Electricity Meter Going Backwards? – A Need for Clear Guidance From PV Installers

Listen to me talking to Winifred Robinson on Radio 4’s You & Yours about this issue, here.

Curiously, ever since I blogged about my confusion regarding my electricity usage meter running backwards following a solar PV installation, I’ve received 1000s ‘search term’ hits to my website on this very subject.  It seems like there is quite a lot of confusion out there – not just me then!

To be clear, backward running meters only occur if you have an older, analogue style meter, like the one shown below, coupled with a PV system.  In this case, every KwH of generated solar PV will be registered, consumed locally or not,  through the electricity usage meter literally running backwards. If you generate more than you use (a possibility in summer months), over an extended period you could find yourself with a meter reading that is lower than your last meter reading. This is clearly not what is supposed to happen.  Your usage meter should only register the amount of local generated power you use by not turning at all if your generated power meets your needs, and turning more slowly if it partially meets your need and hence your demand on the grid is lowered.

So far I have only come across one other person with an analogue meter plus PV, but she too had no idea that there was anything wrong, and certainly was not told by her PV installer (a different company to mine) that this would need to be changed.  She has just celebrated her first anniversary of PV ownership, and hence a year of very low electricity bills too!

I find it quite astonishing, and not a little remiss, that the installers are not making this situation clear to customers. Is it not part of the basic PV installer training to warn people that this will be the case with analogue style meters, and that they will need to inform their energy company that they will require an upgrade?

I’m also not clear where liability lies in this situation?  When you register your PV system with your FiT payment supplier (which does not need to be your energy suppler BTW) you do state what meter you have, but in my experience, and that of the other analogue meter/PV owner, nothing comes of this.  There does not seem to be a recognition within the FiT payment suppller that this is an issue.  Which is curious given that they will potentially be losing out on revenue if they supply your power too.

So, take the situation of a PV owner running an analogue meter for years before their energy supplier twigs. Will the householder be liable for paying back the actual amount of electricity they have used from the grid but not paid for?  Apart from the issues surrounding the estimating of exactly how much is owed, on which side is the onus to ensure the meter is changed to a digital ‘backstop’ electricity meter promptly?

If the householder is not informed that it is a problem at the commissioning stage, and doesn’t really understand what is happening (I only realised there might be an issue because through the summer I was generating more than I was using, so had a negative meter reading situation) is it their responsibility, are they legally liable?  Or is it the responsibility of the FiT payment suppler to check the meter type? But if the FiT payment supplier is not the energy supplier, then there is no incentive there either?

152 comments… add one
  • Stephen P April 26, 2012, 8:58 pm

    My solar installation was a complete mess from start to finish…One of the issues was that my inverter was connected via the solar electricity meter direct on to the incoming side of the grid after the fuse cutout, the seal the broken to make the connection. Therefore all my excess generated electricity was exported and we didn't receive any of the free electricity. i spotted this after 2 months when i got the electricity bill and wondered why my usage had not decreased at all. I got them back to correct this and remidy a few other items. when they left i noticed over the following week my generated energy had reduced by over 50%. I found a  loose cable in one of the isolators, i repaired this and then it was back to normal. The point being how many other people have their system installed incorrectly!!!!!!!!!  Other issues included leaking roof, Inverter mounted in a way which will void the warrenty, andd many other problems
     
     I have a digital meter installed by edf and this flashed being the current impoted reading and " reD" which i assume means reversed or exported, although i have never noticed the meter actually going backwards
    Other than the problems we have had on a sunny day we are generating nearly 5kw an hour out of a 4 kw system. anyone else come a cross this?
    Regards
     
    Stephen P

    Reply
  • MarkC April 27, 2012, 1:44 pm

    Hi, After coming back from a week's holiday I noticed the electric meter (analog) reading was lower than when I left.  I decided to contact my electric supplier EON who first of all said it was just a faulty meter until I spoke to their FIT team who recognised the issue.  They are now booked to replace the meter "so that customers can be invoiced for usage that is as accurate as possible". I specifically asked if they would be using a smartmeter, but they said no as the smartmeters are not currently certified for use with microgeneration systems 'and we've been having a few issues with them'.  They wouldn't say what those issues were.  I'll keep you posted on what new meter is installed and how that works out. Shame really as I am getting used to the decreasing reading on the sunny days. Cheers

    Reply
    • Paula April 28, 2012, 4:15 pm

      hi Mark

      Thanks for your comment. It would be interesting to know what issue they are having with samrt meters?? But I guess they are not going to go public with them. I’ve heard that Smart meters simply don’t work with PV systems, but I have no actual evidence for that at the moment.

