Linky meter problems?

Nah, my Mum had it all worked out - she reckoned if there was a powerpoint in the house that didn’t have something plugged into it, the electricity leaked out all over the house.

I’m pretty sure I am at about the same level of comprehension - and thinking she was probably right. :thinking:

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Evening, all the problem described and the information provided indicates overloading the incoming protection settings, there are two options, one to change the protection/ supply or make and adjustment on the boiler (fan), this can be achieved by extending the start up time orm limiting the current being drawn by the fan and reducing the in rush current ( high current on setup). I am not a boiler expert but with most modern equipment this can achieved using a laptop programme to adjust, so worth exploring, I suggest.
Sorry if this technical but I cannot explain in any way and hope it assists

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Welcome Tim and thanks for the explanation.

However, our boiler is of an age that the only use for a laptop would be to hit it with it…

Hi Timothy … thanks for the explanation… for Carl…

What are your thoughts on my friends’ situation. Their property was completely rebuilt from an empty shell of 2 walls… so everything new… The "builder asked what was wanted by way of electrical equipment etc and had the electricians do the necessary…

So, everything was done by the experts… yet when the Linky meter was fitted, it kept tripping out… not every day, but often.

Neither my friends nor I know what was finally done between Linky and the Builder … but it took months… during which time my friends had to go out in rain/snow/whatever to switch the dratted thing back on…

Your thoughts might shed light on the mystery…

cheers

Morning Stella, I have read that France is installing Linky meters everywhere and based on the information provided they also provide protection against fault condition, the traditional system allow an overcurrent situation to occur for a period of time (in rush generated by start up currents which can be up to 8 times normal running current) it would appear the Linky meters are set to the trip protection value with no time delay and hence when switching on a motor or heater an overload condition is experienced but no allowance for time delay. It maybe delibrate by EDF etc to force people to increase the protection settings and pay more for the increase on KW and thus generate and income for them.

I have not had dealings direct but think there are two options:

Modify the protection settings within the Linky Meter i.e. increase the tripping curve over a longer time to allow for in rush or modify how equpiment within the home is started, typically in UK fans are started using inverters and soft start technology which in effect limits the current being drawn over a time period to elminate in rush current.

Sorry I cannot provide a definitive answer and if the Linky meter is adjustable I would be interested to know, Currently our house is on the traditional system with little or no problem but note that all properties will be on Linkys by 2021. I am sure the French will not put up with tripping supplies!!

Cheers Timothy…

From what you have said, it is quite likely that the “builder” under estimated the Electrical requirement for the property and he and Linky kept “tweaking” until the correct balance was achieved.

This article might be of use - haven’t read it all as it is in French (and it still takes me much longer to read French than English) but seems to be discussing the overload performance.

Also mentions that the normal EDF disjoncteur is left in circuit so the overload performance should be dictated by that.

http://leblogdedoczaius.over-blog.com/2017/12/linky-et-son-disjoncteur.htmlhttp://leblogdedoczaius.over-blog.com/2017/12/linky-et-son-disjoncteur.html

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We are on the lowest abonnement and get along just fine but once we are bullied into the Linky installation its gonna be hell. I’m not going to go for the higher priced connection just to make up for their poorly designed system. Another money spinner methinks.

Hello thank you for the explanation I think I am (as they say where I come from) buggered then as I am already on 15kva and have night storage heaters as this was the cheapest way for me to heat the front room and upstairs. I cannot afford new system of heating and wood is too onerous a task at my age.

I’m curious whether anyone has noticed a distinct increase in their electricity charges after having a Linky installed? There have been horror stories in other countries in this regard - it’s the one thing that’s making me hesitate right now.

Also, if you refuse to have it installed, will the time come when your meter (mine is newish - only three years old), will be changed out whether you like it or not? I.e. Linky or no electricity? And has anyone else heard that you get it free if you do it now but if you wait and do it later (year or two) you have to pay for it?

And finally, is Linky an EDF thing or does Enedis have the contract on behalf of all electricity suppliers in the country? (I assume it’s the latter, just checking). Appreciate all input - thanks.

Our Linky was fitted yesterday , before the technician started , I asked if he could move the job down his list , as I had not fitted yet a soft starter to our ground source heat pump , he replied that there was no need to as the Linky had been designed to absorb high start currents , like the D type circuit breakers , and that he would not leave us without heating , we have a 9kw tariff , but our 2.5kw heat pump has a start current of 80a albeit for a fraction of a second , but is not a problem for the Linky and all works fine for now.

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Sounds like they under-estimated the power needed. What abonnement are your friends on and has it been changed? That’s an easy way to check.

We’ve recently had a Linky installed and have just received an email advising that we’re using an abnormally large amount of electrictity on heating. Direct heating seemed unlikely as we have a woodburner and only occasionally use heatpumps, but I discovered that the immersion heater timer can no longer be switched off, while at the fusebox it doesn’t have a separate fuse - there’s just a hole where the fuse should be!

Unfortunately our usual very knowledgeable electrician is going back to the UK for a few weeks and our French back-up hasn’t responded to our messages on his answering machine…

I thought the Linky Installers only took out one meter and put another in its place… can you speak with Enedis/whoever and complain… ???

Sorry, obviously didn’t explain with sufficient clarity, as I was actually raising a positive aspect of Linky.

We received an unsolicited notification of our electricity consumption heating lighting points etc because we were using an abormally high amount lot of electricity on a high ampage circuit. I assumed it could only be water heating and when I checked the timer discovered not only its on/off switch no longer worked, but alos that there isn’t a dedicated isolation switch on the board. Without this Linky initiated email, we could have been unaware of this fault for a long time

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Hi Mark… Thanks for the explanation… that was certainly not how your original words came over…

Glad the fault on your fuseboard has been highlighted (who did the “poor” electrics ??) :zipper_mouth_face:

Yes, it can be a dratted nuisance when time-clocks go wrong…
Worth highlighting that… it’s worth checking timers every once in a while… :wink:

We had an appointment for the Linky to be installed at 1215 hrs last Thursday (national strike day). Waited indoors until 1500hrs, and as no-one had turned up or phoned by then, we assumed that they were probably on strike so we went shopping. On arriving home we found a note in the letterbox to say that the engineer had called at 15.25 hrs but couldn’t do the job as we had not kept the appointment !!
Obviously it did not occur to the engineer that it might be a good idea to phone to say that they were going to be over 3 hrs late for the appointment.

Anyway, apparently I now have to phone for another appointment, but I don’t exactly feel in a rush to do so.

Yep, clamp/tong tester on register, way to go…tong

An appointment cancellation is usually payable as I understand it.

Well they have not volunteered to pay me yet Peter, and I’m not going to hold my breath while waiting.