Is it possible for a electric meter to run fast???

[what..the?]

I moved home Nov last year and after a month (early Dec) we got our first bill for electricity

It was for a period of 1 month dated from when we first moved in, it was for approx �100 which was three times what it would have cost at our previous property.

There are only two of us living there we are out all day and come home late a night and leave first thing in the morning we also go out for one day at the weekend.

We run basic dishwasher, washing machine and tumble drier approx once a week as there is only two of us and we turn the lights off in the house and in the evening sit and watch the same tv in the same room.

However when we have gone out side and looked at the meter the bloody thing is whizzing around soo fast.

Is it possible that it could run fast????

[gina32]

yes it is, get in touch with your supplier and see what they say, also, switch everything off in the house and check your meter, which is what the provider will say to start with

[cascarelli]

Have you checked the meter reading, is it correct or have you been given an estimated reading?

Do as Gina advises, switch the electricity off completely (the switch at the fuse box) and check the meter isn't still turning.

[what..the?]

no the meter has been read and is not estimated, will try and do 'above' tonight, thanks to both of you.

[CSG2306]

Hi what..the?,

You haven't mentioned how you heat your water? Or what heating you have.

If you use an immersion heater, is it on all the time? Have you any electrical heaters i.e. oil filled radiators or night storage heaters that have accidently been left on?

Do as suggested, switch everything off and check that your meter is still, then gradually switch your appliances on 0ne at a time.

Your electrical supplier can check your meter at a cost. If the meter is faulty there is no charge but if your meter is OK then expect to pay for their time etc. In all my days as an electrical engineer I have never yet come across a faulty meter.

Please keep us informed.

Regards

[what..the?]

Dear CSG2306 thanks for your response.

Well our water and heating is heated by gas and I believe our tumble drier is too.

I did look this morning at the meter when locking up and all I had going was the fridge/freezer and little fans in two shower rooms which remain on for a couple a minutes when we leave the house, so the steam from our showers does not build up and make our rooms mouldy.

The meter however was still visably going round and when looking at it the numbers did move.

I was interested about turning the electric off completely at the fuse box like suggested but I am worried about the house alarm and what effects it will have on it. We do not use the house alarm at all if we can help it because the noise if it were to go off would kill all our guinea pigs which live indoors - the stress would kill them because they are very jumpy you see. So really I worry what will happen with the alarm and if it is worth risking their lives.

Maybe if I just turn everything off and even turn off the fridge/freeze at the wall briefly, all that would still be on is the alarm and that does not even have a LCD display just two LEDs so that cannot be using much - I will then see how fast it goes round???

Any thoughts. How fast should it be going round with just that little i.e 2 LEDs and prehaps and couple of electrical things on standby. How often should the number on the meter change???? Should the last number on the meter reading change every 1 minute or every 5 minutes if hardly any things off???

[CSG2306]

Hi,

Your burglar alarm should have a backup battery inside the control box. The alarm shouldn't sound when you switch off the electricity, it should automatically go into battery mode.

The best way to see how fast the wheel turns is to turn everything off, not at the mains switch. Then switch your appliances on one at a time, looking at your meter as you switch each one on.

Might I suggest that you take a meter reading every day, morning and evening, but always at the same time, this will give you some idea of your daily usage. You can take a reading as often as you like but make sure that you are consistent. This will let you know when you are using most electricity.

Regards

[reffgt]

Have the electricty board to check the meter first,they do come out quite quickly. I have done this when one person lives in the property. I also check the meter readings every sunday and date and list the numbers on paper,so that you register each week how much you use. But do get the meter checked as well. Its too expensive to waste.

[Valks]

I had the same problem back in 2001. Normal usage, astronomical bill. Turned out it was to do with the type of meter. There are IMPERIAL meters and METRIC meters. If you've got an imperial but the electric comapny think you have a metric your bills will be triple what you expect.

[gina32]

what..the, im amazed at your answer concerning your guinea pigs, ok i understand they are living creatures and i respect that but surely the thought of having your house burgled and personal possesions taken far out weighs that, and dont forget if that did happen you wouldnt be able to claim on insurance if the insurance company know that you have an alarm and you didn use it.