      Enjoy your free leccy whilst it still lasts – although at the moment there isnt much sunshine around!!

      Cheers Paula

      Reply
  • Stephan May 1, 2012, 10:43 am

    We had our installation since Dec 2011, and it has been producing nicely covering our consumption on most days since early March (we do have an analogue meter, so I usually check at night how far this has advanced or reverted).
    We are on an electricity contract with Scottish Power (who are also our FiT provider) that requires us to provide meter reads online — now half a year in to having the PV array I tried to submit the reading that is lower than the last (well, that is what the meter shows after all) and they will now arrange for someone to come out and fit a new meter. I guess that means using the washing machine and dishwasher during sunny times only …  
    What I found strange is that they did not automatically come and replace the meter, our installer told us that this is waht the analogue meter will do and there was a tick box on the FiT regsitration form where this is confirmed. (I am sure most forms have these boxes and I assume that ticking it correctly should take care of the generators responsibility to inform the supplier — at least in the case where the FiT provider and supplier are the same). 
    Replacement scheduled for 3 weeks from now, noy sure how readings will look after that and also not sure how our next electricity bill will look with the non-sensical reading (I see a battle looming …).

    Reply
  • ken haslam May 7, 2012, 12:47 pm

    i had  a pv system fitted in february on the rent a roof schemeby an idependant company .now british gas inform me they will have to change my meter as the present reading is less than the one they read in feb..
    my present meter is the old type with a disc that goes round but in bright sunlight this goes in reverse

    Reply
  • Pete May 9, 2012, 8:30 pm

    An interesting blog thanks.

    There is no way anyone could be held liable for fraud etc if meter runs backwards. Reasons…

    1. The MCS registered installer always notifies every PV installation location address to the DNO (the local electricity distributer who is also responsible for the import meters) on the required G83 form. If they are too incompetent to check meter type installation records or failing that, do a physical on site meter inspection and replace if needed with a backstop type, then that is their fault and not the consumers.

    2. Some FiT application forms do ask if the meter runs backwards, some don’t. If they don’t ask or if they do but then do nothing, then again that is not the customers fault.

    3. The customer has had his PV system installed by qualified and registered installers and with the encouragement of the government FiT scheme. He has done nothing illegal or underhand in any way. In fact quite the reverse. If he has not been instructed to check for a backwards running meter by anyone, and it is not written anywhere on any T&C etc then clearly he is not at fault.

    It is the entire system that has not been properly thought through by the various organisations and the powers that be. Surely the fact that the DNO has been formally notified of each and every installation, should be more than enough. How can it possibly be down to the layman customer to take care if this issue?

    Reply
  • Pete May 9, 2012, 8:59 pm

    Just a further comment to my last post.

    There is no way the energy company can back charge for free electricity that you may have enjoyed due to an ancient technology backwards running electricity meter. They have absolutely no physical way of knowing how much meter wind back there has been, if any!

    The customer could simply say that since his PV was installed, he has been using far more electric heating using his self generated electricity in order to save on gas consumption. Then in hot summertime, he say he uses a constant air conditioner system.

    The energy company cannot prove this either way, nor quantify it, so they cannot possibly back charge the customer. There are people currently doing exactly this.

    All they can do is replace the import meter with a backstop type, and look forwards to correct metering in the future.

    Reply
    • Paula May 10, 2012, 9:48 am

      Thanks Pete for your two interesting comments. I must say though, there are stories of the energy suppliers coming after people for their unpaid use of the grid electricity. The suppliers are using historical usage data to estimate how much they use normally, and then maybe reducing that by 50%, as that is the estimated amount of pv generated electrcity we are generally expected to use, and going from there. Only time will tell who will win that little battles! Interesting times!!

