EDF Smart Meter Harassment

ArbitraryRandom

melbury said:

ArbitraryRandom said:

melbury said:

You are saying that meters can become "uncalibrated" over time, but as pointed out, I have taken readings since we moved in and there has been nothing at all to signify that the gas meter was giving incorrect readings at any time, they were absolutely constant.  

Are you suggesting in years like 2013/14 or 2017/18 your meter gave readings consistent with ones you took in 2015/16 or 2019/20? 

Because if you are... then it would suggest there was something wrong with your meter as those are some of the coldest vs warmest years in the last decade and you 'should' have seen wide variation in your usage. The problem is, without calibration in controlled conditions, you (anyone) has no real way of saying how wide those variations 'should' be if the meter is reading accurately.

There's basically three choices: 

1. Your old meter was recording incorrectly and the new meter is correct
2. Your old meter was recording correctly and the new meter is incorrect 
3. Your use has dramatically changed without you noticing (which could also include a leak somewhere in the system)

Hence my suggestion of a sanity test that you can carry out today to give you some indication of if your current meter is working correctly or if there's a problem with the system - It's not perfect, but if your meter records >1 unit for a 10 minute shower (when every other gas appliance is turned off) then it might be worth investigating further. (First get someone into check for leaks, then contact your supplier to test the meter.) 

But if during your test the meter records ~half a unit or less - then it's more than likely accurate and it's either you or your old boiler that's the problem.  

As I have tried to explain, we have recorded our readings every week in a little book since we moved in and we were the first residents of this house (sadly the current book only goes back to 2013), but the usage has been pretty consistent during the summer/winter periods throughout the years.  Of course they are not exactly the same, but last year we were able to make about a 15% reduction in gas usage.  

Every week over the summer the gas readings have been either 2 or 3 units per week, as previously stated just hot water on for 1 hour per day.  Following new meter being installed this has risen to 5 or 6 units per week. We haven't even put the heating on yet God forbid.  Our current boiler has been in for about 12 years and is serviced every year.

Okay - let's say there's something wrong with your new meter. 

The advice given to anyone who comes on here with a meter problem is to do a sanity test... because (as QrizB has suggested) asking your supplier to test the meter can cost you £100+ so you want to try the free/cheap options first. 

That means turn everything off, take a reading. Wait half an hour, take a reading. Run one appliance with a 'predictable' usage, take a reading. Wait half an hour, take a final reading.

It's about an hour and a half/two hours of your life but information you then have will help you decide on the next step (that the meter seems fine - bringing in a plumber to test your appliances/check for leaks - or jumping directly to contacting your supplier for a meter test/replacement)

melbury

ArbitraryRandom said:

melbury said:

ArbitraryRandom said:

melbury said:

You are saying that meters can become "uncalibrated" over time, but as pointed out, I have taken readings since we moved in and there has been nothing at all to signify that the gas meter was giving incorrect readings at any time, they were absolutely constant.  

Are you suggesting in years like 2013/14 or 2017/18 your meter gave readings consistent with ones you took in 2015/16 or 2019/20? 

Because if you are... then it would suggest there was something wrong with your meter as those are some of the coldest vs warmest years in the last decade and you 'should' have seen wide variation in your usage. The problem is, without calibration in controlled conditions, you (anyone) has no real way of saying how wide those variations 'should' be if the meter is reading accurately.

There's basically three choices: 

1. Your old meter was recording incorrectly and the new meter is correct
2. Your old meter was recording correctly and the new meter is incorrect 
3. Your use has dramatically changed without you noticing (which could also include a leak somewhere in the system)

Hence my suggestion of a sanity test that you can carry out today to give you some indication of if your current meter is working correctly or if there's a problem with the system - It's not perfect, but if your meter records >1 unit for a 10 minute shower (when every other gas appliance is turned off) then it might be worth investigating further. (First get someone into check for leaks, then contact your supplier to test the meter.) 

But if during your test the meter records ~half a unit or less - then it's more than likely accurate and it's either you or your old boiler that's the problem.  

