Smart meter incorrect installation caused increased energy usage

QrizB

Kateg28 said:

I am not aware of two consumer units, I think I only have one in the hallway but I do have the solar and eps units in the garage. Would they have a CU?

They might have their own CU, or they might connect back to your hallway CU.

You can see from your photo of your meter box that the meter tails are split at the top-right into two separate sets; a grey set leaves the meter box at top-left while a separate brown-and-blue set leaves the box at the centre-right. One set of these will go to your hallway CU but it would be good to know where the other set go (it could be to the garage). The fact they are different colours suggests to me that they were installed at different times.

peter3hg

Go and count the red bulb flashes for a minute on your meter with only your baseline items turned on. Then go and isolate your solar system completely (use the big red switch) and count the flashes again.
If they get slower then it seems the solar is working and wired as intended.
If they get faster then something is wired up wrong.

matt_drummer

Kateg28 said:

This is the solar meter 

This is the second consumer unit, it looks to be in the garage?

QrizB

matt_drummer said:

Kateg28 said:

This is the solar meter 

This is the second consumer unit, it looks to be in the garage?

I wouldn't have expected the installers to run a whole set of 25mm tails just for that, though! A bit of 4mm t&e would have been sufficient.

matt_drummer

QrizB said:

Kateg28 said:

I am not aware of two consumer units, I think I only have one in the hallway but I do have the solar and eps units in the garage. Would they have a CU?

How big is the eps?

Is that working correctly after the meter change?

Could that be discharging and charging leading to your strange import and export levels on your solar app?

matt_drummer

QrizB said:

matt_drummer said:

Kateg28 said:

This is the solar meter 

This is the second consumer unit, it looks to be in the garage?

I wouldn't have expected the installers to run a whole set of 25mm tails just for that, though! A bit of 4mm t&e would have been sufficient.

My solar consumer unit is wired like that although it is bigger as I have more going on. It is connected to the meter box using a Henley block and has a 100 amp mcb fitted.

matt_drummer

QrizB said:

matt_drummer said:

Kateg28 said:

This is the solar meter 

This is the second consumer unit, it looks to be in the garage?

I wouldn't have expected the installers to run a whole set of 25mm tails just for that, though! A bit of 4mm t&e would have been sufficient.

It must be to that, it has to be connected to the meter somewhere and as there are no other connections in the meter box it must be this?

QrizB

matt_drummer said:

It must be to that, it has to be connected to the meter somewhere and as there are no other connections in the meter box it must be this?

Normally, solar PV systems use a spare way in the domestic CU. They don't usually connect back to the meter via a Henley block.
Edit: Here's a NICEIC article with a nice illustration of a typical system:
https://www.voltimum.co.uk/articles/solar-pv-systems-connected-electrical

matt_drummer

QrizB said:

matt_drummer said:

It must be to that, it has to be connected to the meter somewhere and as there are no other connections in the meter box it must be this?

Normally, solar PV systems use a spare way in the domestic CU. They don't usually connect back to the meter via a Henley block.

My `normal' consumer unit is full.

My solar and batteries are in a separate consumer unit.

My ASHP is being fitted in a weeks time, that will get it's own consumer unit too even thatough I don't need another one.

It is what the installer prefers to do apparently. The installer is Octopus.

matt_drummer

There is obviously more going on here than just a straight forward solar and battery install.

The OP is running a business that requires freezers to store food. Obviously that is important to them and they have a back up power supply to protect the investment.

Maybe that is what the other tails from the meter are connected to?