      Reply
  • baz h May 16, 2012, 3:48 pm

    Hi All Isnt it this country is a total mess meters going backward others giving an error where is the government and ofgen are they a sleep why dont they regulate this stuff it is chaos, i am trying to install solar system plus wind generator of my own design plus another new system which should work 24 hours dont know yet how much it will generate hope to complete this summer hoping to have enough energy and remove completely my electronic meter. good luck to you all with your meters. Cheers, baz

    Reply
  • Steve May 21, 2012, 8:55 am

    I too have a backward running meter. I had the panel installed just before the snow in December 2010! I only noticed the meter was going backwards around April the following year. The supplier didn't inform me that this was going to happen but it allows me to "store" units in the summer.
    Inerestingly, my FiT and supplier are both the same (British Gas) so I would have thought the departments talk and would know there's an analogue meter. Anyway I'm switching suppliers in the next few weeks so I may have to inform the new ones.

    Reply
  • John May 22, 2012, 12:13 pm

    Interested in this topic as my meter has been running backwards for some time, we have 19 Solar Panels on our roof, and currently the meter is showing a much lower reading than before the panels were installed.  An engineer came out from the fitters and told me that the meter WAS supposed to run backwards, when generating.   My concern is that although both Economy 7 and Normal meters are active, the generation is intermittent between the two, for example we now have a very bright sunny afternoon, 1.30PM but it is the economy 7 meter that is going backwards, last week it was the normal meter?
     

    Reply
  • MikeTheLight May 25, 2012, 11:34 am

    Hi Paula, I am a registered solar installer and in November 2011 I installed a nice 3.68kw PV sytem to my workshop roof as part of my home solar PV excersise. The system is really easy to clean if required as it is less than 4mtrs from ground and I can see at a glance what the Eltek  Inverter is doing as it is conveniently nailed to my wall at below 2m height.
    When I recently spoke to my EON supplier by phone I was happily informed that 'by the way you are aware that you will not produce as much electricity at night as you will in the day' .  Ha ha.
    Even to this day 25/5/2012 nobody has bothered to fit a new supply meter or return any of my concerned calls about my electricity meter Time travelling, so it is possible…
     
    MTL

    Reply
  • Mike May 31, 2012, 10:44 am

    I had 3.9 Kw PV panels installed at the end of February. Now at the end of May my electricity meter reading is less than it was then! My electricity supplier (Good Energy) is also my FIT provider so they know I have the panels. They actively promote home generation and I wonder what their attitude will be when they finally notice that the readings are going down. Or should i contact them? I don't want to be doing anything illegal.
     

    Reply
  • Sian May 31, 2012, 3:49 pm

    hi,
    I was informed by the company that fitted my solar panels, that the meter running backwards was an added benefit, and to change companies if they decided to fit an up-to-date one. As EDF know the type of meter I have, and also know that I have solar panels, then as far as I am concerned it is up to them to change it. It is not as if I am hiding information. The energy companies are almost certainly aware that analogue meters go backwards if solar panels are put in. The meter going backwards meter, is certainly a benefit and will mean extra savings, so I am quite happy.
    As for noticing meter readings, I am sure that energy companies keep a record of all meter readings. They have to, as some people (so I am told) deliberately wire them to go backwards. However,  since my energy comparny  are aware that the old analogue meters do go backwards if solar panels are put in place  I am not sure that energy companies can hold the home owner liable for having an analogue meter that they themselves fail to change. I doubt whether this happy state of affairs will last forever, so I would enjoy it while it lasts!

