living over
>> there. Linemen get beat up alot
>>
>> You could tell the show was geared at it being a humanitarian issue, these
>> poor people losing their power... how will they survive, but the majority of
>> the background images were of people powering consumer electronics... not a
>> justifiable theft IMHO... I did not know TV was a basic human right
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 5, 2014 at 11:37 AM, Chuck Macenski via Af <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Smart meters certainly can shut you off remotely. That is a huge safety
>>> benefit to the power companies - it turns out that turning the power off to
>>> a customer that has not paid their bill is not always a pleasant experience.
>>>
>>> Chuck
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Nov 5, 2014 at 11:18 AM, Ken Hohhof via Af <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> From ComEd smartmeter FAQ:
>>>>
>>>> "Smart meters for residential customers will have remote switching
>>>> capabilities that can be used when a customer closes an account, then
>>>> reconnects when the customer starts a new account."
>>>>
>>>> "One of the benefits of this remote switching capability is that ComEd
>>>> can provide electrical service to customers more quickly, after the 
>>>> customer
>>>> has contacted ComEd to initiate service. ComEd can also expedite the
>>>> transfer of electrical service when a customer moves from one location to
>>>> another within the ComEd service territory."
>>>>
>>>> I see a post on the Mike Holt electrician forum about whether calling
>>>> the electric company and having them remotely shut off the power makes it
>>>> safe to work on, as opposed to pulling the meter.  (hell no)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message----- From: Bill Prince via Af
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2014 11:06 AM
>>>>
>>>> To: [email protected]
>>>> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Wifi for large houses
>>>>
>>>> Well, maybe some of them.  I don't think the ones around here have that
>>>> capability.  Wouldn't they have to have some large contactors and a
>>>> relay?  I think that alone occupies a lot more space than the
>>>> smartmeters occupy.
>>>>
>>>> For now I think they are mostly big brother watching.
>>>>
>>>> bp
>>>>
>>>> On 11/5/2014 8:50 AM, Ken Hohhof via Af wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> What do you think a smartmeter is?
>>>>>
>>>>> I compare it to cable.  With analog cable, they had to send a guy in a
>>>>> truck to shut off your service, but with digital cable a computer can do 
>>>>> it
>>>>> any time.  I assume smartmeters have a remote shutoff capability.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message----- From: Caleb Knauer via Af
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2014 10:38 AM
>>>>> To: [email protected]
>>>>> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Wifi for large houses
>>>>>
>>>>> One day the circuit breakers will all be connected and automated and
>>>>> we'll all be doooooooooommmmmdddd!
>>>>>
>>>>> On Wed, Nov 5, 2014 at 9:34 AM, Chuck McCown via Af <[email protected]>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> circuit breaker...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> From: Ken Hohhof via Af
>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2014 5:15 PM
>>>>>> To: [email protected]
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Wifi for large houses
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Have you unplugged your fridge lately?  You have to roll it out.  That
>>>>>> involves taking off the grill at the bottom and figuring out what kind
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> wrench you need to crank up the leveling screws.  Then your wife makes
>>>>>> you
>>>>>> pick up the dead mice and pet turtles and get out the vacuum and sweep
>>>>>> up
>>>>>> all the dog hair and dried up vegetables that are back there. Then you
>>>>>> climb back there and unplug it, count one Mississippi two Mississippi,
>>>>>> plug
>>>>>> it back in, climb back out, roll the fridge back, re-level it, and put
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> grill back on.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> From: Bill Prince via Af
>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2014 4:18 PM
>>>>>> To: [email protected]
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Wifi for large houses
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Unplug it/plug it back in is cheaper than putting in an on/off switch
>>>>>> (or
>>>>>> re-init switch).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> bp
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 11/4/2014 1:46 PM, Adam Moffett via Af wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'd be happy to share in that job.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> My big beef with our brave new world is that you have to reboot
>>>>>> everything.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Microwave display is screwed up....unplug it and plug it back in.
>>>>>> Washing machine digital display is not responding.....unplug it and
>>>>>> plug it
>>>>>> back in.
>>>>>> DVD Player frozen.....unplug it and plug it back in.
>>>>>> Dodge Intrepid won't shift gears......turn it off and turn it back on.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> These are all true stories.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The internet of things will be a network of crap that doesn't work
>>>>>> unless
>>>>>> you reboot it regularly.  When they are up, the "things" will all be
>>>>>> participating in a botnet.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> finally someone took over Doug's job of letting us all know the sky is
>>>>>> falling!?!?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> hip hip hooray...long live Ken the prognosticator!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Tue, Nov 4, 2014 at 1:14 PM, Bill Prince via Af <[email protected]>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The apocalypse is coming!!!!!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> bp
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 11/4/2014 11:58 AM, Ken Hohhof via Af wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Soon, when your Internet goes out, you won’t even be able to open
>>>>>>> your
>>>>>>> garage door or flush your toilet, because it will all be in the
>>>>>>> cloud.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> And as ISPs, we’ll be getting angry calls like “Is the tower down?  I
>>>>>>> can’t flush my toilet.”
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> You think I’m joking?  Remember the thread about LED bulbs
>>>>>>> interfering
>>>>>>> with garage door openers?  One of the suggested fixes is a garage
>>>>>>> door
>>>>>>> opener app on your smartphone.  I assume that only works if your
>>>>>>> smarthouse
>>>>>>> has working Internet.  Our hives will cease to operate if you cut the
>>>>>>> connection to the collective.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I’m imagining that something goes wrong with the cloud controller,
>>>>>>> and now
>>>>>>> I can’t even use WiFi within my house, like printing to my wireless
>>>>>>> printer
>>>>>>> or using Chromecast to my TV.  Yes, I know, Unifi should continue to
>>>>>>> operate
>>>>>>> without the controller once set up, but do some features stop
>>>>>>> working? Like
>>>>>>> handoff between APs?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> From: Josh Baird via Af
>>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2014 1:47 PM
>>>>>>> To: [email protected]
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] Wifi for large houses
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> You can host them all on a single controller in your datacenter.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Nov 4, 2014, at 2:24 PM, TJ Trout via Af <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Can't stand unifi, have them came up with a way to do it without a
>>>>>>> controller? What do you do if the customer doesn't have a windows
>>>>>>> machine?
>>>>>>> Install a unifi "server" ?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Tue, Nov 4, 2014 at 11:20 AM, Sean Heskett via Af <[email protected]>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> UBNT UniFi...one SSID
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Tue, Nov 4, 2014 at 12:19 PM, TJ Trout via Af <[email protected]>
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> What are you guys doing to cover large homes with good wifi
>>>>>>>>> coverage?
>>>>>>>>> Any options besides multiple routers with multiple ssid's? Does
>>>>>>>>> rukus or
>>>>>>>>> someone make something with true roaming?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> All parts should go together without forcing. You must remember that the
>> parts you are reassembling were disassembled by you. Therefore, if you can't
>> get them together again, there must be a reason. By all means, do not use a
>> hammer. -- IBM maintenance manual, 1925
>
>

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