Electric meter usage

CU-Cme

Hi - not sure where this goes on the boards but here goes

I'm living in an apt complex that has blocks built of similar units. I moved block recently and have noticed that the meter cost way exceeds that which I was paying for in another block. I spoke with a tenant of yet another block and found that with their bill was averaging per month what our apt was using in a week! Is there anyway to have the meter checked or whether there is some fault in the supply? Our block also houses the site management and laundraette and I'm wondering if this is a factor?

Davy

Have you checked are the bills estimated? On the bill you should see an 'e' after the reading. It may be estimating of the previous tenant.


Each apartment is metered individually, as is the landlord supply, or other commercial units.


Find your meter, and see it rotating. Then go back to your apartment and switch the main fuse at your fuse board. It should switch everything off, so if you go back the meter it should stop rotating. If it keeps spinning you have a problem, otherwise you need to look at your usage.


Leaving immersion water heater left on. What type of heating is in the apartment?

sharpshooter86

it could be someone taping of your supply .try switching everything off immersion alarm clocks the hole lot and have a look at the meter if she still spinin you got a t leaf or your paying for hall light

CU-Cme

thanks for the replies and sorry for the late reply - was back home for Christmas.

Unfortunately there is no spinning disc in the meter installed in our apts - its just a digital display saying how much credit is in the meter. I'm thinking we are paying for the admin office block that is located beneath our rooms - am wondering if there is any legal challenge for that as the other blocks on the site are not.

davelerave

they're mostly digital display now alright.
unlikely you're paying for launderette or office.,but warrants investigation all the same .
other meter issues can be estimates,meter accuracy or timing on dual-tarriff

Davy

Is it a black token meter?

Rev. BlueJeans

I think when they say credit, they mean the actual reading.

Iskra digi meter have been about for the last two years or more at this stage.

OP, you won't find a spinning disc, this has been replaced by a flashing red light, which should stop flashing if there's no load. Check too that the apartment number coincides with what label should be on the meter. You'll have an isolator there too with your apt no. on it, and if you knock that off, and have no power at the residence, and the light stays either on or off on the meter, all is well.

As said, the other option is that the reading was estimated, has been lately, or the previous tenant submitted the wrong closing reading. I assume you got a reading when you took occupancy?

davelerave

yah the 'iskrah' 100A that's the one i see mostly now in bill pay anyway
i notice the esb fit the dual tariff type for all installations ,are they configured differently for single/dual tarriff?
prob just scroll down and take the 'combined' reading i guess for single-tarriff

Rev. BlueJeans

Nope, all the same Dave.

Well, nearly; the white ones (RM258) have a switched pair to either pull in a 100A contactor for storage heating etc., or switch the customer's own. They're the ones you see on multiboards, the design of which hasn't been updated yet, as we're still waiting on a new meter manual.

The ones with the black terminal cover (257-no switched contact, although dual tarriff capable, and 259, which have both) and integral isolator are used in single applications.

In all cases the display cycle is the same once powered on, with total first, then I think, date/time, 2(day) and 1(night), achieved by pressing the blue button.

That's the reason why all meter enclosures have to be openable using a triangular key now

Rev. BlueJeans

Worth noting btw, if people have these, that a change to double tarriff (which is free anyway, thanks to the CER-you'll only get hit if you revert back), simply involves ESBN taking a reading, no meter change is needed.

davelerave

thanks