Submetering part of the property technical issues

threedee

So it happens that i have to submeter my part of the property, since shared electrics on a card meter is not a good thing for mental health...Dont ask.

I can easily insert a meter between me and other party (no need to break walls and whatnot), question is what sort of meter should i get (and where, and for how much, etc, etc...)

This was caused by constantly ongoing dispute over who pays what. I know for a fact that i cannot use more than certain amount of electricity and need solid proof, hence separate meter.

I am not interested in those fancy clip-on sensor and wireless monitor thingies, i need a proper meter with kWh and load readouts, meaning analogue wont do, need digital with some analytical capabilities, that is wired physically into the circuit.

Been on ebay looking for meters, but i honestly dont know a first thing about UK meter models out there. I have someone who can install it, but i need to choose the meter first.

Any ideas are appreciated.

kippen_noedel

don't know if it's allowed but I'd consider

separating the ring main to the other rooms and putting a coin meter on it

threedee

All i need is a meter with correct ongoing usage and current kWh load readouts not screwing around with cards and coins. Plus, i'm on the receiving end of this stick and onus is on me to prove i'm right. Other party is a landlord and he most definitely wont take coin meter for himself.

PasturesNew

I had a house with two meters. On the main meter, one of the fuses simply lead to the 2nd meter, the 2nd meter was just used for reading purposes... sounds dodgy though doesn't it. No idea what was actually connected to it. I lived there alone so just ignored it.

I think the main problems will be if you're both on the same floor. In that case it might be that all the lights on one floor are in one ring, all the sockets are in another. It's likely to be easier if you're on a separate floor each, as it's more likely that each fuse will lead out to rings you can separate. e.g. one might be to lights on the 1st floor, another to lights on ground floor.

Could end up getting very tricky though.

threedee

In my case i have it pretty easy - the thick cable runs from the meter throuh the back of the house outside in a plastic pipe that connects all the sockets and lights in my half of the property. Its a matter of cutting the cable off, inserting a meter and thats it. My meter will show what only I use, while main one will show sum of mine and landlords. Simple maths to calculate how much i owe for the month.

Problem is that in this particular case i cannot count on council to mediate (again, dont ask), and NIE being lazy !!! morons wouldn't come round for at least half a rear to check wiring/install separate meter (asked them, thats their reply). And then there's issue of paying the installation etc etc etc. easiest is to get meter inserted. My question is WHAT meter, model, make ??? no idea ?

dunloadin

You'll need a single rate credit meter, if you have storage heating you'll need 2, one for the domestic circuit, one for the heating circuit. It will need to be fitted in series to the incomming supply to the flat....i.e. before the supply gets to your fusebox.

To do this safely you will need to cut power to the whole building and pull the main DNO fuse...this involves breaking seals and is frowned upon in most areas (and illegal if not certified). You will also need to get the permission of your landlord to knock the power off, if he's got unsaved work on a computer and the power goes off he's not gonna be happy. Also if the main fuse is put back in with a load on the house it could be very dangerous (and can blow fuses further down the line causing power to be lost in a lot of houses).

Also if your 'mate' wires up the meter incorrectly and cocks up your polarity then expect to have a 'shocking' time at some point in the near future.

The reason why us 'morons' don't come round the day after you ask for work to be done is because the job your asking them to do dosent exist; I've yet to get a job to fit a private meter! You will need a seperate supply and an MPAN number to be generated before any work will take place, and that won't happen unless the landlord says yes.

Premier_2

threedee wrote: »

...I can easily insert a meter between me and other party (no need to break walls and whatnot), ...

Are you sure?
Lighting is usually on a separate circuit to sockets. The separate cicuits are split at the consumer board.
Only if the property was originally wired up for separate metered supplies would it usually be easy.

Premier_2

dunloadin wrote: »

...
The reason why us 'morons' don't come round the day after you ask for work to be done is because the job your asking them to do dosent exist; I've yet to get a job to fit a private meter! You will need a seperate supply and an MPAN number to be generated before any work will take place, and that won't happen unless the landlord says yes.

I believe the OP is looking for a private sub-meter, not a new independent metered supply.

Premier_2

threedee wrote: »

...I am not interested in those fancy clip-on sensor and wireless monitor thingies,...

Why not? It'll give you effectively the same thing as a meter.

If you suspect the landlord will not believe it to be accurate or that you may have disconnected/bypassed the clip for some time, the same could be said for any private meter.