    Reply
  • Guf June 8, 2012, 11:15 am

    Hi,
    I had a full system fitted in November last year. On trying to submit meter readings last month it came to light that I had gone significantly under my previous readings. I reported this to SSE who came and fitted a new meter two days later.
    I then queried my latest bill from them as it was based on an reading that had been entered by them (if you try to submit a reading lower than previous is goes to a human for verification, I presume someone overrode my value wirth their own estimate). After several phone calls they agreed that they could not bill me acurately for that period and wanted to ensure it was settled in my favour. End result is the outstanding bill was wiped and a reasonable credit has been applied to my account.
    I would advise anyone getting their meter replaced to take a picture of the readings prior to removal, as this helped me resolve the problem. As an aside its been interesting to monitor the new meter and get a clearer picture of my consumption since it was replaced…
    SSE customer services were very helpfull both in replacing the meter and resolving the billing issue.

    Reply
  • Ric June 16, 2012, 10:35 am

    I have just installed a 400 watt system and noticed the meter going backwards at times when home is not in use. 400 watts is small compared to most systems and was wondering if it was worth contacting my supplier. The only way they could find out about my pv systems is if a meter reading was taken on a sunny day with no one at home.
    My supplier requires a reading every month from myself, do they still come round and check periodically?
    thanks

    Reply
    • Paula June 18, 2012, 12:36 pm

      hi there
      THanks for your comment. You do indeed have quite a small system and so I’m guessing the ‘backwards’ running does not have much of an impact? I think there is an obligation for your meter to be checked by professional mter readers every couple of years ( i think there is a Health and Safety reason for this), but whether it does or not is another matter.

      I guess its a matter for your own conscience whether you inform your electrcity supplier or not, but as you are not the owner of a large 3-4 kW peak system, and so the net lost of revenue to the supplier would be very small, they might decide it is not economical to pay for your meter to be replaced?

      Reply
  • carl June 17, 2012, 3:47 pm

    Hi ,I have an old digital meter 2000 this old meter does not allow reverse supply so in the summer when my solar produces more power than the property is using it has nowhere to go (will not reverse onto grid) and so becomes a load.In the summer my PV was actually costing me money by increasing my usage and not reducing it.
    I am trying to get a new meter installed but am having no joy as my PV was not instaed by a MCS installer.

    Reply
  • Ingrid June 20, 2012, 12:59 pm

    Our system was installed 1st Sep 2011 and I ticked the box to say the meter sometimes goes backwards.  Recently received a form to complete because npower weren't sure if our meter was operating correctly.  Duly completed it with the end of day reading less than the beginning and got a phone call to say I must have read the meter wrongly.  I pointed out that the reason it goes backwards is that we have solar.  I was then told that we couldn't get any payments until we had the right kind of meter installed.  We had already received a payment before that.
    Have now been emailed to say our meter's going to be changed in a fortnight.

    Reply
  • DG June 21, 2012, 4:51 pm

    I find after 6 months and the 6 monthly meter reading (just estimated usage in March) we have used only 10% of our normal electricity. Adding in the units generated by my panels the total is normal and I realise you can watch the meter running backwards. In reality though our usage is mostly in winter evenings and our generation is in summer days.
    The assumption of the feed in tarrif is based on the use of 50% and the expectation that if the supplier has taken your power you will get only the generation subsidy plus a modest feed-in tarriff. They can't store it, so you can't expect to get it back at the same price. At the times you want it they are probably running expensive generators to meet the peak demand and it costs them much more than the standard rate you pay.
    However as others have said the current result with old meters is that you get everything you generate back for free, while many of us will need nearly all of it to be stored! Our installer informs us that even if your installer is your FiT supplier it is expensive to change your meter: if in fact you do use nearly all of it directly it is not worth changing it, but if you use very little they will change it quickly. Having got the very low six monthly usage and noting our generation I assume we will soon be at the top of the list to get our meter changed!
    In green energy terms if you have a water storage cylinder a low AND variable input immersion heater is the ideal to use what would otherwise have 'saved' only efficiently produced energy at the expense of using more high carbon electricity at busy times. However that technolgy is still to come.

