Help with my dissertation (1 Viewer)

The Reverend Skyblue

Well-Known Member
Hope Nick doesn't mind me doing this, if you do Nick delete this.

For people who don't know I'm a very very very mature student, (54 yrs old) at the University of East Anglia and I am nearing the end of my third and final year of an Energy Engineering degree.
my dissertation subject is Smart Meter systems and if their introduction has helped change consumers energy use behaviour , yea I know it could be boring to most but strangely I'm interested in it and its the field/sector I would prefer to go into if/when I graduate this July.
I've created a simple four question survey on this, it should take approx 3.1 seconds to complete as I've tried to make them either a multi guess or a simple one word answer.
For legitimacy and to be accepted my professor said I need to receive over 100 responses to use in my report, so far I've got 60 so could the kind and understanding posters on this site who have a smart meter installed answer the survey. If anyone could post the survey link on to family and friends I will be eternally grateful.
Thanks

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PRBD88K
If any link problems let me know. This site is very secure and no data is shared apart with my good self.
 

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Captain Dart

Well-Known Member
Don't have one, I keep getting pestered to have one fitted but my usage is pretty much unchanged.

All that matters to me is bottom line.
 

The Reverend Skyblue

Well-Known Member
Captain even though you don't have one if you could shar it with friends I would be grateful and could hit my target by end of Feb.
I would recommend having one, I save money by having one as your current usage is always displayed and if the dreaded red light comes on you know you are using lots of energy at that moment.My bill has gone down £25 a month since having one, it's more accurate and shows how much you are using.
Thanks anyway for looking.
 

Captain Dart

Well-Known Member
Captain even though you don't have one if you could shar it with friends I would be grateful and could hit my target by end of Feb.
I would recommend having one, I save money by having one as your current usage is always displayed and if the dreaded red light comes on you know you are using lots of energy at that moment.My bill has gone down £25 a month since having one, it's more accurate and shows how much you are using.
Thanks anyway for looking.

No thanks, I believe they do not necessarily provide secure connections and allow a back door to your network or intelligent controllers.
I do work on embedded firmware so I have some idea about the path manufacturers take to launch and develop products.
The other drawback I'm wary of is how transferable the meter is between suppliers if & when I want to change.

I will give it a few years yet as I'm not a big power user anyway and I would like to be happy the issues I believe exist have been ironed out.
 

The Reverend Skyblue

Well-Known Member
No thanks, I believe they do not necessarily provide secure connections and allow a back door to your network or intelligent controllers.
I do work on embedded firmware so I have some idea about the path manufacturers take to launch and develop products.
The other drawback I'm wary of is how transferable the meter is between suppliers if & when I want to change.

I will give it a few years yet as I'm not a big power user anyway and I would like to be happy the issues I believe exist have been ironed out.
I disagree about security of your data but agree atm about the issues regarding changing supplier, it's one of the main problems facing smart energy systems .
My dissretatation is regarding behavioural change only, not the politics behind them.
Anyway thanks for looking at my thread , if you do have friends with SM's if you could share I'd be grateful
 

The Reverend Skyblue

Well-Known Member
A massive thanks to all who have so far done the survey. I'm up to 71 which means 16 in the last 36 hours. I just need another 29 to hit my target by the end of Feb. If anyone has shared it amongst family and friends a big thankyou
Thanks to all again
 

The Reverend Skyblue

Well-Known Member
Thanks Nath and jelly, really appreciate you doing it.
Just need another 25 before end of Feb when I have to present the survey to a panel of professors
 

Nathccfc

Well-Known Member
Thanks Nath and jelly, really appreciate you doing it.
Just need another 25 before end of Feb when I have to present the survey to a panel of professors
I know how important it is to get subjects for your dissertation, it's hard. Mine was harder, it was January so freezing cold and had to try and get footballers to an agility test and a sprint test when they don't really want to.

Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk
 

The Reverend Skyblue

Well-Known Member
I totally agree nath, on top of finding a subject its very difficult to find one thats interesting. I find mine not to bad but i have to write 20,000 words on it which is so hard to do.
I am about half way through the word count, but i also have to do a presentation in front of a panel of so called experts then design a poster as the final task.
Its been so tough this degree, i always thought students were lazy buggers before i started this but though some are bone idle the ones on my course have worked their bollocks off for 3 years.
Anyway i'm 22 short off my magic total so thanks again to all have done it and i hope i can get across the line with it
 
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Nick

Administrator
Went to do it, but don't have a smart meter. Reminds me actually I need to submit meter readings tonight, keep forgetting!

What's your degree in?
 

tisza

Well-Known Member
Done.

Remember doing my Masters (that was 30.000 words) ironically now was to do with UK role in future of EU and further integration.
Almost down the road from you at Essex (were big rivals back then in the 90s. always used to be a set-to in the bars after matches).
Thesis was hard but having to lead seminars etc. with hung-over freshers (if they bothered to turn up) was probably the worst part.
 

The Reverend Skyblue

Well-Known Member
Went to do it, but don't have a smart meter. Reminds me actually I need to submit meter readings tonight, keep forgetting!

What's your degree in?
Nick my degree is Energy Engineering with Environmental Management, bit of a long winded name but its all about renewable energy basically.
I want to either go into Smart metering or i would love to work at Sizewell B nuclear plant which is just down the road.
 

The Reverend Skyblue

Well-Known Member
Done.

Remember doing my Masters (that was 30.000 words) ironically now was to do with UK role in future of EU and further integration.
Almost down the road from you at Essex (were big rivals back then in the 90s. always used to be a set-to in the bars after matches).
Thesis was hard but having to lead seminars etc. with hung-over freshers (if they bothered to turn up) was probably the worst part.
Funnily enough the class , 25 others, they go out boozing just once a week as they say its too expensive.
Bloody pansies, they should be ashamed of themselves.
Thanks for doing the survey.
 

tisza

Well-Known Member
Funnily enough the class , 25 others, they go out boozing just once a week as they say its too expensive.
Bloody pansies, they should be ashamed of themselves.
Thanks for doing the survey.
lazy buggers.
We had an American PHd student who made moonshine in his research lab - kept the cost down. :)
 

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