wiring up a meter

[ExArmy]

I did a board change today and upon powering it up the display on the key meter is broken. the LCD backlight comes on, but the screen is blank. any ideas? also i completely forgot which way the tails go, so i just put them back in as i would do for a normal meter (never really had much to do with a key meter before) as they were no markings on the meter. I put them in L N N L, i did a polarity check at the top of the MS so i assume it's ok...?

 

[telectrix]

get client to phone supplier. tell ' em it's just broke. as long as you,ve got the in to the left and the out to the right with correct polarity ( L.N.N.L. should be correct).

 

[topquark]

DNO or landlord key meter?

 

[needasparks]

Hats on, I know whats coming.............

 

[ExArmy]

so all meters are wired up like L N N L? a bit worried incase i've somehow by passed the meter and get fined for scamming free electric from the grid!

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DNO key meter

 

[bradder]

There should be a wiring/connection diagram on the inside of the cover that you remove to access the terminals.

 

[ExArmy]

There should be a wiring/connection diagram on the inside of the cover that you remove to access the terminals.

there wasn't, just numbers

 

[huntos33]

Ive got a key meter in my house L N N L thats how mines wired ( recenly installed by british gas )

 

[Swicade]

At the risk of starting a debate/arguement i'm confused as to why tails where disconnected from the DNO meter in the first place.

Maybe it's just the fact i do things differently (and possibly wrong) but i never touch the DNO meter's at all when doing a board change......i usualy dump my new tails into Henley blocks and tag the old tails into the same blocks after the meter.

Only meter's i've ever connected into are customers own meter's (usualy card/coin meters) and they've all been L,N,N,L....supply on left,outgoing on right.

 

[snowhead]

Has the meter failed due to the cover being removed, or loss of power as anti fraud protection?

 

[Darkwood]

If its a smart meter you may have just dropped yourself in it, as they log all events and although we all know what you have done here is commit a crime by tampering with meter / connections etc i cant fathom why you would remove all the tails and not just the out-going as this would only leave you with 2 options in which one would be incorrect polarity and a voltage tester would have simply avoided that. (after thought unless you were uprating the size)

Modern smart meters now can log a power loss to time and date and if this dosn't correspond to a power failure in the area they may be asking the occupier to explain why there has been an interuption to the meter..... at the thought of legal proceedings i think many tenents or home owners will gladly offer up the info of who was responsible..... Not that i ever accessed a meter but i wouldn't even contemplate it now as you are linked now by time and dates where as before they couldn't really prove when the interference was caused.

 

[Knobhead]

Try inserting the customers key and see if you get a display.

Why did you remove the terminal cover? It’s the only mistake you’ve made.

I’ve done it years back to get rid of about ½ dozen VIR’s crammed in the meter out going.

 

[Darkwood]

Has the meter failed due to the cover being removed, or loss of power as anti fraud protection?

A nice thought but legally i dont think they can have a system in that would stop the meter working as they need a court order to disconnect a supply and having a meter to pre-programmed shutdown could be a health and safety issue.

 

[garysparky1]

You need to ensure incoming supply is on the left of the meter and load to CU on right if tails wrong way readings will decrease and the supplier won't be happy

 

[telectrix]

You need to ensure incoming supply is on the left of the meter and load to CU on right if tails wrong way readings will decrease and the supplier won't be happy

just going to swap mine over. back in a tick.