Smartmeters -- some questions.

[Baitball Blogger]

So the electric company replaced our old meters with smartmeters yesterday. Some questions: Is there a concern for us who might sleep in a bed that backs up to the same wall that has a smartmeter on the other side. It will be problematic for us, because we would have to toss out our bedroom wall unit and buy a smaller bed to flip the furniture arrangement.

And second question: Is there a product out there that can measure your radiation exposure from all the RF that you might be exposing yourself to?

I thought this was woo, until I read the article below:

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/smart-meters.html

[jberryhill]

1. WTF?

You clearly didn't read that article.

Do you have WiFi in your house? Do you sleep near a cell phone?

If you had actually read the article, then how did you miss this part:


"Because, the amount of RF radiation you could be exposed to from a smart meter is much less than what you could be exposed to from a cell phone, it is very unlikely that living in a house with a smart meter increases risk of cancer."


"Because the low levels of energy from RF radiation have not been clearly shown to cause problems even at close range, it isn’t clear that lowering exposure to RF radiation has health benefits."

You actually read that article?

I don't believe you did.

[Baitball Blogger]

3. I did read it. But, wouldn't it be naive to think that there isn't an

accumulation of all of these exposures? We have wifi all over the house with speakers and security cameras. At some point, wouldn't it be smart to stop and appraise the exposure? Or do we just stupidly pile on?

[jberryhill]

7. What you said is this:

"I thought this was woo, until I read the article below"

The "article below" does absolutely nothing to suggest there is any health concern.

Saying "I did read it. But, wouldn't it be naive to think [something which the article in no way supports]" doesn't change the fact that the article in no way supports your concern.

Yes, it is naive to think that the American Cancer Society is not likewise perfectly aware that people use all sorts of RF devices on a regular basis, and that this is another one. It would never occur to them that people had more than one such device.

"We have wifi all over the house with speakers and security cameras"

But because you installed a smart meter, then you have to re-arrange the bedroom? Get a piece of artwork, put sheet metal behind it (or get one of those paintings on metal that are popular) and knock yourself out.

But the "I didn't think it was woo until" + (link to long article that a lot of people won't read but which contradicts thesis) thing is kind of neat.

[Baitball Blogger]

10. jberryhill. Do you sleep with your smartphone next to your ear?

I'm guessing you don't. I put mine more than four feet away. And I assume, because it's not in use, that the handshakes that come in periodically are not a huge exposure.

This meter, I did not install. I know nothing about it, so I don't have a clue what kind of exposure is involved. And is this one article the most reliable source? I don't know that either, but I put it on DU for some airing, specifically for that reason. If it is not a reliable source, should you be quoting from it as if it is?

[jberryhill]

15. "And is this one article the most reliable source?"

It was the article you posted from the American Cancer Society.

Is the American Cancer Society a reliable source of information about cancer? Well, I would imagine they are much more reliable than a lot of other potential sources.

But if you don't think it is reliable, then why did you link to it to "support" your contention that concern about smart meters "is not woo" when the article goes out of its way to state that there is no reason to believe there is a problem?

You are calling me out for daring to quote from the article you posted? Really?

[Baitball Blogger]

16. Full disclosure: I don't profess to be an expert on the subject,

and never alluded to being an expert. The post was made in the form of a query. Hence the title, "Smartmeters - some questions."

I wasn't pushing an agenda. I was trying to gather information. And people should be free to come onto DU to gather data. I'm sorry if that kind of thing sets off your woo-meter. But it's all part of the process of learning. If that makes you feel superior, a la orden.

[jberryhill]

19. I'm not an expert either

I was quoting from the article you posted, from an organization which possesses relevant expertise, and didn't expect to be called out on quoting from a source which you identified as having relevant expertise.

I do have a fair amount of expertise in understanding electromagnetic wave propagation in relatively salty aqueous solutions, however.

[Baitball Blogger]

21. Well, now you know jberryhill.

Some of us come onto DU with questions and no real knowledge of where to begin to get those questions answered. The source we post may be the one that has some convincing evidence, but we post it with the intention of gathering other people's opinions. So, it would be helpful if you scrutinize and provide your opinion on the data, and not direct your ire out on us, just because we are stupid fucks on the subject at that particular moment and time.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. Is appraised by many regulatory agencies, consumer watchdogs, & others. Many other bigger problems

* Indoor pollution from great overuse of products like carpet cleaners, oven cleaners, cosmetics, cleaning sprays, ....
* Outgassing from furniture foam, carpets, glues, plastic, car interiors, ....
* Air pollution
* Global warming
* Viruses
* Traffic accidents
* High fructose corn syrup and highly processed foods
* Lack of exercise

Maintain a sense of proportion, please.

