Electrical meter accuracy testing

Cdn_Gringo

Cdn_Gringo

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I'm on an electricity distribution system that is not directly associated with a public utility. I am interested in having my usage meter checked to ensure that it is accurately measuring kw/h used. I can't figure out why my usage is going up despite less use of AC this time of year.

Anyone have any suggestions on who might offer this type of service?
 
chico bill

chico bill

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Catseye said:
even if you could prove it was calibrated high on purpose, I don’t see how you could prevail, they’ll just blow you off
Click to expand...

Buy a parallel meter or replace the existing. Meters can go bad
 
Cdn_Gringo

Cdn_Gringo

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The meter is analog with a spinning wheel.

I own the meter, or if I don't then I can always insist on the installation of a new one that I might have to supply. The electricity is supplied by the community and I pay the bill monthly. Although the meter readings appear to be correct, I am not unconvinced that someone couldn't adjust a set screw up in the low power months and then back down in the high power months. In my case, the consumption appears to be too uniform and has increased slowly but steadily over time.

Even when we travel and are not here for a week or so, there never seems to be corresponding drop in power usage. I don't think anything is tied into my meter that shouldn't be there.
 
chico bill

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
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Cdn_Gringo said:
The meter is analog with a spinning wheel.

I own the meter, or if I don't then I can always insist on the installation of a new one that I might have to supply. The electricity is supplied by the community and I pay the bill monthly. Although the meter readings appear to be correct, I am not unconvinced that someone couldn't adjust a set screw up in the low power months and then back down in the high power months. In my case, the consumption appears to be too uniform and has increased slowly but steadily over time.

Even when we travel and are not here for a week or so, there never seems to be corresponding drop in power usage. I don't think anything is tied into my meter that shouldn't be there.
Click to expand...
For a start -

Shut off all your breakers and see of there is any meter movement and turn one on at a time to see the meter spin rate.If you have movement with all the breakers off then there could be an issue between the meter and house panel.
I had a friend whose daughter plugged in a fan with a frayed cord that shorted out. It wound up shutting off the apt building water also. After calling out our own electrician it exposed that the landlord was using her power to run the water pump for the apartments and her neighbor's (renter) to supply the landlord'd living room/patio circuit.
And it is very hard to follow some of the crappy electrical work in the DR.
If you know a competent electrician who owns more than one screw driver and a rusty pair of pliers seek their help.
 
R

Riva_31

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Apr 1, 2013
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Cdn_Gringo said:
I'm on an electricity distribution system that is not directly associated with a public utility. I am interested in having my usage meter checked to ensure that it is accurately measuring kw/h used. I can't figure out why my usage is going up despite less use of AC this time of year.

Anyone have any suggestions on who might offer this type of service?
Click to expand...

Make an agreement with them, let them to know that you want to have your own metter to know for sure how much electricity are you using, tell them that you will cover to cost of putting a meter in you apartment and receive a bill accourding to your use.
 
SantiagoDR

SantiagoDR

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Riva_31 said:
Make an agreement with them, let them to know that you want to have your own metter to know for sure how much electricity are you using, tell them that you will cover to cost of putting a meter in you apartment and receive a bill accourding to your use.
Click to expand...

Then they will claim "your" meter is the one that is wrong and/or worry "you" will modify the meter.

What you don´t pay ,means they have to make up the difference.
 
R

Riva_31

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Apr 1, 2013
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SantiagoDR said:
Then they will claim "your" meter is the one that is wrong and/or worry "you" will modify the meter.

What you don´t pay ,means they have to make up the difference.
Click to expand...

If thats the case then I will try to get the service from Electric Comapny, a lot people claim that they has been charge with non usage electricity hight bills, but I have smart meter, and when I use more electricity I pay more, and when I use less electricity i can see how my bill go down, specially when I do not use the air conditioner.
 
Cdn_Gringo

Cdn_Gringo

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Good point - turning everything off to see if the meter still spins.

I was hoping there is some standardized test(s) that a technician could perform that would indicate that 1 kw/h on the meter actually equals a real kw/h, much like a liter at the gas pumps is really a liter delivered to the gas tank.
 
C

Catseye

Member
Nov 7, 2009
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Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic
chico bill said:
For a start -

Shut off all your breakers and see of there is any meter movement and turn one on at a time to see the meter spin rate.If you have movement with all the breakers off then there could be an issue between the meter and house panel.
I had a friend whose daughter plugged in a fan with a frayed cord that shorted out. It wound up shutting off the apt building water also. After calling out our own electrician it exposed that the landlord was using her power to run the water pump for the apartments and her neighbor's (renter) to supply the landlord'd living room/patio circuit.
And it is very hard to follow some of the crappy electrical work in the DR.
If you know a competent electrician who owns more than one screw driver and a rusty pair of pliers seek their help.
Click to expand...



That reminds me, one night I was looking at my security cameras and it was dark but there was a bright spot in the yard.  They are infra red, so I look out the window at that spot and there’s nothing there.  I called my handyman the next day and told him to dig up whatever’s there and fix it, it must be getting hot.  Sure enough, it was wires that were wrapped crappily and needed to be redone.  And I had been having higher electric usage at the time, too.  
 
Cdn_Gringo

Cdn_Gringo

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YC, turning everything off does verify that power isn't being siphoned off for something else, but does not verify that the meter is accurately recording the amount of power being used.
 
malko

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
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Cdn_Gringo said:
YC, turning everything off does verify that power isn't being siphoned off for something else, but does not verify that the meter is accurately recording the amount of power being used.
Click to expand...

Just throwing thoughts out there......
You could switch everything off, then use something that you know the power of, ie an iron or an AC.
 
N

Norberto61

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Jun 21, 2015
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You can get a meter that you plug an individual item into - turn off all the breakers but the one for the fridge - goo out for the day or two and see if the numbers agree
 
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