Ampy Electric Meter, What Do The Lights Mean?

Trune
Trune Posts: 66 Forumite
in Energy
Hi All,

We live in a rental property, and i was reading the electric meter the other day, and noticed that mine had a solid red light on, 2 others had flashinig red lights, and the others had no lights on them. They are all the same meters, AMPY single phase. They look like these ones, http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=150241557388&Category=50964&_trksid=p3907.m29

The right hand light of the two is on with my meter.

i was wondering if anyone knows what these 2 lights mean in thier different states? or who i can ask?

The meters say southern electric on them, but im on scotish power now.
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Comments

  • espresso
    espresso Posts: 16,446 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Trune wrote: »
    Hi All,

    We live in a rental property, and i was reading the electric meter the other day, and noticed that mine had a solid red light on, 2 others had flashinig red lights, and the others had no lights on them. They are all the same meters, AMPY single phase. They look like these ones, http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=150241557388&Category=50964&_trksid=p3907.m29

    Above the light (LED) does it not say 1000 imp / kWh? This means that it should flash for each Watt consumed.

    The right hand light of the two is on with my meter.

    The left hand light is not a light but a sensor (optical port)
    ...................
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  • Trune
    Trune Posts: 66 Forumite
    it says something like that, but it was so far away i didnt think it applied to the lights.

    But what does it mean when its on solid? its just lit up red?

    everyone elses is either off or flashing.

    thanks for your reply.
  • espresso
    espresso Posts: 16,446 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Trune wrote: »
    it says something like that, but it was so far away i didnt think it applied to the lights.

    But what does it mean when its on solid? its just lit up red?

    everyone elses is either off or flashing.

    thanks for your reply.

    If it's off, no electricity being used or very little.
    If it's flashing, each flash is one Watt i.e. 1000 flashes = one kWh or one unit.
    If it's on continuously ??? Is it always on continuously? It may be faulty. Are the digits incrementing fast?
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  • Trune
    Trune Posts: 66 Forumite
    No its not always on, it seems to be on when i leave for work, but off when i get home.

    The digits are going fast, 2 units yesterday, normally 20ish a week so far.
  • espresso
    espresso Posts: 16,446 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Trune wrote: »
    No its not always on, it seems to be on when i leave for work, but off when i get home.

    The digits are going fast, 2 units yesterday, normally 20ish a week so far.

    Twenty units per week is quite low consumption i.e. just over 1000 per annum, when the average is over 3000.
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  • Trune
    Trune Posts: 66 Forumite
    we have just moved in, havent got alot of stuff really. no microwave, only a freezer thats always on, and one tele which doesnt get watched alot.

    So at the moment its not the best of examples.
  • sparkle_SC
    sparkle_SC Posts: 16 Forumite
    You say it's flashing when you leave for work - do you have storage heaters? If so it would be the energy they are consuming that is causing the flash. Also I know from my house that the morning is when everything is on - kettle, lights, shower, tv etc
  • dunloadin
    dunloadin Posts: 359 Forumite
    The red light on these meters is the equivalent of the old 'spinning wheel', the more electricity being consumed the quicker it flashes....have a look at it the next time you stick the kettle on, bet it flashes quicker then!

    If its on solid red then it could be that you caught it whilst it's on a flash, but as you use such a small amount of lekkie it will take a while to go off again. it could also mean that it has been wired up wrong...highly unlikley as the meter is showing an increase in consumption.
  • Trune
    Trune Posts: 66 Forumite
    no, havent got storage heaters.

    the lights on for at least 30 seconds while i stand there, obviosuly i havent watched it all day, but i have seen it lit up for a while a few times.

    Ive seen it flash before too, and the other 7 meters seem to just be flashing now and again.

    isnt there user guides for these things or anything?
  • espresso
    espresso Posts: 16,446 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    dunloadin wrote: »
    If its on solid red then it could be that you caught it whilst it's on a flash, but as you use such a small amount of lekkie it will take a while to go off again. it could also mean that it has been wired up wrong...highly unlikley as the meter is showing an increase in consumption.

    It doesn't work like that as Mark Benton would say! A flash is a flash e.g. one impulse or flash = one unit.
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