Infrastructure improvements - Great! But for who's benefit?

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Since volts x amps = watts, what is the practical difference between watts and VARs?

The only time I've encountered VAs is with battery backup supplies, which stubbornly insist on being rated in VAs while all electronic equipment only lists how much electricity it uses in the more reasonable Watt number.

Ohhhh…you’re inviting a lesson on vector mechanics…

From the viewpoint of the power generation plant, really, nothing. They have to generate it. Unity power factor loads typically have only VA (power). Motor loads, things other than resistive loads, have VA + VAR. The VAR is the current/“power”, sometimes called reactive power, required to create the magnetic field—it does no ”useful work” but still must be generated by the generating plant and transmitted/handled by the power companies.

 

[jsx1043]

At any point in time has it been beneficial to the citizen/consumer for the government to have more control? IF, and it’s a big IF, smart meters turned into a cost-savings measure that benefited the consumer by bringing down their bill to reflect accurate power consumption, then MAYBE. However, every time government gets involved with control of resource that it directly controls to the citizenry, there’s never been a case where it hasn’t been used to a.) control the citizen, or b.) increase the financial interest in those at the top.

And yes, my fly-by understanding is that it’s the power company, not the “government,” but with utility monopolies it’s de facto. Especially in cases where the government creates laws mandating usage of certain products on behalf of those companies.

 

[rhamersley]

Ohhhh…you’re inviting a lesson on vector mechanics…

From the viewpoint of the power generation plant, really, nothing. They have to generate it. Unity power factor loads typically have only VA (power). Motor loads, things other than resistive loads, have VA + VAR. The VAR is the current/“power”, sometimes called reactive power, required to create the magnetic field—it does no ”useful work” but still must be generated by the generating plant and transmitted/handled by the power companies.

 

[Onebad06vtx]

Upon further review....

I think you're onto something there, GFGT.
The mess up top is constructed to bring 7200V into 2 wires down that conduit (red arrow). The cans sitting on the framing are lightning or surge arrestors (blue arrow).
View attachment 231207

Down bottom we have a line wire and load wire going into the large box, presumably where the switch is located (red arrow). It has some sort of control device that is connected to an antenna (presumably the blue arrow).

View attachment 231208

Travelling up and down this road this evening, I found no less than three others in the same configuration within 2 miles. Interesting stuff, would love to have an INGOer that works in the business to explain further.

Wait until the wire scrappers get ahold of these. lol

 

[Ingomike]

Noticed this showed up on my house a couple of weeks ago. Great, the old one was original construction.
View attachment 231154

Looking around the neighborhood over the following days I realized every house in the neighborhood now has this new meter.

Fast forward to today. I'm driving out one of 3 entrances of the neighborhood (the one off of the emergency route road coincidently) and I spy four utility trucks, one with an auger and new large pole. I think "uh oh, somebody took a pole out, again". But I don't see a damaged pole anywhere. Strange.

I come back home some time later, same route and find this is now at the entry to the neighborhood.

View attachment 231157

Now, I am not an EE, but there's a whole lot going on there. It strikes me as a convenient coincidence for these two events occurring in quick succession in an area that has had a pretty stable grid for some time. If you look close, you'll see the meter has an RF ID.

I think the utility has established a gain of function. Comments?

This is what it reads now…

 

[HHollow]

In northern Mexico visiting an old friend. We were about to go out for the day when he asked me the date. It turned out to be the day that his power meter would be read. So he goes to his toolbox and retrieves a meter and then swaps it with the one that was installed. I guess he has a deal with the meter reader and pays a little fee for the alternate meter to not be noticed.

I do not favor the US becoming like a 3rd world lawless schisthole. However, there are extreme options when power is cut because of some far away emergency.