New Critical Problem with ‘Smart’ Meters
Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Opt-Out
Ironically, now that PG&E, Seattle City Light, Consumers Energy, DTE and other utilities is offering to disable the wireless RF function (for a hefty price) in their smart meters, we find that there’s yet another extremely critical problem with the meters.
Just when you thought you had mastered all the esoteric acronyms such RF Mesh, 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz ZigBee, and all the problems with ‘smart’ meters, here’s one more: Switching-Mode Power Supply or SMPS. This new element in the ‘smart’ meter controversy deserves immediate full official and public attention.
In our on-going investigation into why so-called ‘smart’ meters being installed by PG&E, DTE, Consumers Energy, Duke Energy and many utilities against rising public opposition are causing so many people to be sick, and so many problems with other electric and electronic equipment, we have been fortunate to obtain the advice of electrical engineers.
On examination of typical meters, including ABB, GE, ITRON and Landis+Gyr, and many others they report that, in addition to its RF transmitter, each wireless digital meter also has a component called the ‘switching-mode power supply’ (SMPS) – switching power supply for short. Its function is to ‘step down’ the 240v alternating current (AC) coming in from the utility pole power lines to the 3.3 to 12 volts of direct current (DC) required to run the meter’s digital electronics which record the electricity usage data and send out the various RF transmissions.
The SMPS function emits sharp spikes of millisecond bursts constantly, 24/7. The SMPS on the commonly used Silver Springs Network, OWS 514 NIC model, for instance, which is within the smart meter models widely installed by PG&E and other utilities throughout their territory, has been measured to emit spikes of up to 50,000 Hz and higher. This constant pulsing of high frequencies, in addition to the RF function, is causing not only interference with other electric and electronic equipment in many homes with smart meters installed, but also is causing havoc with biological systems in its field of exposure. (See Wikipedia and Prevention Magazine articles).
Dirty Electricity (also called EMC)
When current flows through the wiring of a building it generates a surrounding electromagnetic and radio frequency field that radiates outward all around the wires at right angles to the direction of the current’s flow and reaches out into the room. This actually a class of emissions call Electro Magnetic Conducted emissions formally called EMC. It is called a conducted emissions because the emissions travels on the wires of the facility or home. There is a FCC limit specification of this emission classified in two classes of devices, Class A and Class B. Class B is the most restrictive and is defined for typically a computer or other electronic device such as the Smart Meter. The Smart Meter must pass Class B specifications. If you read the attached reference here you will see the limits that it must pass.
There are a few issues in the FCC specification that are not obvious to the reader of these articles above. One is that the FCC specifications are all based on readings in Root Mean Square (RMS) measurements, what this does is reduce the measurement of the magnitude of the peak value to a lower value. For example we all know that the standard outlet in the wall of our home is typically called 120 Volts AC. However the peak value of 120 Volts RMS is actually 177 Volts AC at its peak. The same is true with conducted emissions so while the Class B specification limits the emission to 250 µV RMS starting at 450 KHz up to 30 MHz this does not indicate what the permitted peak voltages can be. Also if you study the reference in Module 11 in the link above you will see a discussion of a test setup called a LISN. For an electronic power supply to pass the FCC EMC tests it has to use this test setup. You will notice that the LISN has a reference to ground (called the green wire), however the Smart Meter has no connection to ground so it is questionable if the Smart Meter could ever pass this test for EMC. So if the Smart Meter meets all FCC requirements how it can be possible to pass FCC Class B specification since in Situ (in actual use) there is no ground connection is questionable.
It is well known that switching power supplies can generate spikes of so-called electromagnetic interference (EMI), or high frequency transients, which then travel along the wiring in the walls, radiating outward in the wiring’s electromagnetic field.
Such spikes are known as ‘dirty electricity’ and can be conducted to a human body that is within the range of the radiating field. This function is on all smart meters used by all utilities and is on constantly, 24/7.
[For more on dirty electricity check out Dr. Sam Milham’s website and his new book, DIRTY ELECTRICITY: Electrification and the Diseases of Civilization.
