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Freaking out about smart meter reading

64 replies

DebbieFiderer · 23/03/2019 22:10

I'm having a bit of a panic here and I need someone to help/tell me it's going to be ok. We had a smart meter installed 2 days ago and the readings seem absolutely insane! It's telling me we have used almost £50 of electricity in 2 days, if that is true, and reflects our normal usage, then we are screwed. We've only been in this house a few months so I don't know what a normal bill would be just yet, but surely it can't be that high??? I'm sitting here staring at it and every time I look it has gone up a few pence - almost £1 in the last 40 mins or so. How is that possible when it also says I am using 10p per hour right now? Could the meter or the display be faulty? Or does this house really use that much electricity??

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DebbieFiderer · 23/03/2019 22:12

It's gone up 10p since I posted!

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Aph413 · 23/03/2019 22:13

Have you considered going around and unplugging everything for a few minutes to see if it keeps going up? I don't know much about smart meters though I'm afraid

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DebbieFiderer · 23/03/2019 22:14

There isn't much on, just lights in one room, television and laptop being charged. Now 20p since I posted

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DebbieFiderer · 23/03/2019 22:15

And it still says usage is 9p per hour

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yorkshirepud44 · 23/03/2019 22:16

Unless you live in Buckingham palace or the equivalent, there's something wrong there. My combined bill is £85 per month for gas and electric in a 5 bed house.

Call the provider tomorrow and flag it.

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Aph413 · 23/03/2019 22:16

The reason I suggested it is if nothing was plugged in and it was still going up it would suggest a problem with the meter to me

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NoWordForFluffy · 23/03/2019 22:17

Fridge, freezer etc? You really do need to unplug everything and be methodical in your testing.

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MoreSlidingDoors · 23/03/2019 22:18

Unless you live in Buckingham palace or the equivalent, there's something wrong there. My combined bill is £85 per month for gas and electric in a 5 bed house.

How?!

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DebbieFiderer · 23/03/2019 22:18

Yeah, will try that in a minute and see. It keeps randomly flicking to saying that we are using 44p per hour but it's going up even faster than that

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MoreSlidingDoors · 23/03/2019 22:18

Is your immersion heater on?

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MoreSlidingDoors · 23/03/2019 22:19

Washing machine/dishwasher/oven?

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ivykaty44 · 23/03/2019 22:19

This is exactly why I refuse to have a smart meter and instead give monthly readings online

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DebbieFiderer · 23/03/2019 22:20

Now gone up over 40p in 10 mins

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MoreSlidingDoors · 23/03/2019 22:22

Stop watching it. Go to every room/cupboard and check what is on!

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Soontobe60 · 23/03/2019 22:22

Are you growing cannabis in the loft???
Get a torch.
Turn absolutely everything off.
Turn each switch on one at a time. Things that eat power could be oven, drier/washing machine, dishwasher, hair straighteners, iron, electric heaters.

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Jxtina86 · 23/03/2019 22:23

It sounds faulty to me. We have a smart meter and the most we've ever used in a day was just under £4 And that was with several runs of the washing machine, tumble dryer and the heating on. It definitely shouldn't jump up 10-20p in a short period time. I'd do as pp suggested and unplug everything you can to double check but phone the supplier and let them know asap too.

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DebbieFiderer · 23/03/2019 22:23

Switched most things off and it has stopped going up as fast which means it was accurate, right? Fuck fuck fuck.

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Soontobe60 · 23/03/2019 22:24

Just a thought, as you've only just moved in, have you actually given any meter readings yet or paid any electricity bills? If not, it could be catching up form the initial reading.

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DebbieFiderer · 23/03/2019 22:24

The tumble drier was on as well which is probably what was putting it up so fast.

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Soontobe60 · 23/03/2019 22:25

So what did you have plugged in?

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DebbieFiderer · 23/03/2019 22:25

We've given initial readings when we switched to this supplier, but the reading on the new meter is just since it was installed.

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MoreSlidingDoors · 23/03/2019 22:26

The tumble drier was on as well which is probably what was putting it up so fast.

FFS.

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DebbieFiderer · 23/03/2019 22:28

Sorry for the disjointed posting, I'm trying to reply sensibly. We had the TV, DVD player, WiFi, tumble drier, fridge etc and 1 set of lights. Now everything is back on except the tumble drier and it has still gone up 3p in 4 mins despite saying current usage is 3p per hour

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DebbieFiderer · 23/03/2019 22:29

But even with the the tumble drier off it is still going up faster than it should. And I'm sure that wouldn't explain £28 of electricity in a day?

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MorningsEleven · 23/03/2019 22:29

The tumble drier was on

There's your problem Einstein

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