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Original poster

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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Original poster
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

Original poster
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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Original poster
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.

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

NoWordForFluffy · 23/03/2019 22:17

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

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?!

Original poster
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?

MoreSlidingDoors · 23/03/2019 22:19

Washing machine/dishwasher/oven?

ivykaty44 · 23/03/2019 22:19

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

Original poster
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!

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.

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.

Original poster
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.

Original poster
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?

Original poster
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.

Original poster
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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Original poster
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?

OP posts:
MorningsEleven · 23/03/2019 22:29

The tumble drier was on

There's your problem Einstein