[Baitball Blogger]

11. Still assessing the dimensions of the problem.

Thank you for your informative input. I have knocked out high fructose corn syrup because of the negative effects it had on me. Would have tipped me into the diabetic column if I had continued to ingest it at the level I was doing at that time. Didn't realize it was the source of the problem until I began to see articles come up on the subject.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. The dimensions of total RF immersion have been assessed. It is not a problem. . . . nt

[Bonx]

2. I'd ask Dale Gribble

[SidDithers]

4. "Smart meters cause cancer" is one of my go-to checks...

when evaluating the reliability of a website offering medical advice.

Others include positions on vaccinations / autism, and water fluoridation.

Social distancing is a recent addition.

Sid

[Baitball Blogger]

5. Thanks, Sid.

[jberryhill]

8. 5G, Sid... My god, they use 5G!

[SidDithers]

18. The stupid knows no bounds...

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/conspiracy-theorists-burn-5g-towers-claiming-link-virus-70258811


Sid

[Midnightwalk]

13. Social distancing?!?

Are they claiming that causes cancer now or is it some other malady?

Asking for a friend who has long term exposure to social distancing. Is there anything in particular he should ask my doctor to check for?

[SidDithers]

17. Maybe I should have said "social distancing skepticism"...

or "downplaying COVID-19"



Sid

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. At those frequencies, effects noted only at inch or millimeters. And reduced by walls. Which is why

Which is why the RF transmitter for the meter is on the outside of the house, not inside.

Radiation falls off as the square of distance. So X amount at 6 mm is X/4 at 12 mm, X/16 at 25 mm (one inch), X/1024 at 4 inches, etc. The smart meter info is collected by a neighbourhood receiver, typically on a telephone pole, and then sent via internet to the power company. So it doesn't even have to be as powerful as the cell phone you chat on for hours millimetres from your brain.

[haele]

14. Probably less RF radiation than a modern wifi CPAP machine that can record apnea episodes.

And those have been tested for radiation safety as part of the approval process.
Also, most people don't realize how much low-level RF is present in the modern Western lifestyle - not counting ambient natural radiation present whether it's day or night. A smart meter is like adding another remote device to your NEST or adding a Ring doorbell. Or a "smart" refrigerator.
Or if you live in a high-density neighborhood or apartment complex situation, any of your neighbors with a WiFi device, modem or repeater within 50 ft. of your pillow.
Certainly not as worrisome as having a primary cell tower, high voltage grid lines, or a power substation a hundred feet or so away.
If you are worried, contact the local EPA. We've had a Smart Meter for two years now, and we haven't noticed any difference with our household smart devices near the MPOE where the meter is located, which would logically be the first indication that there may be higher levels of radiation transmission. Especially since we are one of the few of the park residents that have 100a input. (Previous owner had several heavy amperage medical devices, a huge HVAC unit, and a chest freezer, so he had a bigger line and circuit box put in).

Haele

[MineralMan]

20. If you are worried about that, then you need to enclose your home in

a Faraday cage. You have RF radiation all around you, all the time. Your smart meter is a very low-power transmitter that poses little to no risk to anyone or anything. Your cell phone has far more power when transmitting than any smart meter, and you hold it up to your ear when making calls. Even if you use wired earbuds to make or receive calls, you still are getting more RF radiation from your phone than that meter produces.

If you use Bluetooth earbuds, then you have an RF transmitter in one or both ears.

And never mind wifi. That fills your entire home with UHF radiation. If it didn't it wouldn't work for you to use wherever you are in your home.

Then, there are digital TV signals, AM and FM radio signals, and a host of other RF sources that surround you with RF radiation 24/7. If it were not so, you couldn't listen to a radio or watch over the air TV transmissions.

I have a home-built crystal radio that uses an LED as a detector diode. It lights up when the radio is receiving a radio signal. Amazing, huh? At has no other power but that which comes from an AM radio transmitter located miles from my house.

So, your smart meter isn't something you should worry about. Nope.

[Baitball Blogger]

22. I have an ex-military friend who told me that her house was made to order, using

aluminum for the roof. I have seen photos of her house and it's all upscale, so that isn't a pre-fab or motorhome option. She once worked in in security. I really need to ask her the obvious questions.

And, thank you for a cordial response.

[NutmegYankee]

23. I hate to tell you this, but the radio and tv stations are blasting you with RF right now.

It’s going straight through your body. As is static radiation, which is the “popcorn static” from old TVs.

And no, you’ll be fine.