VERY HIGH Electric Bills - meter uses 800 imp/kWh - should it be 1000 imp/kWh

[zappastix]

Hi

A number of years ago EDF changed our electric meter.

Following that, we started to receive higher bills that we were not used to.

They sent out an engineer who rigged up another meter - so both run in tandem.
for around 2 weeks. Result: both meters matched. So there was nothing wrong
with our EDF meter BUT presumably the engineer would have used a matching meter,
that would have been "rated at 800 imp/kWh"

Over the years before the meter was changed, EDF and Southern Electric would often
refund money because our usage was lower than what the monthly DD was for.

We have tried all the regular things to try and find out what appliance(s)
are using so much.

Last week I brought an excellent unit that monitors everything,
the "geo Minim Energy Monitor"

It works by sticking a self adhesive black light sensitive sponge around/over the
flashing red light.

It reads the flashes, and in real time displays what the usage is indoors on a small monitor.

It is only after fitting the light sensor that I read printed next to the red light,
800 imp/kWh - I didn't have a clue what "imp" is - but since found out it stands
for the amount of "impressions" before registering that '1kWh' has been used.

I've also read that 800 imp/kWh meters are rare, and that most meters in
the UK record 1,000 impressions - before registering that '1kWh' has been used.

HERE'S MY QUESTION

So if our meter is working with 800 impressions per kWh
is it possible that our meter is designed to register each
kWh SOONER THAN A METER USING 1,000 impressions ?

Just trying to think logically here - inasmuch as 800 imp/kWh
will register so much sooner than 1,000 imp/kWh


Just a somewhat desperate thought!

Many thanks in advance.
Stephen

 

[charliegolf]

If an imp is a standard measurement then yes, but is it? Just as likely is that it's just a 'click', as used by that meter.

 

[zappastix]

Thanks charliegolf - reading up on imp - it does say that it is the amount of flashes of light that registers each kWh

This unit I've brought also explains the use of the red light - 1,000 flashes = 1kWh

 

[flameport]

Imp = number of times a light flashes for 1kWh. Makes no difference to the amount of energy recorded.
It's the equivalent of old meters with a rotating disc - the number of rotations per kWh.

 

[JohnW2]

... "geo Minim Energy Monitor" ... It works by sticking a self adhesive black light sensitive sponge around/over the flashing red light. It reads the flashes, and in real time displays what the usage is indoors on a small monitor.
It is only after fitting the light sensor that I read printed next to the red light, 800 imp/kWh - I didn't have a clue what "imp" is - but since found out it stands for the amount of "impressions" before registering that '1kWh' has been used.

OK. I think you'll find that "imp" is an abbreviation for "impulses" - aka 'the number of flashes'.

... I've also read that 800 imp/kWh meters are rare, and that most meters in
the UK record 1,000 impressions - before registering that '1kWh' has been used.

I agree. Albeit my experience is limited, I haven't personally come across one which is not 1000 impulses (flashes) PER kWh.

So if our meter is working with 800 impressions per kWh ... is it possible that our meter is designed to register each .... kWh SOONER THAN A METER USING 1,000 impressions ?

If your energy monitor is 'counting flashes', then it obviously needs to know how many flashes equate to 1 kWh of energy use. If it assumes (since it's so common) that there are 1000 flashed per kWh, then you are 'sunk' (but see below**). However, it is possible that the energy monitor can be 'told' the number of flashes per kWh - if that's the case, the manual should tell you how to do that.

[ ** if the monitor assumes 1000 flashes per kWh and that cannot be altered, then the energy consumption figures produced by the monitor will be 0.8 times the actual energy usage - so if you divided the displayed figure by 0.8 (or, simpler, multiplied it by 1.25) you would get the proper answer. ]

You can easily find out what is currently happening by comparing running the monitor for a day or three and comparing what it says about energy usage with the increase in actual meter readings over the same period. If the monitor is (correctly) assuming 800 flashes per kWh, then the two answerts should be about the same. If the monitor is assuming 1000 flashes per kWh, then the increase in meter readings should be about 1.25 times what the monitor is indicating.

Kind Regards, John

 

[zappastix]

flameport & JohnW2 - thanks for replying.

John I forgot to mention that with this monitor, you have to enter everything in, standing charge, unit rate AND the impressions rate,
so I did use 800.

 

[zappastix]

John, I've just fallen in with your last paragraph,
*You can easily find out what is currently happening by comparing running the monitor for a day or three*

I will use that method this weekend.

Many thanks
Stephen

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

So, now knowing how much you use has it helped you find what is upping your bills and helped you to reduce them?

Have you considered a Smart Meter, they do the same as you present gadget, but can let you know when you are consuming power and exactly how much.

 

[JohnW2]

flameport & JohnW2 - thanks for replying. John I forgot to mention that with this monitor, you have to enter everything in, standing charge, unit rate AND the impressions rate, so I did use 800.

In that case,you should be getting correct readings.

Kind Regards, John