Faulty electricity meter?

[akbmcf1]

Hi peeps!

Here's an interesting one for you (well, at least I think it is interesting!): I've just had my old rewireable blade fuse-type fuseboard replaced for a 17th Edition compliant split-load lah-de-dah consumer unit.

The contractor wired the tails into the consumer unit, replaced the huge fuse that sits before the electricity meter (the one that powers down everything) and even though the consumer unit was off at the main switch, the meter started advancing, albeit slowly.

Anyone know if this should happen? Surely it means there is some consumption, perhaps by the meter itself? Nothing in the house was on! I'm thinking that if the meter is consuming, I have been paying for electricity that I'm not using (or shouldn't be charged for at least!)

Let me know your thoughts.

Ta!

 

[sparkyspike]

No. it should be stationary. I don't suppose you noticed if this never occured with the old fuse board?

 

[rebuke]

Indeed, it should be stationary. If you can cope without power for a few hours or so, switch off at the main switch on your CU, and see how long it takes to clock up a unit (or at least a few tenths of a unit). From there you should be able to work out how much 'extra' power it's been charging you for, and get your electricity company to sort out a refund...

Edit: This if of course assuming the new unit has been installed correctly, and that with the main switch off everything is actually disconnected etc...

 

[akbmcf1]

No. it should be stationary. I don't suppose you noticed if this never occured with the old fuse board?

In all honesty, I very rarely had any reason to turn off the power to the whole house, so never noticed whether it did or didn't advance. Got a sparky coming tomorrow to certify the work, so will let you know what he says (before you ask, I did get a competent person (not me!!) to install the CU who has done this before and the sparky works along with him certifying his work when needed)

I honestly can't see how anything else could be consuming as all the wires for the house are into the CU and nothing has tripped the MCBs in the new CU since it was installed last week. There doesn't seem to be anything connected to the electricity supply before the CU - the main big thick cable thing comes up from under the floor, into the big isolating fuse, then straight into the meter.

Could an earth leak cause consumption - surely this would trip the CU? I don't know, probably just waffling now......

 

[rebuke]

Assuming the main switch isn't faulty, so it definitely isolating the CU when switched off, then about the only thing could be a high resistance joint between the two terminals of the main switch (this is unlikely), a breakdown of the insulation between the two meter tails (again unlikely, since they've probably got a decent air gap between them anyway), or a fault in the meter - the latter seems the most likely, but obviously see what the spark says tomorrow (make sure you ask him about it, as he may not notice / look for it himself)...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Got a sparky coming tomorrow to certify the work, so will let you know what he says (before you ask, I did get a competent person (not me!!) to install the CU who has done this before

Obviously not competent enough to know that some testing and certification should have been done before it was energised....

and the sparky works along with him certifying his work when needed)

Legally, I wonder?

Are you in England or Wales?

 

[sparkyspike]

Try turning off all the breakers as well as the main switch. This would tell you if the main switch is not opening properly. It's very unlikely though.