Is electric meter faulty?

David54

I am wondering if my electric meter could be faulty. On four occasions when going into the cupboard where the electric meter is the red light - which usually flashes intermittently - has been lit constantly. Each time I have noticed this the only appliance that has been on has been the fridge freezer. After about 5 minutes the light then goes off and starts to flash intermittenly again. The first time I noticed it I kept checking the light, and about an hour later the light was on constant again, but no lights or appliances had been switched on. I checked the meter today and again the light constantly lit but other than the fridge freezer, nothing was on. I contacted my suppliers customer services, they did not say why the light would stay on constantly when asked. I am concerned that the meter is clocking up electric that I am not using when the light stays on. Can anyone advise me please.

macman

So, with everything off, is the register still advancing?

SwanJon

Agree above, regular readings (every few hours) with a note of what is on may help.

It could just be that you are looking at the meter at the same as the fridge's pump kicks in.

David54

Thanks for your replies. When I came down this morning the light was again on constantly, when I switched the tv plug on the light then went off and started flashing intermittently. I did notice yesterday that the light went off when the freezer motor started. I took a reading this morning and will continually take readings for a few days.

Atidi

David54 wrote: »

I am wondering if my electric meter could be faulty. On four occasions when going into the cupboard where the electric meter is the red light - which usually flashes intermittently - has been lit constantly. Each time I have noticed this the only appliance that has been on has been the fridge freezer. After about 5 minutes the light then goes off and starts to flash intermittenly again. The first time I noticed it I kept checking the light, and about an hour later the light was on constant again, but no lights or appliances had been switched on. I checked the meter today and again the light constantly lit but other than the fridge freezer, nothing was on. I contacted my suppliers customer services, they did not say why the light would stay on constantly when asked. I am concerned that the meter is clocking up electric that I am not using when the light stays on. Can anyone advise me please.

The speed of the flash is an indication of the amount of consumption.

A constantly on (or off) light indicates no consumption.

espresso

David54 wrote: »

I am concerned that the meter is clocking up electric that I am not using when the light stays on. Can anyone advise me please.

When your meter light is on continuously, you are using no electricity and the registers will not increment.

The meter counts the impulses, so when the light on continuously, it simply means that there is no load, which is quite unusual in most properties due to having some items on standby etc.

When flashing, the impulses are proportional to the electricity being used and this varies depending on the make/type of meter e.g. 800 flashes = 1kWh or 1000 flashes = 1kWh

David54

Thanks for all the replies. I don't leave any appliances on standby in order to keep try to keep my electric bills down, although I think I still seem to use an awful lot.

wr1ght

constant light = no load

[Deleted User]

I have found that the constant red light can be showing on the meter but small ammounts of useage , such as a laptop being used, does nt make the red light go off and start flashing. Its one of the signs of a meter bypass I look for with a constant on red light and have seen it often. When i switch something on with plenty of watts it will go off. This is with properties with no solar panels