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Bob Dung
 
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Default WTF.. Strange leccy meter issue


Not sure what to try first. i have monthly DD with power company, one of
these capped / pay £40 per month type deals. Been fine for a year. .Take
meter readings every 3 months.. Took the reading 10 days ago, got bill
saying DD is going up to £110 per month. Same unit cost, something is
wierd with meter or something.. On advice from the power co, i've taken
daily readings starting last Thurs.. Now the strange bit, we used 35 units
between Thurs-Fri last week, around 5 units each day until..Yes 32 between
yesterday and today..?!

I'm sure i don't have a room full of leccy fires that only come on when
it's thursday night..!
Old dial type meter we have, two people, two b/rooms, work all day etc..
What could it be :-/

../BD
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mrcheerful
 
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"Bob Dung" wrote in message
news

Not sure what to try first. i have monthly DD with power company, one of
these capped / pay £40 per month type deals. Been fine for a year. .Take
meter readings every 3 months.. Took the reading 10 days ago, got bill
saying DD is going up to £110 per month. Same unit cost, something is
wierd with meter or something.. On advice from the power co, i've taken
daily readings starting last Thurs.. Now the strange bit, we used 35 units
between Thurs-Fri last week, around 5 units each day until..Yes 32 between
yesterday and today..?!

I'm sure i don't have a room full of leccy fires that only come on when
it's thursday night..!
Old dial type meter we have, two people, two b/rooms, work all day etc..
What could it be :-/

./BD


faulty meter


  #3   Report Post  
ben
 
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Bob Dung wrote:
Not sure what to try first. i have monthly DD with power company,
one of these capped / pay £40 per month type deals. Been fine for a
year. .Take meter readings every 3 months.. Took the reading 10 days
ago, got bill saying DD is going up to £110 per month. Same unit
cost, something is wierd with meter or something.. On advice from the
power co, i've taken daily readings starting last Thurs.. Now the
strange bit, we used 35 units between Thurs-Fri last week, around 5
units each day until..Yes 32 between yesterday and today..?!

I'm sure i don't have a room full of leccy fires that only come on
when it's thursday night..!
Old dial type meter we have, two people, two b/rooms, work all day
etc.. What could it be :-/

./BD


Any discos next door on a thursday? :-)


  #4   Report Post  
ben
 
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Bob Dung wrote:
Not sure what to try first. i have monthly DD with power company,
one of these capped / pay £40 per month type deals. Been fine for a
year. .Take meter readings every 3 months.. Took the reading 10 days
ago, got bill saying DD is going up to £110 per month. Same unit
cost, something is wierd with meter or something.. On advice from the
power co, i've taken daily readings starting last Thurs.. Now the
strange bit, we used 35 units between Thurs-Fri last week, around 5
units each day until..Yes 32 between yesterday and today..?!

I'm sure i don't have a room full of leccy fires that only come on
when it's thursday night..!
Old dial type meter we have, two people, two b/rooms, work all day
etc.. What could it be :-/

./BD


You have ommitted a lot of info...is it a house,flat,do you share
acommodation,have you given keys to someone in the past, ect.
I remember a story like this happening quite some time ago where the people
where working 9to5 and this house was bought by them from a private
landlord, anyway 14 months on they started getting high electricity/gas
bills and couldn't fathom it out, to cut the story short it seemed the
previous occupant had been having a stay in the local nuthouse and was
going back and forth to his old house thinking he still lived there. :-)

The moral of the story is change your locks straight away if you buy a
house/flat.


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dennis@home
 
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"Bob Dung" wrote in message
news

Not sure what to try first. i have monthly DD with power company, one of
these capped / pay £40 per month type deals. Been fine for a year. .Take
meter readings every 3 months.. Took the reading 10 days ago, got bill
saying DD is going up to £110 per month. Same unit cost, something is
wierd with meter or something.. On advice from the power co, i've taken
daily readings starting last Thurs.. Now the strange bit, we used 35 units
between Thurs-Fri last week, around 5 units each day until..Yes 32 between
yesterday and today..?!

