Linky - electricity bill now seven times higher

But you have traced the abnormal 1kW load to the pump, and exonerated the Linky?

Switching off the pump, the electricity consumption is now down to what it was up until the installation of the Linky meter. The timing of this incidence just seems a little odd. 30 years plus and this problem has never occurred before. Perhaps this problem occurred before the installation of the Linky meter, but the old analogue meter was unable to detect constant usage from the pump? I don’t know. We have to do a test on the water pump to see if there is indeed a water leak or some other problem. Then we’ll have a better idea. For the moment, as long as the pump is off, electricity consumption is minimal.

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Another step closer………

Will be very very interested to know what’s wrong with the pump, as I too have a well pump, and could be something to be aware of.

Can you not disconnect your electricity when youre not there. We do as dont have any internet or phone etc.

Not when you have neighbours that think it’s their right to break in when you’re away. Security needs to be maintained.

Anyway, an update for everyone.
The water pump has been changed and the electricity consumption is now at reasonable levels.
Initially the water pump company insisted that there shouldn’t be a problem and when they came to inspect, they couldn’t find any fault with the old water pump. It’s only when I insisted that the electricity consumption drops significantly when the pump is switched off that they started to consider the situation.

It seems that there is some issue with certain old water pumps and the new meters. It could be that certain water pumps constantly consume electricity regardless of whether it’s pumping water or not and the old analogue meters were unable to pick it up. Hopefully this experience will be useful to anyone else finding themselves in the same situation.

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Can anyone explain this? Could it be a suppressor capacitor in parallel with the switch that’s broken down?

Since the linkyvwas put in at my old holiday home we have no hot water. Its like the old has been disconnected. Does anyone know why and how can it be remedied?

When there were problems… the local electrician was swift… and sorted things. what does your one say…

I cant get an electrician out until im at the house. Which will be easter next year

AC motors don’t typically have “suppressor” capacitors.

They either have “start” capacitors or “run” capacitors

That said the old meters only recorded “real” power - there has been a persistent rumour (but I don’t think I’ve seen anything definitive) that one advantage (for the electricity suppliers) of smart meters is that they can be set to record “apparent” power use.

For a resistive load there isn’t any difference but for a reactive load the two are not the same and this leads to a measurement known as the “power factor” - if this is *too* far from unity then losses can be caused in the distribution network, which is why suppliers like the idea of charging consumers for “apparent” use.

If a fault meant a capacitor was across the mains it might have quite a high “apparent” use but zero “real” use - explaining the difference between a Linky and traditional meter.

Either way the Linky is actually functioning as designed (as I believe I might have said earlier in the thread :slight_smile: )

[/quote]=“Blondie-3862, post:223, topic:37664, full:true”]
I cant get an electrician out until im at the house. Which will be easter next year
[/quote]
Oh dear…
We can talk round and round, but with you not being on-site to check things and no visit from the electrician… this might have to remain a mystery until next Easter…

Do you not have someone who guards a set of keys??

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I have a lockable key box. But when ive tried to get people to go, they eont go jnless someonecis at the house. My dad who lives in the Dordogne is going to have a look when we go. If we need anything doing, my brother and his electrician friend will go and do the work. So hopefully I wont need to pay hefty charges. I still dont know why the Linky engineer didnt tell me that by installing the new meter would cut off the heating supply. Didnt realise at first as we stayed at my dads house. Was only when we came back and wanted a shower and wash up, that we realised there was no hot water.

it might simply be that the switch for the waterheater is turned to “Off”… instead of “Auto”… or “On” even…wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened…

Were you on split tariff - heures plein/creuses?

If so the signal to switch the water heater on overnight might not have been connected back up properly.

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we’re on the same wavelength… :wink:

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Frankly, there’s no reason why these should hiccups occur… but they do… mostly simple to sort out.
Our technicien saw the old split tarif thingy and asked if we used it.
Nope says I… so he simply disconnected it tidily from the old meter.

next door… they do use split-tarif… so I watched like a hawk (I’m the keyholder) and double checked with the guy that all was well before I let him leave…

Further away, friends phoned in a panic… we’ve no hot water… he’s messed it up!
In fact, seems they thought “O” stood for ON… ooops. :roll_eyes:
I told 'em to put the switch to auto and let it do its own thing… :+1:

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No idea. Sorry. I just pay the bill. I know we cant boil a kettle or it cuts electric off. I emailed linky straight away but got no reply from them.

Theres only 1 switch and it is always left on. But once linky was put in it stopped working, probably as it was connected to the old meter.

I think that would cause the motor to hum and not start/run, still obviously drawing power if it has a capacitor.
I think a number of these pumps are synchronous motors so no capacitor but who knows?