Question re meter box

[deano1712]

I have a 30A switch mounted alongside my CU. The wire going to the switch comes from the box that is mounted in the top right side of the meter box shown in the photo. Its the cable that runs vertically down on the right side.

Any ideas what the box is for? The switch doesnt seem to do anything.

Cheers, Mark

 

[Roo]

You have whats known as an off peak tariff (Economy 7 being the most popular) which lets you have cheap electric at night but costs slightly more in the day.

The box on the right hand side is a radio teleswitch.

A radio teleswitch is just a clock that switch's the meter from Low rate to Normal rate.

It can also switch a load which will only become live when the meter is on Low rate known as an off peak load.

The cable coming from the teleswitch on the right hand side is your off peak load, this is normally for storage heaters but can be used for anything you want to come on at the cheap times.

The switch won't seem to do anything as it is only live at night time.

Do you have any storage heaters?

Does the immersion heat up at night?

Can you only use the oven after a certain time at night?

 

[deano1712]

Hey thanks for that!

I had the Economy 7 switched off when I got the house so I assume the cable will never go live then. I will check it at night time to see if it goes live. It doesnt seem to be connected to anything, although I have never used the electric water heater.

I want to get rid of the switch so it sounds like I can do that.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[Roo]

When you say you've had the E7 switched off I'm assuming you supplier is now just treating it as a single rate, some suppliers do this.

This does not mean that the off peak load isn't switching.

IT WILL STILL BE SWITCHING AND WORKING AS E7 and THE CABLE WILL STILL BECOME LIVE.

You cant turn E7 off only remove it.

It's just the supplier adds up both the low and the norm readings to calculate your bill.

Best thing to do if you don't want E7 is to get them to change the meter.

Don't remove the teleswitch as this is their equipment and they can acuse you of tampering.

Everything on that board with maybe the exception of the henley block is the DNO's equipment.

 

[Lectrician]

On that board, even the henleys are the DNO's - They are not sealed though.

 

[Roo]

henleys not always ours.

Why seal when its after the meter?

 

[Lectrician]

In my experience, my DNO will always seal anything fitted by them. The service head, meter, henelys, and the teleswitch.

In this case, the teleswitch is fed via the henley, and so should have been fitted by the DNO. I would expect to have seen it sealed.

 

[Roo]

Fair point.

If I came across it don't think I'd seal it back up as it's after the meter.

Yes the customer could remove the switch supply but why when the meter would stay on peak rate (higher rate) and they wouldn't get their off peak supply so would be their loss.

Would seal meter for obvious reasons and also teleswitch as could be played with to stay on low rate, but don't see the point in sealing the henley in that instance.

Thinking about it I think I only seal henleys that are before the meter.

I also think that henley wasn't put in by the DNO and the DNO chap decided to use it when installing a new meter, don't know why I think this but belive the original installation would of had the teleswitch feed bunched into the load side of the meter.

And I know it's never had a seal on it due to none of the tabs being bent.

Just my thoughts I my be totally wrong