I'm sure i don't have a room full of leccy fires that only come on when
it's thursday night..!
Old dial type meter we have, two people, two b/rooms, work all day etc..
What could it be :-/


Baths, kettle, cooker, washing machine, dish washer, air conditioning,
heater.




  #6   Report Post  
The Wanderer
 
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Default

On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 09:10:36 +0100, Bob Dung wrote:

Not sure what to try first. i have monthly DD with power company, one of
these capped / pay £40 per month type deals. Been fine for a year. .Take
meter readings every 3 months.. Took the reading 10 days ago, got bill
saying DD is going up to £110 per month. Same unit cost, something is
wierd with meter or something.. On advice from the power co, i've taken
daily readings starting last Thurs.. Now the strange bit, we used 35 units
between Thurs-Fri last week, around 5 units each day until..Yes 32 between
yesterday and today..?!

I'm sure i don't have a room full of leccy fires that only come on when
it's thursday night..!
Old dial type meter we have, two people, two b/rooms, work all day etc..
What could it be :-/


You have a disk meter so it should be relatively easy to check out.

Step one: turn *everything* off at the consumer unit. Does the meter still
turn? If it does, contact the local electricity company, tell them the
meter is turning when you switch everything off.

Step two: If the meter stops when you turn everything off at the consumer
unit, go round the house and turn everything off, immersion, lights,
fridge, freezer, tv, computer using local switches. Turn the consumer unit
on and see if the meter starts turning. If it does, take a look around to
see if you've forgotten anything, been in the loft recently? Left a heater
on up there? Have you got an extension lead plugged in somewhere with
something you've overlooked?

If it doesn't start turning with everything switched off, go round the
house and turn things on one by one, back to 'normal' arrangements, IYSWIM.
Look for whatever gets the meter spinning like the clappers!

What's your water temperature like? You might have a faulty thermostat on
the immersion heater, assuming that's what you use for hot water.

I'm assuming you live in a normal house; if it's a flat, is it a modern
'new' build or a conversion?

Disc meters are very reliable and aren't prone to going wrong. When I dealt
with disputed accounts, it was invariably something with the installation,
equipment being overlooked.

--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net
  #8   Report Post  
PC Paul
 
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Default

The Wanderer wrote:

Disc meters are very reliable and aren't prone to going wrong. When I
dealt with disputed accounts, it was invariably something with the
installation, equipment being overlooked.


A relative asked me to investigate a similar problem a while back.

Turned out the previous owners and next door had joined together to have a
rear extension built on both houses (to save money). The builders had mixed
up the wires and the sockets along the joining wall were *all* on my
relatives meter.

And next door had a 3KW fan heater plugged in out there...




  #9   Report Post  
Bob Dung
 
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On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 12:02:56 +0000, PC Paul wrote:

The Wanderer wrote:
[quoted text muted]


A relative asked me to investigate a similar problem a while back.

Turned out the previous owners and next door had joined together to have a
rear extension built on both houses (to save money). The builders had mixed
up the wires and the sockets along the joining wall were *all* on my
relatives meter.

And next door had a 3KW fan heater plugged in out there...


Your relatives maybe live in my street then..! (Harpenden) I do indeed
share an extension..well the roof part. I only rent so hadn't properly
examined everything, i have had a poke around and can't see anything
traversing from one side to other but wouldn't surprise me, our water can
be turned off from inside neighbours house and theirs from their neighbour
and so on..like it's in series..


../BD
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PC Paul
 
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Bob Dung wrote:
On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 12:02:56 +0000, PC Paul wrote:

The Wanderer wrote:
[quoted text muted]


A relative asked me to investigate a similar problem a while back.

Turned out the previous owners and next door had joined together to
have a rear extension built on both houses (to save money). The
builders had mixed up the wires and the sockets along the joining
wall were *all* on my relatives meter.

And next door had a 3KW fan heater plugged in out there...


