OWL monitor reading vs electricoty meter

easylife73

Hi
Just a general question, sorry if it's a bit of a stupid one! We recently got an OWL monitor as our electricity bills have been higher since having a new meter fitted last August. Am I right in assuming that when it is on the energy setting (as opposed to cost) it should roughly correlate witht the meter reading? For example, if I take a meter reading one day, reset the OWL monitor's cumulative figures to zero and then go back 24 hours later the cumulative figure on the OWL should be the same as the meter reading less the previous day's reading (roughly)?

HappyMJ

They can be wildy inaccurate. My OWL under reads by a lot. The Npower energy monitor I also have over reads by about 20%.

easylife73

Our OWL monitor is reading about half of the electricity meter - so that would be 100% difference!!

moonrakerz

If an energy supplier says this:-



draw your own conclusions !!

penrhyn

OP Check that the sensor is attached to the Live feed to your meter, sounds like you may have it attached to the neutral.

bondy01

My efergy USB reads about 4% higher than the meter. Can you alter the nominal voltage with the OWL as that would affect the accuracy as you can with mine.

grizzly1911

Must admit that I never use mine (EON monitor) for cumulative consumption although it is roughly right I check my meter weekly.

I just watch it for checking it looks right compared to instantaneous load and that I have switched most big things off.

As the lady from Eon said bit of a rough and ready gimmick to nudge us in the right direction.

easylife73

My concern though is that my electricity meter is NOT the most accurate measure of electricity usage - I'm worried that it is not reading correctly, as since having the new meter fitted we have gone from paying an average of £5 per month up to £60 per month! Whilst I accept that the £5 a month we were paying was probably inaccurate (and was probably the reason for the meter being changed), £60 a month seems too high. We are an average family of 4 - I would think £30 a month would be more the right amount. Our latest bill shows 3370 KWh for a quarter - but the newly fitted OWL monitor is giving readings of about half what the meter is saying.

macman

3370kWh per quarter is extremely high for a quarter, unless you are using electricity for heating and hot water. For a house with gas CH and DHW, the average would be around 5000kWh pa.

easylife73

Well exactly - our heating and water are gas, although our cooker is electric.

macman

So something is clearly awry. Your consumption is 3 times what might be expected, if that quarter is replicated for the rest of the year. What is your annual figure?
Immersion heater switch left on 24/7?