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Thread ID: 77023 2007-02-24 10:35:00 power usage meter robsonde (120) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
527726 2007-02-25 03:12:00 Interesting . That's not the way we do it here - in New Zealand, every home has a Kilowatt-hour meter at the entry point to the house, and the meter is checked by the power company every couple of months or so . That way you pay for exactly what you use - no more, no less .

Many older homes have it the same way here too . . . a simple meter . . . but the trend has been to the new "broadcasting" type units that have the ability to meter according to highpoint usage .

Commercial businesses have almost had this as standard for I don't know how many years now . . especially big, energy suckers like hospitals and manufacturing sites .

With the advent of the broadcasting meters where the reader doesn't even have to get outta the truck and feed his legs to the dogs and wild kids on the property, we never see the meter readers any more . . . just their trucks . .
SurferJoe46 (51)
527727 2007-02-25 03:20:00 Interesting. That's not the way we do it here - in New Zealand, every home has a Kilowatt-hour meter at the entry point to the house, and the meter is checked by the power company every couple of months or so. That way you pay for exactly what you use - no more, no less.


Well, not exactly.

There's a daily supply charge, no matter how many/few units you use.
So that can penalise low users.
(I pay through the nose for a rarely-occupied property - just to keep a freezer running there. My choice, of course)
Laura (43)
527728 2007-02-25 08:46:00 Jaycar have one
www.jaycar.co.nz
PaulD (232)
527729 2007-02-25 09:01:00 But the Jaycar one is "out of stock" . . .

A common domestic type electronic kWh meter (as used by your power company in the meter box) is about $30 wholesale .

An extension flex is about $6 at Mitre 10 .

Highly accurate and cheap . . . . if you know how to connect it to the plug and socket of the flex . If not "don't try this at home" .

DSE used to sell a kit that is good, but it is no longer stocked .
godfather (25)
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