Energy

Energy

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Can`t stop using electricity!

Posts: 562 Forumite
Tenth Anniversary 500 Posts
Hi all, looking for a bit of advice here.
My daily electricity import has more than doubled at some point over the last 14 days....:eek: !!!!!!!
The red LED on my electric meter appears to be blinking every 3 to 4 secs constantly (importing over 1000w?).
I started turning off various devices around the house last night, still no change. I then tried turning each circuit breaker off one by one, no change.
Finally I tried switching off the main fuse box....still the meter flashes, surely this isn`t right? Faulty meter?
TIA.
3.975 kWp System, South facing, 21 degree pitch, 15 x Canadian Solar Elps, Samil Inverter, location NE Scotland (Fraserburgh) Bring on the Sun :beer:

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  • Posts: 1,823 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Check the more invisible users - immersion heaters, towel rails, heaters, fridges and freezers.

    But if you turn off the supply, say for 1 hour, note the readings before and after, and if the meter has advanced then it's pretty clear it's a meter issue.
  • Posts: 4,249 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    If you turn off the main cu
    The meter light should be constantly on after a while

    Are you in flats?
  • Posts: 562 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 500 Posts
    Hi guys, thanks for replies.

    I tried switching each breaker off individually i.e. immersion heater, ring mains etc but still the meter kept flashing.

    Even when the main fuse box switch was off it kept blinkin` away.

    No I`m in a 3 bed detached house.

    I don`t think I can report it today as SSE offices are closed, except for the emergency number which I assume this isn`t! (although it feel like it to me).
    So by the time I get this reported tomorrow I guess I`m gonna have a fight on my hands to claim back all the extra units I`ve "used" these past couple of weeks.

    Doubt I`ll see that refund :mad:
    3.975 kWp System, South facing, 21 degree pitch, 15 x Canadian Solar Elps, Samil Inverter, location NE Scotland (Fraserburgh) Bring on the Sun :beer:
  • Posts: 3,878 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    There are some digital meters that are known to go rogue.
    Post the maker and model number of yours as there are Meter Readers on this forum who know which one's they are.


    Certainly get on the phone tomorrow, but follow it up with a letter headed Complaint as this establishes a paper trail and timeline of your notification to SSE
  • Posts: 12,355 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    You say doubled - but from what to what ? Are you comparing a short term set of actual daily readings with a longer term set which may include estimated ones ?
    Never pay on an estimated bill. Always read and understand your bill
  • Posts: 8,770 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Try shutting off the main circuit breaker at the fuseboard connected to the meter. Read the meter (including all the decimals) leave it for an hour or so and then read the meter again before switching the power back on. You fridge/freezer will remain cold for the hour or so of the test.

    If the reading has incremented, then you've a problem with your meter. If it hasn't then you need to start searching upstream of the main circuit breaker.
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
  • How do you know that a flashing red LED on your meter means its registering 1000w or more?
    Mr Generous - Landlord for more than 10 years. Generous? - Possibly but sarcastic more likely.
  • dogshome wrote: »
    There are some digital meters that are known to go rogue.
    Post the maker and model number of yours as there are Meter Readers on this forum who know which one's they are.


    Certainly get on the phone tomorrow, but follow it up with a letter headed Complaint as this establishes a paper trail and timeline of your notification to SSE

    I`m at work at the moment but I seem to recall it`s a Landis+Gyr, do these have a bad rep for this?
    Robin9 wrote: »
    You say doubled - but from what to what ? Are you comparing a short term set of actual daily readings with a longer term set which may include estimated ones ?

    No estimates, I take regular readings. I`m comparing these last 14 days against the previous month and also last years September. Last September I was averaging around 9 units per day, yesterday for example I "used" 26! :eek:
    matelodave wrote: »
    Try shutting off the main circuit breaker at the fuseboard connected to the meter. Read the meter (including all the decimals) leave it for an hour or so and then read the meter again before switching the power back on. You fridge/freezer will remain cold for the hour or so of the test.

    If the reading has incremented, then you've a problem with your meter. If it hasn't then you need to start searching upstream of the main circuit breaker.

    Currently at work ATM so can`t check but yesterday when I turned off the fuse box the meter kept blinking away. Unfortunately my meter doesn`t have any decimal points.
    "If it hasn't then you need to start searching upstream of the main circuit breaker" - My meter and fuse box are about 8" apart in my garage and the set up has changed, so assuming there can`t be any issues upstream?
    Also the cable comes straight from the ground in the garage so again I assume there can`t be any problems further upstream.
    3.975 kWp System, South facing, 21 degree pitch, 15 x Canadian Solar Elps, Samil Inverter, location NE Scotland (Fraserburgh) Bring on the Sun :beer:
  • How do you know that a flashing red LED on your meter means its registering 1000w or more?

    Hi Mr. Gen. I`m most definitely no expert but as I understand it the speed of the flashes relate directly to the amount of power being consumed.

    i.e. one flash per 3 or 4 seconds equates to around 1000w.
    3.975 kWp System, South facing, 21 degree pitch, 15 x Canadian Solar Elps, Samil Inverter, location NE Scotland (Fraserburgh) Bring on the Sun :beer:
  • Posts: 0 Newbie
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 16 September 2018 at 7:52PM
    The meter which continues to cause many problems is the bargain basement little white digital meters. These can be found with at least 3 different makers the most common are Landis Gyr and Ampy with Siemens also on some. Its the Type 5235 A .Small white oblong shaped digital meter . My boss says the wholesale price of these meters are £5 , hence they are cheap and nasty
    They go blank at an alarming rate compared to other meters and there are reports of them going rogue before they give up the ghost.
    On average through the year I find around one a week blank.
    1000 flashes equals 1kwh.
    If the meter continues flashing even when the main fuse is switched off then its faulty.
    The meter itself receives its power from the mains. On a power cut these meters go blank but regain the reading once power restored
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