    Reply
  • John Connenly June 21, 2012, 5:23 pm

    Hi
    My analogue meter was running backwards and has been replaced with a digital one a Landis GYR E110.
    I have two meters one for generation and the other for usage both are the same type.
    The usage meter shows rEd at the same time as the diode on the top right corner shows a constant red.  That should mean that the usage should be static, unfortunately this is not the case.  The diodes also flash again the rEd message also displays alternatively with the usage reading.
    The meter was installed 6 days ago and on BG tarriff one it suggests I will be charged £22.00. for the six days.  This is excessive and will by the end of the month exceed the DD of £37.
    I have monitored usage from the onset of the installation of solar panels.in October 2011.  With very few exceptions I generate more than I consume so I am beginning to suspect my meter may be faulty, has anyone else exprienced a similar situation.

    Reply
  • tony June 21, 2012, 8:22 pm

    I haven't got any pannels as yet was talking to man who read the meter yesterday and as i have an old meter he said any power put into our electric system would credit me, the thing is how do you wire it up I know you just plug a solour panel into a power out let as the power would be going against it self so there must be a converter anyone help me out here, i have a little generator as well we always get power cuts insuffolk long melford area, and thought if this was put in the grid and the woprk men were working on the line would they get a shock also we are in Hamlet of around 30 houses so in i put my little Genni up and running would i lose my power from it to the nabours,, 
     any help would be most apecated all the best Tony

    Reply
  • Gavin June 23, 2012, 2:52 pm

    @ John Connenly, could you please specify the meter type on the Landis & GYR 110 ie 5235D . It is hard to say without seeing how your meter has been connected but I would suspect that both generation and usage are being recorded on the meter.
    The rED is a reverse current detection warning indicating current is flowing both ways and may need to be reset by your supplier. 
    The 5235D meter is capable of recording electricity flowing both ways.  
    If you subtract your generation meter reading from your new meter reading do you get an acceptable usage reading?
    Here is a link to the user manual for that meter.
    http://www.renewable-energy-resource.net/support-files/landisgyr5235.pdf
    As for analogue meters running backwards visit greenersky.co.uk and see the facts about solar enery page or click here http://www.renewable-energy-resource.net/meterrunsbackwards.html

    Reply
    • John Connenly June 26, 2012, 5:14 pm

      Gavin
      Thanks for your reply sorry i could not get back sooner.
      Both meters are 5235A. I have been monitoring the consumption on the BG installed one over the last few weeks.  That is showing a steady 3 – 3.5 kwh each day.  I think I may have misled you about it advancing while the red diode is on.  That diode goes to flashing mode when say the electric kettle is switched on and turns solid again when it switches off.  The message rEd shows in both instances.  Yesterday with a dishwasher/Washing Machine etc all on it did not advance at all.
      Turned everything off then just a 3kwh emmersion for 1 hour and it advanced 3 so I wonder if i am wondering if I am needlesly worrying. 
       

      Reply
      • Gavin June 26, 2012, 8:33 pm

        Hi John,
        No need to apologise at all.
        Were your panels producing during the time you had the immersion heater switched on? It would be better to do the test while it was sunny to get a better view of generation and usage. 
        The incoming supply meter should not really be displaying rED. In my opinion a 5235D should have been installed. These are factory set to record both supply and export seperately. This is in addition to your generation meter so in effect you would have 3 meter readings available to you.
        Generation
        Export
        Supply/usage
        I would be tempted to talk to or email your supplier about the rED message that is displayed and I would certainly keep an eye on my meter readings, especially on sunny days as you may then observe a drop in production or an increase in usage, maybe both if there is a problem of some sort.
         

        Reply
  • Plunt June 27, 2012, 11:44 am

    I believe that when meter readings are taken and found to be lower that the last readings it is flaged up to your supplier that the meter is faulty or some sort of fraud is going on. The meter reader will check for broken seals or tampering on meters and also if the meter is spinning backwards. It is also my understanding that the future smart meter will read exact import and export readings, maybe puting an end to the 50% estimated export payment and pay you for the real amount you export back to the grid. The first smart meters installed could not do this.

    Reply
  • Monika Wiedmann July 10, 2012, 3:41 pm

    We had been told by a salesman that our meter would run backwards and that this, though illegal, was a useful thing. Once I had got my head around the whole thing, I was uncomfortable with the idea of ripping off my energy provider like that, since I chose them for their environmental credentials. We wanted to register our Fit with them as well. The company that finally fitted our panels are a reputable and experienced local company, but they have not mentioned the meter to us. My partner has now informed the energy provider and we will have a backstop meter fitted very soon. I admit that it was fun to see the meter spinning the other way, it illustrates the productivity of the panels, but not for much longer! 

