Solar panels analogue meter going backwards

[Deleted User]

melb said:

thanks for all the comments.  I don't understand how I am stealing electricity if we are producing our own and the fact that the meter isn't moving forwards means that we are not using any more than that surely?

Think of it this way. If you were able to get into your meter and turn the register backwards that would be deemed theft. Similarly, if you were able to put a magnet on the front of meter and stop the register from increasing as energy was being used, that would also be theft.  Solar export can roll some analogue meter registers backwards: if the register rolls back by 10 units which effectively reduces your bill by 10 units, that is theft. You are using energy that you will not pay for. The meter stopping when solar is exporting is normal: the meter index going backwards isn’t. 

Given the present circumstances, I would guess that supplier revenue protection teams will be on Red Alert for unusual energy usage patterns.

doodling

Hi,

melb said:

thanks for all the comments.  I don't understand how I am stealing electricity if we are producing our own and the fact that the meter isn't moving forwards means that we are not using any more than that surely?

If you meter was never moving forwards then I would agree but I suspect that that is not the case.

What I suspect is happening is that your meter is moving forwards at night and backwards during the day.

On average you are correct that you are supplying them with more electricity than they are supplying you.

The problem is that solar electricity isn't worth as much as electricity generated by other means because it is usually available when no-one really needs much electricity.  You are therefore using expensive electricity overnight (or more likely mornings and evenings) and giving back low value electricity during the day.  That isn't a very good deal for your supplier and they won't want to be in that position.

There are a number of people on here who have given the correct notifications and whose suppliers seem to be rather slow in getting round to changing the meter - that is fine - it is their problem if they want to throw money away, but you do need to give them that opportunity.

Any arrangement where your meter readings are going down is going to cause you problems because pretty much everyone's billing systems will assume that that cannot happen and that either there is an error (in which case the readings will be rejected) or that the meter has gone round the clock (in which case you will get a rather large bill).

Evan3020

If they want to use the SEG payments then the meter will have to be changed anyway.

Reed_Richards

I know it does not seem fair but the solar electricity you generate is valued at a lot less per unit than the electricity you buy from the grid.  Because of this you are not allowed to have a meter that runs backwards (and so, effectively, values solar electricity the same as imported electricity).  Your electricity supplier will not accept the readings you submit, presumably because these readings are too low to be legal and/or credible.  

[Deleted User]

Once your account gets ‘tagged’ it is pretty easy for a supplier to work out what is going on. For example, let’s assume that your annual consumption was 4500kWh/year before solar and you have a 4kWp solar array. Most homeowners will use 25 to 50% of the solar output. If we assume that your array exports 50% of 4000kWhs, then your import consumption from the Grid should fall by 2000kWh/year to 2500kWh/year. This is credible.

However, if the export of 2000kWh causes the meter index to rollback 2000kWh, then your grid import will fall to 500kWh/year. At this point, the alarm bells will sound - particularly if you ask for your credit back - and the supplier’s revenue team will suspect (wrongly) that the meter has been interfered with. It will ask you to explain. Any mention of solar PV will confirm that the meter needs to be changed. The supplier has the right to charge you for the energy that has not been charged for: most don’t if you are honest from the off. If it takes them 6 months to change the meter, then fill your boots.

stewie_griffin

I’d be worried about the quality of the solar installation if that’s the advice the installer has given. They should have made you aware of SEG payments and you need a Smart meter to be eligible for these.

MWT

stewie_griffin said:

I’d be worried about the quality of the solar installation if that’s the advice the installer has given. They should have made you aware of SEG payments and you need a Smart meter to be eligible for these.

Going to need an MCS certificate for the installation as well, which seems a stretch for the installer based on what we know so far...

chris_n

I don't know what the situation is now buy I remember having to declare that the meter didn't go backwards on something like my FIT application form in 2011.

Mobtr

You need to contact your supplier & get them to exchange the meter for one with a backstop. You can’t be billed for negative usage do until it gets changed they will estimate your bills. 

PennineAcute

Petriix said:

You have to inform your supplier. We don't have net metering in the UK and your meter should not spin backwards.

As I understand, once informed, your supplier is responsible for replacing the meter and will do so as soon as possible, but while you wait you get the benefit. Try to ensure that the meter moves a little forwards by using a little more than you generate.

You need a smart meter to qualify for any export payments, and you'll need one to benefit from Octopus Go rates. British Gas are reasonably competent at fitting smart meters so I suggest you let them do the job before you switch. Octopus can take months. 

They may be pretty competent in fitting them, but they are not in getting them to do their job!