Help! My tenant has recently changed to a smart meter now Economy 7 not working to storage heaters /water cylinder

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No sorry I can’t get photos to upload. There were no loose dangling wires. They were all going into thing. However, when I was under the stairs in the electrical cupboard there was 1 thing that I noticed compared to all the older meters (installed in 2005 as a new build). 

The new meter is attached to a new box...all the old meters do not have one. But the new smart meter is attached to a 230v proteus heating contractor. 

From this box there are 2 wires that come out to an off peak and peak what I can only describe as a big fuse board. Once again that fuse is also in the on position. 

 
I can't help more until we see some photos.  Do you have a proper computer? Phones are not the best at uploading stuff sometimes.

 
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Here are the pictures that @Charms41 was trying to post

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And this was the original type of meter that was removed

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My comments.

The old meter had the "switch" to turn the off peak supply on built into it.

The new smart meter does not, but it has a switch contact (the 2 blue wired) to energise the external contactor (third picture) to turn on the supply to the off peak fuse box at night.

It all looks to be wired properly so I think you need to throw it back at the DNO becaue it might well be the meter not configured properly to turn on the off peak supply.

 
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To hazard a guess the contactor is not operating correctly to energise the off peak supply when required.

 
Well just to update you all....I’ve had an electrician out this morning (and he was kind enough to come during Economy 7 running hours). He found that there was a ‘live’ wire from meter to fuse boards, to storage heaters and water cylinder. The he did a loop test and found there was no neutral. He went back down to the electric cupboard and found that when the meter fitter fitted the new switches he had pulled the neutral wire out of its connection in the 100a fuse box pictured above. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The wire was actually arching. He doesn’t know how that apartment block hasn’t gone up in flames. He was disgusted. So currently he’s turned off the power and awaiting Western Power Distribution to come and fix as an emergency. 

Thank you all so much for your advice you’ve all been very helpful. 

I’m just glad I didn’t get electrocuted as I had my hands all over that metal fuse box yesterday 😱

 
Well just to update you all....I’ve had an electrician out this morning (and he was kind enough to come during Economy 7 running hours). He found that there was a ‘live’ wire from meter to fuse boards, to storage heaters and water cylinder. The he did a loop test and found there was no neutral. He went back down to the electric cupboard and found that when the meter fitter fitted the new switches he had pulled the neutral wire out of its connection in the 100a fuse box pictured above. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The wire was actually arching. He doesn’t know how that apartment block hasn’t gone up in flames. He was disgusted. So currently he’s turned off the power and awaiting Western Power Distribution to come and fix as an emergency. 

Thank you all so much for your advice you’ve all been very helpful. 

I’m just glad I didn’t get electrocuted as I had my hands all over that metal fuse box yesterday 😱


id be demandig they pay his costs too, along with that of extra peak electric used, aince they said it wasnt their problem... and a complaint about bad workmanship

 
Well just to update you all....I’ve had an electrician out this morning (and he was kind enough to come during Economy 7 running hours). He found that there was a ‘live’ wire from meter to fuse boards, to storage heaters and water cylinder. The he did a loop test and found there was no neutral. He went back down to the electric cupboard and found that when the meter fitter fitted the new switches he had pulled the neutral wire out of its connection in the 100a fuse box pictured above. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The wire was actually arching. He doesn’t know how that apartment block hasn’t gone up in flames. He was disgusted. So currently he’s turned off the power and awaiting Western Power Distribution to come and fix as an emergency. 

Thank you all so much for your advice you’ve all been very helpful. 

I’m just glad I didn’t get electrocuted as I had my hands all over that metal fuse box yesterday 😱


Thank you for coming back to update us, It is always nice to find out when a cause has been found.

Doc H

 
OP ......you were fortunate to find a spark who would do this so late at night. 

You should be passing his invoice to the supplier and getting them to refund you

Incompetence on the part of the meter fitter springs to mind ....

 
Well this is the latest argument: 

Hi charmaine 
We have had western power distribution and also eon out for the loose connection as advised by our electrician Aaron. 

Western arrived first and checked the connections and found that within the buildings fuse board for the apartment the neutral wire was loose but also the live wire, he reconnected this as was not happy to disconnect us due to having medication in the fridge so he reconnected the live and neutral wires and tested the supply ok.

The eon engineer has also now attended and has also checked and explained what they are responsible for and what they can touch on the whole board. 

From what both western and eon have said this wasn’t anything to do with the installation of the smart meter as the connections were in the buildings fuse board for the apartment. 

The eon engineer has also checked the economy seven and this is now working we will do a further check overnight with the heaters to confirm. 

We are currently getting the reports from both eon and western power which we should have by Monday/Tuesday and we will forward on once we have them.  
Only just replying as the eon engineer only left about half an hour ago and I've also been on the phone to the resolution manager at eon.

 
Meter tails are funny things.  If they are disturbed at one end, movement may result in the other termination at the other end working loose.  So it would be good practice to check tightness at both ends.  I suspect that is what happened here, although they did not touch the connections in the fuse box, they disturbed the tails resulting in that loose connection.

to be honest if the loose terminal was inside the fuse box, your electrician could have tightened that.

 
Meter tails are funny things.  If they are disturbed at one end, movement may result in the other termination at the other end working loose.  So it would be good practice to check tightness at both ends.  I suspect that is what happened here, although they did not touch the connections in the fuse box, they disturbed the tails resulting in that loose connection.

to be honest if the loose terminal was inside the fuse box, your electrician could have tightened that.


I would have thought that compliance with the regulations to avoid mechanical strain on cables or terminations should prevent any joint becoming that loose? Whatever type of joint; junction box, commando plug, cooker supply, SWA etc, either the cables should be appropriately fixed or where flexibility and movement are required a gland or clamp etc, to secure the cable to prevent conductors pulling out of terminations CU tails should be no different. As there is quite a bit on mechanical external influences, (522.8.5 comes to mind),  to some degree you can understand the EON / Western Power point of view. However common sense would suggest that where there are no visible signs of any cable fixings, cleats or clamps, (just like thousands of older properties), you would double check nothing feels looser than it should be.  

Doc H.

 
Your Tennant had no right to do this of their own back. Unless u had given written permission. Ie a email or written confirmation. 

Who did the job. Can actually charge Tennant. Or take out deposit. Too many Tennants now a days just do what they want. Instead of obidient by tenancy agreement. Mind u now a days. Such a small deposit u can take. But they can trash your place. Laws all wrong on Tennants side now all because of a few bad landlords. Every other landlord. Has to suffer 

 
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