    Reply
  • Mark July 13, 2012, 4:08 pm

    Mine goes backwards also.  I'm with Npower and I had to tick the box on their FIT application form to say that my meter did go backwards.  I also gave them my NPower Supplier account number.  The installer said that they would probably change the meter, but so far I have heard nothing (it has been 8 months now).  Given they were in melt down over the surge in FIT applications I thought this was down to work load, but beginning to wonder now.  So will now fire off email to FIT team.
    I wonder if they will try to charge for any perceived loss from the meter going backwards.  At most I guess this could be to the model of assumed 50% export.

    Reply
  • Jacqui July 16, 2012, 8:24 pm

    We had panels fitted at the beginning of the year and after a couple of months, given the very sunny spring the meter had gone backwards more than 200 units! The green energy company just knocked the credit off the gas bill and comented that that was the advantage of solar panels. I thought it was quite normal. We were cajoled into changing energy supplier a couple of months ago (to one that my daughter works for) and straight away they were round to change the meter to a digital back stop one. They are going to charge in retrospect for the previous months as they said it was not legal. Oh well, just have to watch the inverter now to check what is being produced all the time.

    Reply
  • carl July 24, 2012, 11:04 am

    I have the opposiite problem,I have an old digital meter that is one way only (not bi directional)  i have some PV panels approx 500Watts max, my house only uses about 90 watts when empty during the day, but i noticed that on a scorching hot day my electric usage goes up , this is becouse i generate more than what is being used and as this cannot export back to the grid it becomes a load and so it actually costs me. I have had to turn of the invertor when it is really hot weather

    Reply
    • pv pro August 7, 2012, 11:00 am

      Not possible Carl, PV generates at a slightly higher voltage than incomming supply from DNO. All power production above your usage will export back to the grid.

      Reply
      • Gavin August 8, 2012, 6:01 pm

        Sorry PV PRO but it is possible and a well documented fault with one of the older Siemens meters, S2AM-100, where both incoming supply consumption, and solar pv generation are recorded. It is possible that there are also other meters that have this problem. 

        Reply
  • Keith July 25, 2012, 11:21 pm

    I have a 4Kw PV system and analogue meter but the disc has never gone backwards.  Even though the FIT monitor appears to be working fine, I was concerned the system might not be installed properly so I waited for a bright sunny day and turned everything off in the house including the fridge and freezers.  Although the disc stops frequently (or appears to stop) I have yet to see it ever go in reverse even when, clearly, the panels are producing far more electric then is being used.  Are there some analogue meters that just do not go backwards?  My meter is similar to the one above, and, as far as I know, is 30 yrs old like the house.  If anyone has an idea why this is so I would be very interested in an explanation.

    Reply
    • Nick Granger October 2, 2012, 4:22 pm

      Hi Keith
      Some of the older meters do have a stop fitted, they will run back to a point and then stop, if you are able to look at your meter whilst turning the PV off you may see this.

