If this is what I think you are talking about, about 5 minutes.

(though this isnt the company you are probably dealing with it may take about the same amount of time)
Source(s):
http://www.pge.com/myhome/customerservice/meter/smartmeter/howsystemworks/

Permalink | Report

In all of the research I’ve done, I’ve yet to see a great/reasonably priced “do it yourself” smart meter out there. The vast majority of smart meters are being installed by electric companies who are subsequently rolling our programs to incent people to utilize “off peak” energy.

In terms of home use, the best suggestion I can make is to buy an energy meter that measures energy use on an individual appliance (Here’s one for sale for less than $25 on Amazon: http://bit.ly/13c2i). Plug your major appliances in for a day/week/month at a time and then move it around from one appliance to another to get an idea of which appliances are using the most energy and costing you the most money. You may find you’ll be surprised at where your energy is being used and how easily you can cut back your usage/cost.

As for a whole house system – you’re probably best off waiting for your utility to roll out a program. But don’t just sit back and wait – call them up and ask what their plans are and see if you can be involved in an initial rollout.
Permalink | Report