As I have tried to explain, we have recorded our readings every week in a little book since we moved in and we were the first residents of this house (sadly the current book only goes back to 2013), but the usage has been pretty consistent during the summer/winter periods throughout the years.  Of course they are not exactly the same, but last year we were able to make about a 15% reduction in gas usage.  

Every week over the summer the gas readings have been either 2 or 3 units per week, as previously stated just hot water on for 1 hour per day.  Following new meter being installed this has risen to 5 or 6 units per week. We haven't even put the heating on yet God forbid.  Our current boiler has been in for about 12 years and is serviced every year.

Okay - let's say there's something wrong with your new meter. 

The advice given to anyone who comes on here with a meter problem is to do a sanity test... because (as QrizB has suggested) asking your supplier to test the meter can cost you £100+ so you want to try the free/cheap options first. 

That means turn everything off, take a reading. Wait half an hour, take a reading. Run one appliance with a 'predictable' usage, take a reading. Wait half an hour, take a final reading.

It's about an hour and a half/two hours of your life but information you then have will help you decide on the next step (that the meter seems fine - bringing in a plumber to test your appliances/check for leaks - or jumping directly to contacting your supplier for a meter test/replacement)

I am not sure what you mean by check your appliances, as the only thing we use gas for is heating and hot water.  So if we stopped it for that 1 hour per day heating the hot water, would that work? The hot water being on for 1 hour per day is the most predictable usage we have as it has been a constant throughout the summer for the past 32 years. 

Netexporter

Does you boiler have a pilot light?

melbury

Netexporter said:

Does you boiler have a pilot light?

No it doesn’t.

MultiFuelBurner

So what was the old meter using in kWh to heat your hot water in summer and what is the new meter reading?

What is the kw size of your boiler and how large is your water cylinder and at what temperature do you heat it to.

lohr500

Accepting your diligence in keeping weekly meter readings, a doubling of gas usage does seem strange given similar usage. I do agree that a drift on the old meter of that magnitude over time would have been picked up from you records.

Are you sure there is no confusion over different measurement units on the old and new meters?

Have you tried switching off the boiler completely for 24 hours and seeing if the meter still registers usage? Is it possible that a leak has developed on your side of the meter pipework after fitting the new meter?

Gerry1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6456233/british-gas-gas-leak-behind-gas-fire-i-advise-you-to-keep-old-bills-and-take-photos-of-meter

melbury

MultiFuelBurner said:

So what was the old meter using in kWh to heat your hot water in summer and what is the new meter reading?

What is the kw size of your boiler and how large is your water cylinder and at what temperature do you heat it to.

Old meter always used 2 or 3 units of gas per week 22kWh/34kWh, whereas new meter is a staggering 5 or 6 or 56/68kWh, so far higher.

Boiler is a Worcester Bosch Greenstar FS30cdi, so presumably 30kw, not sure about the size of the hot water tank, think water temperature is 62 which is what the boiler gets to then switches off.  All is exactly the same as it has always, been except for the gas meter.

QrizB

melbury said:

MultiFuelBurner said:

So what was the old meter using in kWh to heat your hot water in summer and what is the new meter reading?

What is the kw size of your boiler and how large is your water cylinder and at what temperature do you heat it to.

Old meter always used 2 or 3 units of gas per week, new meter is a staggering 5 or 6.

For what it's worth, we use 5-6 cubic metres of gas a week on HW and cooking when the heating is off. From the end of March to the end of September (6 months, about 180 days) we used 140 cubic metres of gas.

melbury

QrizB said:

melbury said:

MultiFuelBurner said:

So what was the old meter using in kWh to heat your hot water in summer and what is the new meter reading?

What is the kw size of your boiler and how large is your water cylinder and at what temperature do you heat it to.

Old meter always used 2 or 3 units of gas per week, new meter is a staggering 5 or 6.

For what it's worth, we use 5-6 cubic metres of gas a week on HW and cooking when the heating is off. From the end of March to the end of September (6 months, about 180 days) we used 140 cubic metres of gas.

Yes but you are cooking with gas as well,  we are now using 5-6 units a week for just hot water (on for 1 hour a day).

I took a meter reading when it had done its hour this evening and will do another one before it comes on tomorrow evening. 

It is all so worrying, I just can’t believe there would be such a difference.