Your relatives maybe live in my street then..! (Harpenden) I do indeed
share an extension..well the roof part. I only rent so hadn't properly
examined everything, i have had a poke around and can't see anything
traversing from one side to other but wouldn't surprise me, our water
can be turned off from inside neighbours house and theirs from their
neighbour and so on..like it's in series..


Hope you don't spring a leak while they're all out at work then!

Not the same place, they were in Cannock Chase.

Sounds like you need to turn the main switch off and see if it still moves
then... although from your figures it looks like it's an intermittent
thing...





  #11   Report Post  
Bob Dung
 
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Step one:

Just before trying this, i took mental note of disc speed and went and
turned everything off at the sockets..except a vcr (socket behind a
book case) but even freezer and 'puters etc. I don't think it slowed the
disc any.
Now, turned off consumer unit using it's own main switch, the disc indeed
still moves.. By moves i mean not much but enough for me to see it's
moving albeit considerably slower than before. Will call power co now.!

The other info i missed, it's an end terrace cottage style, two b/rooms,
up stairs everything else downstairs, kitchen in extension which doesn't
seem much newer than the main house. Think main house built 1902,
according to stone inlay thing in the wall outside. Self and burd only
live here, heating and hot water are gas

Generally the wiring is 'quirky' ..
switches that don't operate the light you'd expect it to operate or the
stair lights, not wired with two way switching, ie switch at top of stairs
operates top light only same at bottom.. And just noticed in the consumer
unit, we only have two 5 amp and one 30 amp circuit..
In fact i'll just take pic : dikerwood.com/meter

Thanks for comments so far, will see what the power co say now.

../BD


  #12   Report Post  
Chip
 
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On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 16:54:07 +0100,it is alleged that Bob Dung
spake thusly in uk.d-i-y:

[snip]

Generally the wiring is 'quirky' ..
switches that don't operate the light you'd expect it to operate or the
stair lights, not wired with two way switching, ie switch at top of stairs
operates top light only same at bottom.. And just noticed in the consumer
unit, we only have two 5 amp and one 30 amp circuit..
In fact i'll just take pic : dikerwood.com/meter

Thanks for comments so far, will see what the power co say now.


Looking at that pic, I *wonder* if the timer is turning on a load once
a week? Those olde sangamo timers (which are still available by the
way) have a 'day of the week' dial. I wonder if it's turning on some
forgotten circuit or appliance? Maybe even just turning on an old
outside circuit which is then causing several amps of leakage?

Try twisting the knob on the timer (or pressing the 'advance' red
pushbutton on the side) to see if that starts/stops the meter jumping.

--
Life is a whim of several billion cells to be you for a while.
  #13   Report Post  
The Wanderer
 
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On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 16:54:07 +0100, Bob Dung wrote:


Step one:

Just before trying this, i took mental note of disc speed and went and
turned everything off at the sockets..except a vcr (socket behind a
book case) but even freezer and 'puters etc. I don't think it slowed the
disc any.


OK, so it looks like there's something connected that you don't know about!
:-(

Now, turned off consumer unit using it's own main switch, the disc indeed
still moves.. By moves i mean not much but enough for me to see it's
moving albeit considerably slower than before. Will call power co now.!


Ah, these meters do have a tendency to creep. When you say move, do you
mean making complete revolutions or just turning ever, ever so slowly
('creep' and something that tends to settle out over a few minutes)?

The other info i missed, it's an end terrace cottage style, two b/rooms,
up stairs everything else downstairs, kitchen in extension which doesn't
seem much newer than the main house. Think main house built 1902,
according to stone inlay thing in the wall outside. Self and burd only
live here, heating and hot water are gas

Generally the wiring is 'quirky' ..
switches that don't operate the light you'd expect it to operate or the
stair lights, not wired with two way switching, ie switch at top of stairs
operates top light only same at bottom.. And just noticed in the consumer
unit, we only have two 5 amp and one 30 amp circuit..
In fact i'll just take pic : dikerwood.com/meter.


Not having looked in detail at your installation, I'd say almost certainly
you've got some probs with your installation. You need to get that checked
out SAP! Do any of your neighbours have anything unusual going on?
Something like an above-ground pool just installed?


