Electricity meter running backwards

Kess

About 4 months ago our local electricity distribution company (Western Power) replaced the power cable to our house up to the meter cupboard. They also re-worked the cabling around the meter.

I've just done a reading and realised that the reading is now much lower than it was back then! It looks like they've mis-wired the meter; if so then it's been running backwards for the past 4 months.

I'll contact them to get it sorted, but does anyone know what happens with electricity bills? I switched supplier last month so it could be a messy situation.

[Deleted User]

No solar panels ? they will make the meter run backwards also. When I find meters running backwards with solar panels they will estimate a bill on past usage or even just do a few weeks with the new meter on an average. Suppliers usually err on the conservative side with back bills like this.
You will most likely get a new digital or smart meter not a rewire

Kess

No, no solar panels. The meter was running fine before Western Power re-did the wiring, now it's going backwards!

The reading now is about the same as it was 9 months ago...

[Deleted User]

Kess wrote: »

No, no solar panels. The meter was running fine before Western Power re-did the wiring, now it's going backwards!

The reading now is about the same as it was 9 months ago...

Suppliers usually twig on when its less than the last known reading.

Lady321986

Let your energy provider know and they'll install a new meter has currently you have a PUE, passing unregistered energy situation.

They'll also do one of two things regarding your bill. Create an offstate removal reading, which is two previous actual meter readings to calculate you consumption as it would be on the appointment of the new meter install or they'll wait for new meter to go in and work it out from two meter readings on new meter and then once they know amend the removal meter reading of the meter to ensure you've had a fair calculation on your bill.

Kess

So are you saying the meter is the responsibility of my current provider (Scottish Power), even though it was the distribution company (Western Power) who messed up the wiring to it?

[Deleted User]

Hi,

providing you or they have a reading at time of rewire, then just double the number of units meter has subtracted and add to the rewire reading.

Though the wiring will need to be sorted.

Robin9

Yes your contract is with Scottish Power

macman

The DNO's may do the meter exchange work, but as subcontractors-they don't necessarily own all the meters in their own area. Your own provider may not own the meter, but they are the point of contact and will liase with the meter asset provider.

Kess

Well, the mystery has been solved.

I contacted Western Power first and they sent an engineer around immediately to double-check their wiring to the meter. He said it was OK and the meter must have gone faulty.

I then contacted SP who replaced the meter today. However the meter installer spotted that - despite their engineer double-checking it and saying it was correct - Western Power had actually rewired the meter backwards! The incoming electricity cables were connected to the meter's output terminals and the input terminals were connected to the house wiring.

It's now been fixed and I have a new meter, but it's worrying that the electricity company could make such a fundamental wiring error. :eek:

System

Kess wrote: »

Well, the mystery has been solved.

I contacted Western Power first and they sent an engineer around immediately to double-check their wiring to the meter. He said it was OK and the meter must have gone faulty.

I then contacted SP who replaced the meter today. However the meter installer spotted that - despite their engineer double-checking it and saying it was correct - Western Power had actually rewired the meter backwards! The incoming electricity cables were connected to the meter's output terminals and the input terminals were connected to the house wiring.

It's now been fixed and I have a new meter, but it's worrying that the electricity company could make such a fundamental wiring error. :eek:

The more worrying thing is that the engineer sent out to check the wiring also got it wrong. These are the same guys who will be ramping up to install smart meters. :eek: