# SMART Meter is a switch too?



## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

I too am skeptical. They are small and don't weigh that much. I have also never heard of our PoCo shutting power of with one. These meters go up to 400A, that's not small potatoes.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

power said:


> Does anyone know if SMART meters can also remotely switch the 120/240 1-phase ON/OFF? I am skeptical of this as I know this would require a solenoid and contacts.


MINE sure did.

Paid the bill, the power came back on... no-one ever came out to the house.

( Internet credit card screw-up. )


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## cuba_pete (Dec 8, 2011)

power said:


> Does anyone know if SMART meters can also remotely switch the 120/240 1-phase ON/OFF? I am skeptical of this as I know this would require a solenoid and contacts.


Ahhyup...some can with these little guys:













 
.


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## Signal1 (Feb 10, 2016)

power said:


> Does anyone know if SMART meters can also remotely switch the 120/240 1-phase ON/OFF? I am skeptical of this as I know this would require a solenoid and contacts.


They sure do!
Seen it many times. It used to be a very common service call around here about 15-20 years ago. 

"Ummm, your meters off, did you pay your bill?"

Most people know better now, and save themselves the embarrassment of calling an electrician before making sure they are paid up with Ngrid.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Yup, just call the poco customer service folks, and they'll shut 'er down for whatever you'd like to do, there's usually an icon to display open or shut on the meter itself

~CS~


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

I wonder.....during a bolted fault, would the main trip or would the meter blow?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Remote switching is supposed to be a huge labor saver on behalf of the poco, damned if I'd trust that to do work on the system though. 

You're arms deep in a panel and some newbie back at the station hits the wrong number on a computer keyboard.....


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Remote switching is supposed to be a huge labor saver on behalf of the poco, damned if I'd trust that to do work on the system though.
> 
> You're arms deep in a panel and some newbie back at the station hits the wrong number on a computer keyboard.....


Yeah you can't lock out their mouse!


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Our meters display an "ON or OFF" 
I have gone out to many calls just to find the meter in the off position.
I have also found them with only one side on.
It was a huge apartment building so, I just swapped it with one on an empty unit and left a note as to where I moved it.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Deadly radiation. Tin foil tent required.


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## cuba_pete (Dec 8, 2011)

micromind said:


> I wonder.....during a bolted fault, would the main trip or would the meter blow?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Anyone know if there is a specific brand of smart meter that has problems resulting in fire.


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## cuba_pete (Dec 8, 2011)

Google came up with so damn many hits, but 2015 was the newest I saw after two pages. It seems to have slowed down, with better equipment on the market now.

Guess all of those cheap Chinese NSA chips got weeded out. We got the good Russian ones now.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Anyone know if there is a specific brand of smart meter that has problems resulting in fire.


It seems to be two problems with the fires.
I have been in on both types.
One has to do with the blades on the new meters being slightly smaller than the original meters.
The other problem had to do with disturbing a 40 year old slightly overloaded termination.
Both smoldered and burned the plastic and the entire meter socket.
I think the old glass and metal would have survived.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

I know the meters PG&E install do have 200A load break contacts in them. I tore one apart, if I find the pictures, ill post them.


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## matt1124 (Aug 23, 2011)

They do switch here. I've called while standing at the meter, it will read "open" when off, "busy" when communicating, and "closed" when service is active. I believe they are solid state but you do hear a physical click when they turn on.

I've always wanted to short one and call for service. heh heh heh

POCO used to request you turn off all the breakers before they would send the close signal but they haven't the past few times I've turned them on.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

They sent out a notice here that smart meters are going in. I hope I'm home so I can either get them to check the connections or allow me to check them.
I installed the existing meter 20 years ago and have never seen the inside of that that can sense.
Hope they will check them for me?


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

John Valdes said:


> They sent out a notice here that smart meters are going in. I hope I'm home so I can either get them to check the connections or allow me to check them.
> I installed the existing meter 20 years ago and have never seen the inside of that that can sense.
> Hope they will check them for me?


I don't think they would. I have never heard of the metering department doing that. Plus, that sounds like a recipe for disaster. I have gone to loosen the lugs in older meter pans and had them break off. Tightening them would be even more risky.

But I will tell you this, in my experience dealing with older meter pans, loose connections aren't a big issue. It's usually a corroded lug or broken lug that causes a problem.


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## matt1124 (Aug 23, 2011)

John Valdes said:


> They sent out a notice here that smart meters are going in. I hope I'm home so I can either get them to check the connections or allow me to check them.
> I installed the existing meter 20 years ago and have never seen the inside of that that can sense.
> Hope they will check them for me?


They use an outside contractor here. Clip the green POCO only seal, old meter out, new meter in, blue contractor seal back on. In and out, no tools but a cutter. If the socket is bad they *may* ask you to have an EC replace it.


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

The POCO used an outside contractor here too. A plumbing contractor.......I'm not kidding, a local plumbing contractor swapped out the meters!!

About a half-dozen or so of them failed, only 2 actual fires, if I remember. 

My service is a 120/208 3Ø Y, an actual POCO troubleman swapped it. Apparently, they didn't trust the plumbing contractor with anything more than a basic 4 jaw single phase meter.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

micromind said:


> The POCO used an outside contractor here too. A plumbing contractor.......I'm not kidding, a local plumbing contractor swapped out the meters!!
> 
> About a half-dozen or so of them failed, only 2 actual fires, if I remember.
> 
> My service is a 120/208 3Ø Y, an actual POCO troubleman swapped it. Apparently, they didn't trust the plumbing contractor with anything more than a basic 4 jaw single phase meter.


Glad to know the poco is so concerned about the safety of the homes they are having such high quality subs work on.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

HackWork said:


> I don't think they would. I have never heard of the metering department doing that. Plus, that sounds like a recipe for disaster. I have gone to loosen the lugs in older meter pans and had them break off. Tightening them would be even more risky.
> 
> But I will tell you this, in my experience dealing with older meter pans, loose connections aren't a big issue. It's usually a corroded lug or broken lug that causes a problem.


That's the concern. Corrosion and or loose connections. But I do agree I could cause more damage if I get involved.
I guess I just want to see the connections. 
Ever since Chris Kennedy told the story about his meter on a Saturday, I have had a similar vision.



matt1124 said:


> They use an outside contractor here. Clip the green POCO only seal, old meter out, new meter in, blue contractor seal back on. In and out, no tools but a cutter. If the socket is bad they *may* ask you to have an EC replace it.


Well, I could show them my state contactors license.
That was my plan if they were to ask me if I was qualified to work on this. Just show them my card.


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## matt1124 (Aug 23, 2011)

I think it will reduce fires around here. When a rental property or apartment changed tenants, POCO would pull the meter and boot the prongs on the load side, then re-install. These guys weren't allowed to touch breakers, they would pull them under heavy load. I've seen so many jaws arced to $***, and repeated in-n-out with and without boots sure wasn't helping.


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