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Smart Meter Accuracy

Robert Garrett

We have a strange situation with a flat we own. The flat was empty while being decorated (by us) for 3 weeks. We know we used very little power. Yet the bill we got for that period was much higher than we would have expected.

The electricity supplier suggested we turned the power off for 15 mins and take the meter reading before and after to see if it was showing use. However, the meter readings only seem to be whole kWh so it would need to be a big fault to see a change in 15 mins. This aligned with what the smart meter console shows which is about 300W.

Instead we switched it to show Amps used and with the main circuit breakers off it showed about 1.3A. If this use was all day that would be 7kwh per day. Over 3 weeks this would be 10 times the actual bill we got. 

So this makes no sense. Why would a meter show use with the breakers off? And why would that use vary which can be the only explanation for the bill not being as high as an extrapolation of that 15mins suggest?

  • 0

    You have not actually said what the usage was recorded as over three weeks and what you were expecting it to be.

  • 0

    The period in question was 3 Sept to 25th Sept (quite a hot period). 18.8kWh was used in day and 26.8kWh at night (economy7).

    In that period we were painting so on maybe 7-10 days we had (led) light on in the bathroom (plus the extractor fan) and a small radio. We probably used a vacuum cleaner for an hour or so.

    So 18kWh seems way excessive for day time.

    The immersion heater was on for a day after the previous tenant left and we turned on the water heating for the last 48 hours. The heating was off all the time. Yet for the middle period 8kWh was used of night power when there should have been 0.

    So the charges are not huge - only £12 (plus standing charge of £11) over 3 weeks , but it is the principle!

  • 0 in reply to Robert Garrett

    Is the meter physically in the flat or in a common area? It does sound very much like the meter connections (or meter numbers/MPANs) have been mixed up with another flat.

       - Andy.

  • 0

    No the meter is in the actual flat and its a modern (well 2008) flat. I have also checked that when an appliance is on that the readings (on the smart meter display) do actually increase so it all seems correct.

  • 0 in reply to Robert Garrett

    But, does it all go the zero when every thing is  off?

    It really should be possible to photo the meter, turn all off, and photo  it again a week later and get the same reading. The meter may be stuffed. that is rare but certainly not impossible.

    Mike.

    You do not need to photo it, but it makes a good evidence trail if you try for some money back at some point.

  • 0

    Why would a meter show use with the breakers off?

    :

    and 26.8kWh at night (economy7)

    Any chance there's a second consumer unit lurking somewhere? (a common enough approach in the old days for E7).

       - Andy,

  • 0 in reply to mapj1

    I don't think the current flat occupants would be happy with me turning the power off for a week!

  • 0 in reply to Robert Garrett

    Hmm, fair enough, though  they may be happy to switch off and note the consumption when they know they are going to go out for long periods , as if the meter can be shown to be  faulty it could save them a few quid ;-)

    Mike

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