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Questions about Smart Meters

David James

One of our members has asked some questions about smart meters. If you can answer any of these questions, or shed some light on them, then please reply. The questions are:

  1. Both my electricity meter [in the hall] and gas meter [outside] are in metal cabinets. Is this going to interfere with any signal a smart meter generates and tries to send?
  2. While my electricity meter has an available source of power, the gas meter does not. Do they rely on being fed with power?
  3. I understand that if I do not want a smart meter and the supplier insists, I can require it to be in dumb mode. How can I check that this has been done?
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    1) yes, to some extent it will affect the exact shape of the radiation pattern around the antenna, however unless the box has very good connectivity between all its parts, there will be enough escaping where doors and frame panels meet to give a respectable signal. The dynamic range of the radio systems is well over a million to one in power level, to accommodate the path loss changes with varying ranges and location. Unless you are at the very edge of the coverage area, or in a location already marginal, a metal box is unlikely to stop it working. If you are then designs with external antennas are available. (much as a mobile phone works better out of a car, but in an area with good coverage still works from inside it.)

    2)The gas meter has a battery sealed in it, and it will need changing after a number of years (about ten, typically) As a result it makes less frequent and lower power transmissions, and most designs require some sort of repeater, usually as part of a local network including the electricity meter.

    3) An RF spectrum analyser  with a test antenna taking peak hold readings for a few hours is the sure fire way,  but most folk believe the supplier ;-)

    Mike

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    1) yes, to some extent it will affect the exact shape of the radiation pattern around the antenna, however unless the box has very good connectivity between all its parts, there will be enough escaping where doors and frame panels meet to give a respectable signal. The dynamic range of the radio systems is well over a million to one in power level, to accommodate the path loss changes with varying ranges and location. Unless you are at the very edge of the coverage area, or in a location already marginal, a metal box is unlikely to stop it working. If you are then designs with external antennas are available. (much as a mobile phone works better out of a car, but in an area with good coverage still works from inside it.)

    2)The gas meter has a battery sealed in it, and it will need changing after a number of years (about ten, typically) As a result it makes less frequent and lower power transmissions, and most designs require some sort of repeater, usually as part of a local network including the electricity meter.

    3) An RF spectrum analyser  with a test antenna taking peak hold readings for a few hours is the sure fire way,  but most folk believe the supplier ;-)

    Mike

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Community Rules & Guidelines