electric meter problem

[dtest]

I'm having a problem with the electric meter in my house.

I use about 80 - 90 kWh every month, but when I just checked my meter (I check it every month and write down the kWh number) it suddenly said that I used 470 kWh in the past month!

Some time last month a device short circuited. The circuit breaker in my house got tripped and I had to put it back up. And even the main circuit breaker in the electricity closet in the hall got tripped.

Is it possible that such a strong short circuit could make the meter suddenly increase by 400 kWh in a split second? Can I call the electricity company and tell them that their meter measured it wrong and should I dispute my bill?

 

[Notsosmart]

If you are adamant trhat the meter is miss-reading then you can insist that they check its calibration. For about £70.00 they replace it, take it away & refund the £70.00 if it proves to be reading over.

Not experienced (or noticed) that a short circuit makes a meter jump several hundred kWh though.

 

[boatnik1]

Something has been left on and not noticed, a 500w security light for a month would add up to 360Kwh or a !Kw heater for half that period. Most unlikely that a meter would suddenly go high and revert to normal (if it has). Is your current around 3Kwh per day or is it still reading more than that?. If more I would suggest killing a circuit a day and checking the reading should identify the offending circuit. If the reading is still high then turn all circuits at CU off and if the meter is still running then check if any circuits are taken from the henley/isco blocks out to a garage or somewhere that might be causeing the problem.
PS I wish my meter would only read 90Kwh per month.

 

[m4tty]

I was told by a friend that if you get the clipper part a clipper lighter out and spin the wheel where the key goes on a key meter as if you were lighting it. It will credit the meter. So I tried it just out of curiousity and saw £6 come up on the meter. So I would say that short could have had something to do with the meter reading

 

[kung]

Hello and welcome Dtest.
I would inform the DNO about whats happend and tell them your check it this next mth if the reading is then over what your norm using (also christmas we all use more ie lights/cooking etc on christmas break) then call them back and inform them. When theres a dispute with meter accuracy they might either replace it or fit a check meter next to it to compare readings and resolve the problem by proving either way if or not your meter is faulty.

 

[dtest]

thanks for the replies everyone. turned out to be something really silly. I misread the meter and it actually checked out in the end and the meter is just fine. the short circuit seemed to not have done any damage