Broken meter?

m5rcc · 21 January 2012 at 1:32PM

I wonder if anyone could give me any advice on where I stand.

Checked my dual fuel account with npower and it would appear I was in credit by over £200, which a little odd as it was winter and I would expect to be in debit if anything. I checked my meter readings and entered my latest figures, but it would appear that although my electricity supply works, my meter does not work, or at least the normal/day meter does not move as it is stuck on a its number and has been since the last reading in August 2011.

The Schlumberger meter shows lights and the night/low rate meter appears to work fine but the seal is broken. I have not personally touched it but I have had a new boiler installed in the last year and earthing has been attached to the meter/fusebox.

Where do I stand with regards to payment? How can they calculate what I truly owe? I am not trying evade payment as I am in credit but how can they know how much I have used? I have been with my latest electricity provider since August 2011.

DVardysShadow · 21 January 2012 at 1:44PM

m5rcc wrote: »

... The Schlumberger meter shows lights and the night/low rate meter appears to work fine but the seal is broken. I have not personally touched it but I have had a new boiler installed in the last year and earthing has been attached to the meter/fusebox.

If a seal has been broken, you should contact your supplier and advise them sooner rather than having it discovered by a meter reader.

The implications depend upon which seal [of several] was broken and what may have been done to the meter. Can you describe which seal is broken? And is the night rate meter recording your day use?

m5rcc · 21 January 2012 at 1:48PM

DVardysShadow wrote: »

If a seal has been broken, you should contact your supplier and advise them sooner rather than having it discovered by a meter reader.

The implications depend upon which seal [of several] was broken and what may have been done to the meter. Can you describe which seal is broken? And is the night rate meter recording your day use?

That's the irony, meter readers come our way probably every two months and have never noticed it. Then again, neither have I. I have explained when I called them yesterday that the meter appears to have stopped and they are coming in two weeks to check.

My query is regarding payment. Where do I stand on that?

m5rcc · 21 January 2012 at 1:57PM

Said seal:

DVardysShadow · 21 January 2012 at 3:16PM

m5rcc wrote: »

That's the irony, meter readers come our way probably every two months and have never noticed it. Then again, neither have I. I have explained when I called them yesterday that the meter appears to have stopped and they are coming in two weeks to check.

My query is regarding payment. Where do I stand on that?

OK, useful shot of seal. This is more of There be Dragons beyond type of seal, although revenue tampering could happen behind that seal. But it is not the most serious seal to break. A wider shot of the meter and the time switch would be useful, particularly if it shows the work which you mentioned. It may be that there was a reason to break the seal. And it may be that the timeswitch has been inadvertently disconnected. The connections all live behind that seal.

As for payment, well, I am interested to know whether the night meter is recording your day usage. The normal way to proceed is by estimate. If the night rate is actually recording day time usage, it is easier, because there is less argument. You will know how many units have been used and you will only be left to argue over how many are day and how many night.

m5rcc · 21 January 2012 at 3:24PM

DVardysShadow wrote: »

OK, useful shot of seal. This is more of There be Dragons beyond type of seal, although revenue tampering could happen behind that seal. But it is not the most serious seal to break. A wider shot of the meter and the time switch would be useful, particularly if it shows the work which you mentioned. It may be that there was a reason to break the seal. And it may be that the timeswitch has been inadvertently disconnected. The connections all live behind that seal.

As for payment, well, I am interested to know whether the night meter is recording your day usage. The normal way to proceed is by estimate. If the night rate is actually recording day time usage, it is easier, because there is less argument. You will know how many units have been used and you will only be left to argue over how many are day and how many night.

OK - this is what I have:

1. My "electricity meter":

2. Close up of the meter in question

3. The bottom reading appears to be stuck on "40099", yet the top one works fine (or at least it does according to my bill:

DVardysShadow · 21 January 2012 at 3:41PM

m5rcc wrote: »

3. The bottom reading appears to be stuck on "40099", yet the top one works fine (or at least it does according to my bill:

OK, but the question is whether the top reading is recording both day and night usage. It is the difference between the meter missing some units altogether [big argument] or just recording some units on the wrong register [smaller argument].

Also is the time switch bottom left of photo 1 showing the correct time and moving? Also a photo similar to photo 1, but with the meter and timeswitch at the top and giving a view of the wiring below may show if the work which was done has interfered with the timeswitch wiring to the meter - 4th wire from the left at the bottom of the meter.

Can you look back at your bills and see when the problem started? And whether your boiler work was done in the quarter before the meter shows as reaching 40099?

m5rcc · 21 January 2012 at 3:44PM

DVardysShadow wrote: »

OK, but the question is whether the top reading is recording both day and night usage. It is the difference between the meter missing some units altogether [big argument] or just recording some units on the wrong register [smaller argument].

Also is the time switch bottom left of photo 1 showing the correct time and moving? Also a photo similar to photo 1, but with the meter and timeswitch at the top and giving a view of the wiring below may show if the work which was done has interfered with the timeswitch wiring to the meter - 4th wire from the left at the bottom of the meter.

Can you look back at your bills and see when the problem started? And whether your boiler work was done in the quarter before the meter shows as reaching 40099?

I don't think so. I've paid £2 in electricity since August, so something is clearly wrong. My other provider is not open at the moment, so need to ask them on Monday.

The earth cable was installed last winter by British Gas and they did faff about a bit, so would not be surprised if they opened the meter as they said it was very old. I argued if it works, then it wont be changed.

chanz4 · 21 January 2012 at 7:32PM

One concerning wire it the fine x4 one alone (grey one) is this looped and is their slight signs of burn marks. I would ask BG RPU to raise a reseal job, as others have said if they think you have done it £600 min charge with them for tamper

mattcanary · 22 January 2012 at 7:52AM

Meter not that old - it was made in 1992. Plenty older than this.There are still lots of meters being used that were made in the sixties!

spiro · 22 January 2012 at 10:40AM

Looking at the exchange tag on the meter it was installed 28/5/92, given that this meter has a certification period of 10 years it should have been changed in 2002. When you speak to you supplier point this out to them as they have an obligation to ensure they are exchanged at the end of the certifcation period. If they do this you will probably get a meter with an internal clock.