Electricity meter readings are 20x higher than average and I don't know why

EssexHebridean

Baldytyke88 said:

L564 said:

Octopus did offer a smart meter, which I'd be happy to get but I don't want to lose evidence of the inaccurate meter readings. I'm looking at an excess charge of over £500 at the moment and it is going up every day. If they don't think the meter is at fault, then this won't solve the problem.

There is your answer, your delay could cost you a lot of hassle.

Did you miss the bit where the OP estimates that this has already cost them £500+ in charges for the extra "use"? while you may be able to afford to wave that level of money goodbye, most people (including I suspect the OP) really can't - and that is why it's important for them to actually solve the issue, rather than just getting the meter replaced.

MWT

L564 said:

I'll try a longer creep test and see if I can test a known load and send all the evidence over. It's really hard to get Octopus to engage with any of the evidence I send though. I've already opened a case with the Ombudsman because it took Octopus so long to even engage on the issue. 

When you did your previous creep tests how much was the meter actually increasing and over what time period?

WiserMiser

Try this !

Meter Sanity Test

Scot_39

There was iirc an incident - focussed in NI iirc - with faulty batch of meters that had a failing component that as decayed gave growing some NI press articles commented "exponential growth" in readings.

Did a quick google but couldn't find the make model - anyone ?

Iirc Power NI got their network operators to replace all from months of production of those batches, other suplliers inluding mainland followed, but less widely used as % installs.


Uk domestic procedures sadly dont normally allow for check meters in series.
But even a cheap third party clip on clamp style on live meter tail - starting around £20 -30 wireless - should be able to differentiate between 2kWh and 27kWh per day.

Its not an easy catch 22 though re meter

You can get a new certified meter, independent testing and risk no recovery and fees if tests OK once removed.

Or suffer from potentially increasing over bilking for months to come.  And then stil be faced with argueing about overbilling. 

And clearly op getting nowhere fast.

WiserMiser

You can buy a cheap meter online and get your local friendly electrician to fit it in series downstream.

Scot_39

Certainly more accurate than a standard diy cheap clamp setup.

But needs an electrician so extra costs.

Still at 25 kWh extra suspect load - £6 a day at st cap  - the costs are certainly mounting. 

Spoonie_Turtle

Scot_39 said:

There was iirc an incident - focussed in NI iirc - with faulty batch of meters that had a failing component that as decayed gave growing some NI press articles commented "exponential growth" in readings.

Did a quick google but couldn't find the make model - anyone ?

Ampy 5235a; I thought it was a 2008 batch but I can only find one source mentioning the model number and it doesn't mention a specific year.  Although they were only named Ampy between 2007-2009, apparently.
https://archive.ph/Bbjju

Scot_39

So the same model as the OP if not the year.

And i got the wrong side of the Border too.

QrizB

I agree with everyone else, it sounds very much like a faulty meter.

L564 said:

Is it worth paying for an independent meter accuracy test? Octopus have not offered this but I saw on the government website I can ask them to arrange this.

Yes you can (and should) ask for this.

L564 said:

 I have got a case with the Ombudsman but I am not confident because Octopus seem to have an excuse for everything. What else could I be missing?

Just because Customer Service sound confident, doesn't mean they understand the problem or are offering a correct solution.

L564 said:

For reference, my meter is Ampy Metering 5235A 2008 model. My fuse box is pretty old but the electrician didn't say there was anything wrong with it.

That's the model with the known faulty batch. You can remind Octopus of that.

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Scot_39 said:

There was iirc an incident - focussed in NI iirc - with faulty batch of meters that had a failing component that as decayed gave growing some NI press articles commented "exponential growth" in readings.

Did a quick google but couldn't find the make model - anyone ?

Ampy 5235a; I thought it was a 2008 batch but I can only find one source mentioning the model number and it doesn't mention a specific year.  Although they were only named Ampy between 2007-2009, apparently.
https://archive.ph/Bbjju

Per Schedule 4 the 5235 has a 20 year life, but if it's one of the faulty batch the OPs meter should have been replaced years ago.

Edit: link to Schedule 4, for anyone who hasn't got it bookmarked!

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schedule-4-uk-nationally-approved-electricity-meters

Ectophile

Was the accuracy checked using a second meter in series with the first? That's the standard way to do it. If so, then it's hard to believe that both would have the same fault.

If the meter has been properly tested, then I would strongly suspect that someone has tapped into your wires, or something else is wrong with the wiring.  Or you have some appliance that is stuck on, and isn't connected through any switches/breakers that you have turned off.