Are smart meters to blame for house fires?

[JK-Electrical]

Are smart meters to blame for house fires? Fears families are being put at risk after evidence suggests some engineers installing the devices don't know what they are doing

Are smart meter to blame for house fires? | Daily Mail Online - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4737864/Are-smart-meter-blame-house-fires.html

A few choice quotes from this piece:

Evidence suggests some of the engineers hired to install the meters do not know what they are doing.

One employed by British Gas told a horrified couple: 'Sorry, I've blown up your house.

 

[Pete999]

Are smart meters to blame for house fires? Fears families are being put at risk after evidence suggests some engineers installing the devices don't know what they are doing

Are smart meter to blame for house fires? | Daily Mail Online - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4737864/Are-smart-meter-blame-house-fires.html

A few choice quotes from this piece:

Evidence suggests some of the engineers hired to install the meters do not know what they are doing.

One employed by British Gas told a horrified couple: 'Sorry, I've blown up your house.

Judging from the info I have seen and heard about yes, see my thread about it "smart meter Gas and Electric"

 

[slingshot2000]

You cannot blame the smart meters, but you can certainly blame the poorly trained installers.

 

[Pete999]

You cannot blame the smart meters, but you can certainly blame the poorly trained installers.

Think thats what is being said.

 

[Des 56]

You cannot blame the smart meters, but you can certainly blame the poorly trained installers.

Admittedly the Canadians are a few years in advance of our own suspect implementation,but they have not had a problem free programme,below is some problems they experienced
Where is the data to show how well our own programme is going?

There have been exploding meters, overheating meters, burning meters, house fires, “fried” appliances, burned outlets and electrical wiring, arcing, and interference with AFCIs and GFCIs. And there appears to be a vulnerability to surges with these digital meters. 28 Sage and Associates: Typical gauge electrical wiring that provides electricity to buildings (60 Hz power) is not constructed or intended to carry high frequency harmonics that are increasingly present on normal electrical wiring… The use of smart meters will place an entirely new and significantly increased burden on existing electrical wiring because of the very short, very high intensity wireless emissions (radio frequency bursts) that the meters produce to signal the utility about energy usage… Reports detail that the meters themselves can smoke, smolder and catch fire, they can explode, or they can simply create overcurrent conditions on the electrical circuits… Electrical wiring was never intended to carry this - what amounts to an RF pollutant - on the wiring. The higher the frequency, the greater the energy contained… Faulty wiring, faulty grounding or over-burdened electrical wiring may be unable to take the additional energy load. Wireless Smart Meters and Potential for Electrical Fires, January 2011 In August, 2011, 80 Smart Meters caught fire in East Palo Alto following a power outage and a surge when power was restored.

 

[streamer]

The problem is easily solved though. The installers don't need to be trained properly, just put the smart meters in a metal enclosure.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

The higher the frequency, the greater the energy contained… Faulty wiring, faulty grounding or over-burdened electrical wiring may be unable to take the additional energy load

Some highly accurate technical reporting there! And more from that reliable source of engineering knowledge, the Daily Mail.

I think the underlying points being made are:
* Electronic devices can fail
* Radio-frequency communications use radio frequencies
* Technical training is not great these days
* Employers use marginally skilled workforces
* Bad connections can overheat

This last point of course qualifies the subject as 'news' because is it a totally new concept to many 'electricians.'

 

[Squid]

Ask the installer to sign a form accepting all responsibility and liabilities if it bursts in to flames.

Is a smart meter instal notifiable work?

 

[Pete999]

Ask the installer to sign a form accepting all responsibility and liabilities if it bursts in to flames.

Is a smart meter instal notifiable work?

Shouldn't think so

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Saw something on watchdog about this a night or so ago. The technicians themselves say they are being pushed to rush and cut corners to install a certain number per day.
The story on watchdog was about British gas I think? now i don't know if they are any better or any worse than other installers...

However, i do think given the time pressures to have everybody on smart meters by i think 2020 has meant the training standards have slipped and installers are just not working methodically and checking terminations, hence the fires..

I saw an ad just recently saying meter installers wanted, no experience needed as full training will be given to the right candidate!! they send you on a short course for a few weeks or months and then you shadow another qualified installer before going out on your own i assume...

 

[Squid]

The worst part about it is that we are the ones paying for all this sh!te in increased bills.

 

[Amp David]

Ever checked the main swith terminals for tightness after any kind of meter change? Thinks thats the problem

 

[7029 dave]

Smart arse's

 

[stevethesparks]

Ever checked the main switch terminals for tightness after any kind of meter change? Thinks thats the problem

Especially when you consider the ridiculous amount of conductor that many consumers unit DP main switches will accept. High time double screws were re-introduced on the higher current connections.

 

[Amp David]

These new wylex seem to have main switches with twin screws, as does the neutral bar. The proteus service isolators have them too and use a 3mm allen screw

 

[telectrix]

Especially when you consider the ridiculous amount of conductor that many consumers unit DP main switches will accept. High time double screws were re-introduced on the higher current connections.

so that the Electrical Trainee's can get 2 poorly tightened screws instead of 1.?

 

[Strima]

so that the Electrical Trainee's can get 2 poorly tightened screws instead of 1.?

Oi, I resemble that remark!!! It takes skill to get the screw just the right amount of untightness (if that's even a word...)...

 

[Des 56]

Six reasons to say no to a smart meter - http://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/personalfinance/six-reasons-to-say-no-to-a-smart-meter/ar-AAphVlz?li=AAnZ9Ug&ocid=mailsignout

Guess an answer to the comment in the last line

 

[dmxtothemax]

And we also don't know if the quality of these units are up to scratch ?
They always go for the cheapest option
which usually means tight technical margins.

 

[freddo]

The proteus service isolators have them too and use a 3mm allen screw

Why did they choose to use a 3mm allen screw? That is so small compared to the size of conductor.