How to check if existing meter is accurate

adrian92

Hi All, My ESB meter is due to be changed for a Smart meter in two days.

I have done a test with another meter and there is a 3% difference between my test meter and the ESB meter.

(Same load on both meters -load checked by clocking both meters).

(My test meter was of the same utility standard, as far as I know , as the ESB one)

My concern is if I find 0% difference when the Smart meter is installed ,h would indicate the old meter was recording differently that I would have no follow up as the old meter would have been removed.

Is there any way to ask ESB to carry out an accuracy test on the old meter, given that it will be removed in two days?

Any ideas welcome.

kirk.

You're asking a question that doesn't need asking

Forget the old meter

10-10-20

Repeat the test on the new smart meter and ensure that the second meter is fully calibrated.

kirving

Was the old ESB meter reading above or below your test meter? Your test meter could be reading high or low too. It is officially calibrated? Over what temperature range was it tested?

If it was below, could ESB retrospectively charge you 3% of you old bills? I doubt it since it's their device, but worth looking at the contract to be sure. But I'd be interested to hear the reverse - if your test meter is calibrated, and the old ESB one was reading high, do you have a case for compensation?

Even if it was reading low, you won't have any case for having ESB recalibrate your new smart meter so that it reads lower.

UK Report, but I'd say Ireland work to a similar specification.

Electricity meters are considered “accurate” if the permitted margins of error do not exceed +2.5% to -3.5% throughout the entire load range at which the meter is designed to operate

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/454144/Electricity_Determination_Report_2003-2014.pdf

adrian92

Many thanks, Kirving

adrian92

I shall carry out a similar correlation test with the Smart meter and let you know the results. Thanks all, for your response.

adrian92

Hi All,

Thanks for comments.

It turns out that the ESB Networks contractors were unable to install the Smart meter, so the question of my accuracy comparison does not arise.

(The crew turned up and spent an hour or so on site)

Apparently, the Smart meter was not installed because there is an ESB time switch which switches on the Night Storage heating.

I was told that the Smart meter cannot switch Night Storage Heating, hence the Smart meter was not installed.

So there you go.