Something is not adding up...

r8chill91

So we completed on a new house in December, it has solar panels but we thought these were decommissioned. We have switched to Bulb energy and send them meter readings every month, since we started the electricity meter keeps going backwards every now and again. It has gone up a couple of times but the last couple of readings have been getting less and less?! It’s also flashing ‘rEd’ on the display every few seconds - Bulb haven’t questioned this - what do we do?!

System

Hi - welcome to the forum. It would seem that your solar panels are working. Have you looked at the inverter? There is usually a green light or something similar on the inverter panel when your system is generating electricity. Why did your solicitor think that the panels had been de-commissioned? As far as rEd is concerned, this usually indicates that you are exporting energy and the meter has detected reverse flow. The said, the meter readings should not be falling as a result of a reverse flow.

As all meter readings are validated by the suppliers before they are used, it is likely, as PV export increases in the coming weeks, that your supplier will know that something is amiss before too long. The responsible thing to do is to call them and discuss what needs to be done to address the problem. That said, I have seen opposing views suggesting that if your supplier does not raise the matter then the consumer is under no obligation to say anything as it is the supplier's responsibility to ensure that the meter is fit for purpose.

House_Martin

You will have an old Sangamo Weston electric meter. These meters will run backwards when your electricity usage is low, in the day when the sun shines a bit and you only have low usage appliances on..
Its illegal to have a backwards running meter. Its faulty ,not fit for purpose, so under the terms and conditions of every supplier you are obliged to inform them. Not only does the meter run backwards, taking off last nights usage, but it also credits the F.I.T. meter..A double whammy !
In my view it is theft of electricity and anyone who is honest should not be allowing this to carry on.
As a meter reader for 20 years I ve found hundreds of these meters in operation running backwards. As soon as solar panels are fitted then these meters should be changed for a digital meter. The solar panel fitters know this but they do not inform the occupier.
Suppliers are too stupid to spot it, Npower are the worst IMO. I have a friend who s meter has been running backwards for years. He makes sure not to send in a reading which is lower then the previous reading. That is the only way the dippy suppliers will ever spot it with their auto billing systems

ProDave

On a more important note, has your seller fleeced you re the solar panels?

There would have been a Feed In Tariff contract which would pay the owner for the electricity generated. Normally if selling a house, that gets transferred to the new owner.

Unless it is a "rent a roof" scheme where someone else gets the FIT (that company would have originally paid for the installation of the panels) Your solicitor should have advised you if that is the case.

Or has your vendor been sneaky and kept the FIT in his name so he still gets the payments? but to do that he would need your cooperation to supply quarterly readings from the generation meter.

Your solicitor should have sorted all this so exactly what has happened to the FIT?

Agree with everyone else you should inform your supplier and get the meter changed to a digital one.

r8chill91

Thank you for your replies! I’ve had a look at the inverter outside and there is nothing on the screen, it’s completely off, the wires look to have been disconnected too so I can’t see how it could possibly be the solar panels. The estate agent told us that they had been decommissioned but we never questioned why, we were actually just going to get rid of them because we thought if we had to buy a new inverter then it would only cost a load with not a huge amount of money back and we couldn’t really afford it (we’re renovating the property so other priorities)

We’ve given Bulb 3 meter readings now and each time it flags up and says it’s lower than the previous reading so someone will be in contact but nobody ever has. It’s a digital meter we have - a “multi rate watt hour meter”.

ProDave

Are the panels still on the roof? Why have they been disconnected?

I am looking for some solar panels myself so if they really have been disconnected and you want them removed send me a PM and we may be able to do something.

ProDave

Can you post a picture of your meter? (using any service other than photobucket who have crippled their service)

r8chill91

I will add, the vendor was power of attorney for the owner of the property so doesn!!!8217;t know anything about it. We also have got water solar panels and I know these are definitely disconnected because we!!!8217;ve taken away the tank but previously they had also been decommissioned because they leaked (there was a home insurance claim years ago)

r8chill91

The panels are still on the roof, everything is there but just doesn!!!8217;t seem to be working.

House_Martin

Ok , so its not an old meter but a digital meter with an lcd screen. Its odd that the solar panels have been disconnected . I m suspicious of the meter itself.
There should be a small wire seal in place at the bottom of the meter which stops a small screw from being removed to access the 4 wires which enter the bottom of the meter..
Is that seal in place and does it look as if the screw has been undone ? It should look pristine and unmarked, not chewed in any way . Any slight blackening or scorching of the meter tails near the meter ?
Anyone fiddling the meter would nt need solar panels working. They would have free electricity anyway

r8chill91

I have tried to post a link but it!!!8217;s not allowing me as I!!!8217;m a new member. The meter itself looks fine and unmarked.