One of the engineers explains it this way:
“Extensive measurements have demonstrated that all of the meters measured so far, including ITRON, ABB, GE, and Landis+Gyr, and Sensus emit noise on the customer’s electric wiring in the form of high frequency voltage spikes, typically with an amplitude of 2 volts, but a frequency anywhere from 4,000 Hertz, up to 60,000 Hz. The actual frequency of the phenomena is influenced by the devices that are plugged into the customer’s power. Some houses are much worse than others, and this observation has been confirmed by Smart Meter installers that have talked to us.”
Wikipedia agrees that SMPSs have this drawback:
“Disadvantages include greater complexity, the generation of high-amplitude, high-frequency energy that the low-pass filter must block to avoid electromagnetic interference (EMI), and a ripple voltage at the switching frequency and the harmonic frequencies thereof.
Very low cost SMPSs may couple electrical switching noise back onto the mains power line, causing interference with A/V equipment connected to the same phase. Non-power-factor-corrected SMPSs also cause harmonic distortion.”
Another Fatal Flaw in ‘Smart’ Meters
Our consultants believe that it is this ‘dirty electricity’ generated by the e-meters’ switching power supplies that is a major contributor to the symptoms being reported by growing numbers of people in association with the e-meters thus far installed.
The ‘opt-out-for-a-price’ arrangement put forward by PG&E and other Utilities, in which the wireless meters would, at the ratepayer’s expense, have its RF transmitting function turned off, would still not eliminate the ‘dirty electricity’ flowing into the buildings wiring, and so would not prevent negative health effects in the building’s occupants.
This is further reason for the CPUC to declare a temporary moratorium on e-meter deployment, and schedule a fully transparent public hearing on all aspects of the meters’ operation
Sign up for weekly news
DISCLAIMER NOTICE OF RESULTS YOU MAY HAVE, FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE, GENERAL DISCLAIMER, PRIVACY STATEMENT
DISCLAIMER NOTICE OF RESULTS YOU MAY HAVE In the text of this web page/site there may be descriptions of results, achievements or accomplishments of one nature or another that an individual or other entity could possibly realize.
The Publisher does not warrant, represent or suggest in any way, that these results, achievements or accomplishments can be expected to be realized, by any person or other entity. The results, achievements or accomplishments that may be discussed on this web page/site are not to be interpreted as average, typical or expected. The results, achievements or accomplishments of any person or other entity could be more, less, the same or there may be no results, achievements or accomplishments at all.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
This web page and this web site may have hyperlinks contained within them, that will result in fee being paid to the Publisher if you click on them.
This web page and this web site may have hyperlinks contained within them, that if clicked, will take you to a sales page or sales presentation, where if you decide to purchase the product or service that is presented, the Publisher may possibly earn a commission.
GENERAL DISCLAIMER
This website is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied. The Publisher makes no representations or warranties in relation to this web page/site or the information and materials provided on this web page/site.
Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the Publisher does not warrant that:
– this web page/site will be constantly available, or available at all; or – the information on this web page/site is complete, true, accurate or non-misleading.
Nothing on this web page/site constitutes, or is meant to constitute, advice of any kind. If you require advice in relation to any legal, financial, medical or other matter you should consult an appropriate professional. This web page/site is intended for entertainment purposes only.
PRIVACY STATEMENT
Your privacy is important to the Publisher. This privacy statement provides information about the personal information that the Publisher collects, and the ways in which the Publisher uses that personal information.
Your Personal Information Is Strictly Guarded. The Publisher does not rent, sell, share, loan, barter or in any way disclose your personal information to any person or organization outside of the Publisher’s company.
Personal information
The Publisher may collect and use the following kinds of personal information:
– information about your use of this web page/site such as the pages that you visit – information that you provide using for the purpose of registering with the web page/site such as your opting into a mailing list and providing your email address – any other information that you send to the Publisher such as entering a ticket into the Publisher’s help desk system
Securing your data
The Publisher will take reasonable technical and organizational precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of your personal information.
The Publisher will store all the personal information you provide on its secure servers.
Other websites
This web page/site contains links to other websites.
The Publisher is not responsible for the privacy policies or practices of any third party.
Publisher Information: Midwest Research Corp. (M.R. Corp.) P.O Box 2256 Fairfield, IA 52556 USA
This web page/site disclaimer is based, in part, on a precedent created by template-contracts.co.uk and published by freenetlaw.com