--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net
  #14   Report Post  
fred
 
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In article , Bob Dung
writes

In fact i'll just take pic : dikerwood.com/meter

Requires automatic redirection, one of my peves . . .
--
fred
  #15   Report Post  
Ed Sirett
 
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On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 09:10:36 +0100, Bob Dung wrote:


Not sure what to try first. i have monthly DD with power company, one of
these capped / pay £40 per month type deals. Been fine for a year. .Take
meter readings every 3 months.. Took the reading 10 days ago, got bill
saying DD is going up to £110 per month. Same unit cost, something is
wierd with meter or something.. On advice from the power co, i've taken
daily readings starting last Thurs.. Now the strange bit, we used 35 units
between Thurs-Fri last week, around 5 units each day until..Yes 32 between
yesterday and today..?!

I'm sure i don't have a room full of leccy fires that only come on when
it's thursday night..!
Old dial type meter we have, two people, two b/rooms, work all day etc..
What could it be :-/

Immersion heater inadvertently left on?


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html




  #16   Report Post  
Dave Liquorice
 
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On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 21:10:52 +0100, Ed Sirett wrote:

Immersion heater inadvertently left on?


They maybe 3kW but unless the stat is stuck on will shut 'emselves off
once up to temperature. With a lagged HW cylinder they spend much
longer off than on. I found the immersion in my flat had been left on
for weeks when I rented it out for a while. Power bill wasn't
noticeably higher.

Looking at the OPs image where does that time switch and outside light
wiring go? A couple fo 500W halogens on for a few hours will knock up
the consumption, they won't be switching themselves off...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail



  #17   Report Post  
Bob Dung
 
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[quoted text muted]
Possible something is connected, again the quirks of this house, there
actually are front/side/back lights but they each have a local switch.
Using the pictured switches has no effect on the lights, nor does the
timer. Timer works, it's actually not normally plugged in, cause i didn't
know what it was timing. I'd say there nothing connected to the switches,
they don't arc at all when switched - scientific test.

[quoted text muted]

I'd say it was actually turning, very very slowly but turning. I had CU
off for 10-15 mins, was still movin. definately not like a 'tick' or
vibration movement, just a really slow turn.

[quoted text muted]

I have it raised with power co to come check their stuff, i'll get
landlady to get somebody in too.
I have to keep telling myself not to jump in and 'play' with
these things, cause it's a rented place but more because i should know
this stuff. I sort of was an electrician before, sort of meaning i served
my time and passed the final test etc (AM2 test i think it was called - in
scotland) but company went bust same week i got my tradesman card thing.!
15 years in IT later i can just watch the little wheel going round in the
meter

../BD
  #18   Report Post  
Lobster
 
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Dave Liquorice wrote:
Looking at the OPs image where does that time switch and outside light
wiring go? A couple fo 500W halogens on for a few hours will knock up
the consumption, they won't be switching themselves off...


Why can you (and others) see a picture whereas I (and
others) can't? I just get (in flat text):

Bob Dung wrote:
In fact i'll just take pic : dikerwood.com/meter


My newsreader does normally pick up attachments posted to newsgroups so
I'm just curious (although they shouldn't be posted anyway of course!)

David


  #19   Report Post  
Dave Liquorice
 
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On Sun, 14 Aug 2005 10:05:02 GMT, Lobster wrote:

Why can you (and others) see a picture whereas I (and
others) can't? I just get (in flat text):

snip
My newsreader does normally pick up attachments posted to newsgroups
so I'm just curious (although they shouldn't be posted anyway of
course!)


It's not an attachment, it's a link to a web site...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail



  #21   Report Post  
Lobster
 
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Rob Morley wrote:

Why can you (and others) see a picture whereas I (and
others) can't? I just get (in flat text):

Bob Dung wrote:

In fact i'll just take pic : dikerwood.com/meter


That's a URL that could more correctly have been written as
http://www.dikerwood.com/meter/meter.html


Doh!
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