      Reply
  • Bill August 1, 2012, 10:20 pm

     
    Further to my comment – (Bill March 3 2012) – Reporting back as requested  on my extended time away from home with my 4Kw PV & backward reading meter .:-
    Feb at home in uk :-  reading 61350  I started increased  use of electricity in anticipation of being away, buying a small table top oven/grill   – a good buy.  This minimised my gas bill greatly but pushed my  elec meter  higher  to  61956  with a generated reading of 275.
    27th March   – went away  leaving background elec heaters on rather than timed gas boiler on low as I usually did.;
    15 April returned home to uk –  Elec meter 61866 Gen meter  741  ie used lots  -but meter still went backwards. I  bought induction hob & predominately used electricity,
    22 May. went away – no heaters  on  but some background use of electricity –Elec meter  61974  Gen meter  1108
    13 July returned uk – Elec meter 61457    Gen meter 1874  This was the first big difference noted  ie 500 + units less on meter.
    31 July 2012 ( now )  Elec meter  61355 !!  Gen meter 2178
    Reading between the lines this shows I used a lot of electricity whilst here but the PV input was  sufficiently high   to show I used almost nothing. Since February. This would not have been the case if I allowed a backstop meter to be fitted.  I agree  with George M’s comments of March 8th.
    I have  every intention of resisting any attempt to change my meter . No doubt I will have to accede  in time. As a result of the current situation I expect to repay my installation costs of £11.5k  much earlier than anticipated as long as I keep my meter. My current PV income ( much of it oustanding due to company not being up to speed with repayments)  to date is about £985 based on 2178 units generated in 8 months This excludes the electricity I have used but have not been charged for as a result of getting back what I 'exported'.  . The capital  might have got me  £200 if I had it in the bank.!
    I am off again for September & October, who knows what will happen to my readings , but they will increase back to normal in the colder months afterwards  I hope this info  helps & adds to exiting comments. 

    Reply
  • Gavin August 4, 2012, 11:26 pm

     @ Carl, contact your supplier and ask them to change your meter as you are being charged for every KW you generate. @ Keith, you probably have a ratchet backstop meter fitted. This type of meter will stop during periods of generation but will not run backwards.
      http://www.renewable-energy-resource.net/meterrunsbackwards.html

    Reply
  • Gavin August 4, 2012, 11:32 pm

    @Bill. Your supplier will at some time change your meter when they realise what is happening, they have to do this to comply with the Balance and settlement code that all suppliers have to adhere to. When they do this your meter will cease to run backwards so your financial benefit will be less. If you are away from home for extended periods I would suggest having an export meter fitted as the majority of your generation is exported.

    Reply
  • Mark August 7, 2012, 5:44 pm

    I had PV panels fitted last Autumn and I have an analogue meter which has been running backwards by day and forwards by night all summer. It is very rewarding to watch!
    Of course, I declared the type of meter on the form when the PV was installed but as others have noted in this blog, the companies do not seem to take any notice of this information. However, when my monthly online meter reading was lower than the previous month for the first time, in May, the British Gas website could not cope and I got a call from them. When I explained they happily took the reading over the phone without any mention that it might be a problem. I thought all was well!
    However, they stopped sending me my monthly bills, which was daft since the night time readings on my meter were still positive! They said that their computer cannot generate bills under these circumstances, so they had 'no option' but to withdraw the monthly bills already on the website, and send me a quarterly bill once the net usage figure was positive again in the Autumn. This was a great pity as I was using the monthly data on the website to track my usage, day and night against my generation.  Unfortunately, I made the mistake of querying this and now they want to come and change my meter!
    Does anybody know the legal situation? Can I refuse to let them change the meter? I realise it is their meter but it is my land! Can I refuse them entry? Can they bill me for their lost revenue (assuming they can estimate it!).
    In one sense I have only 'borrowed' their electricity and by generating extra I have repaid it back, so we are quits!. (However, they might argue that the price they pay me for electricity is much less than what they charge me when I use it – so it is not an even swap and they are out of pocket!)   Is there an established legal position? 

    Reply
    • kieran August 20, 2013, 8:17 am

      It is quite possible to send a simple denial of access notice to whoever you wish to deny access to.

      Smart meters sound incredibly bad from all perspectives, not least a health perspective.

      The problem with energy companies [like so many other commercial bodies] is that they are rank bullies – they'll just 'amend' your bill however they like. This is not legal nor lawful, nor fair under contract law, but they figure that you won't argue, as they can theoretically turn of your power, and anyway, most people are genuinely afraid to invesigate, then assert, their rights.

       

      Also, many people make the mistake of thinking that the company they are dealing with is communicating in good faith. Unless you are dealing with the matter in writing, having perhaps put the matter into technical dispute [by compaining in writing], anything can and will be said to you.

      I would take a careful read of your contract – if any part of a contract is broken, the entire contract is quite possibly in question. The contract may be unfair, and therefore in question.

      Good luck!

       

       

       

       

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