electric meter issue. The grid, meter or consumer unit issue?

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Nice video :) Seems to highlight the issue quite well

How is power delivered to your house? Overhead or underground? Does the service head feel warm where the cable enters and around the fuse?

Since the meter is resetting/reporting an error I suspect it's a loose connection on the supply side of the meter (I'm guessing Low U equates to Low Voltage indicating a brown out or black out situation).
 
The only other questions I have are... what happens if you add low power items building up the load to something like the blender? Is it only the blender that causes it or does say the kettle result in the same thing?
 
SparkyChick said:
The only other questions I have are... what happens if you add low power items building up the load to something like the blender? Is it only the blender that causes it or does say the kettle result in the same thing?
Click to expand...
Another interesting question ... though to be honest a ~1kW load isn't exactly high, is it?! And are lights, for example, also affected when higher demand is made of the system? Or just the circuit with the blender / kettle?
 
I've tried that and any high power item I plug in causes the problem, a computer, a plasma telly. Also I've tried isolation areas by turning kitchen sockets off and front room sockets on with the consumer unit and it still happens in whatever zone I isolate. So it happens on my kitchen sockets and my front room sockets. The consumer box never trips out. I've also spoke with neighbours and there electricity supply is fine.
 
When I turn all the zones on, lights, front room sockets, kitchen sockets, the whole house receives intermittent power, the lights flicker. Also nothing on the consumer unit trips out.
 
If the meter has already been changed by the Energy supplier, EON, they would have had the Main fuse out and hopefully would have checked the outgoing cable terminations at the fuse / neutral.

If they did then it can only be a loose connection into the Fuse cutout or underground cable fault.

For Hull it's Northern Powergrid - Yorkshire.
 
I’ve found that if you contact the DNO online and include the words ‘fire’ and / or ‘explode’ you get quite i quick response. N.B Not sayinging that’s an issue in this case. I had a problem with a faulty meter and was going round the houses with the supplier. Tried to contact them online and just added that I was scared that it was faulty and might catch fire. Funnily enough I got quite a quick response. Reckon they must have a key word filter on emails to prioritise. :D
 
Same fault I was called to with the disco shower. My video was slightly less professional...
Loose neutral on supply cable joint just outside the house.
I should also note that in this condition any earthed/bonded metalwork will have a voltage (possibly quite a tingly one) on it!
 
Last edited:
SC said 'loose connection' in the DNO's equipment in post #2 and I totally agree. A loose connection in the service cable joint for example. But others have gone on to be more specific by saying it's the neutral. Why? What evidence do we have that the neutral is faulty and not the line?

We've had a discussion with lots of good ideas about why high resistance connections are (thought to be) more common in neutrals, specifically in domestic installation work. Explanations include sparks habitually wiring the line first, then doing the neutral with waning concentration; or manufacturers using terminals of inferior design in CU neutral bars, etc. But does this apply to DNO equipment too, such as service cable joints? Where CNEs are terminated they have to be extra vigilant about continuity, so I'd almost expect a higher rate of failure in line connections.

Thoughts?

OP: I'd call the DNO. The problem is theirs, not yours, the meter display showing 'Low U' is a dead giveaway.
 
Lucien Nunes said:
SC said 'loose connection' in the DNO's equipment in post #2 and I totally agree. A loose connection in the service cable joint for example. But others have gone on to be more specific by saying it's the neutral. Why? What evidence do we have that the neutral is faulty and not the line?
Click to expand...

Have seen it happen a couple of times on my local estate alone, and both times I have spoken to the network guys and they confirm it is a common thing, mainly on joints from the 1970s. Didn't ask them their thoughts on why neutral, but wish I had now just out of interest!

Both times the symptoms were the same (flickering lights when other loads switched on, raised voltage on exposed metalwork, etc.).
 
100% is upstream of Meter as already said so it's the DNO issue to resolve. Could be line or neutral but frankly who cares at this stage......call the DNO and report it.

Awesome video OP :)
 
Lucien Nunes said:
SC said 'loose connection' in the DNO's equipment in post #2 and I totally agree. A loose connection in the service cable joint for example. But others have gone on to be more specific by saying it's the neutral. Why? What evidence do we have that the neutral is faulty and not the line?

We've had a discussion with lots of good ideas about why high resistance connections are (thought to be) more common in neutrals, specifically in domestic installation work. Explanations include sparks habitually wiring the line first, then doing the neutral with waning concentration; or manufacturers using terminals of inferior design in CU neutral bars, etc. But does this apply to DNO equipment too, such as service cable joints? Where CNEs are terminated they have to be extra vigilant about continuity, so I'd almost expect a higher rate of failure in line connections.

Thoughts?

OP: I'd call the DNO. The problem is theirs, not yours, the meter display showing 'Low U' is a dead giveaway.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily the joint in the cable where the neutral fails being more common.

However further back to the transformer sees quite often the star point connection failing, especially on smaller transformers.

Most DNOs as standard are fitting K Type transformers now with a 200% FLC rated star point connection.

These are failing due to the sharp increase of harmonics being put onto our distribution network.
 
Rob said:
Most DNOs as standard are fitting K Type transformers now with a 200% FLC rated star point connection.
Click to expand...
Hi Rob! That's something beyond my area of expertise .... What is a "K Type transformer?" Or are you just saying it's a tx rated for a K factor of 2?
 
wheeto said:
Hi Rob! That's something beyond my area of expertise .... What is a "K Type transformer?" Or are you just saying it's a tx rated for a K factor of 2?
Click to expand...

A "K-Type" Transformer is a generic name used for a transformer that are designed to reduce the heating effects of harmonic currents. The K-factor rating is an index of the transformer's ability to withstand harmonic content while operating within the temperature limits of its insulating system.

The ones I have seen the DNO fit, and a few I have overseen installed, along with better quality insulation, offered a greater sized star point connection. (200% greater than the phases).

Because of the phase angle change by the transformer (most DNO transformers supplying LV have a DYn11 vector group). Harmonics can not pass through to the primary side. An thus the transformer needs to take the brunt of it.
 
Cheers, yeah I had a spike protection plug adapter on my combi- boiler plug and when the electricity supplier guy came to change the meter over (thinking that was the issue) he said it was probably the protector plug causing all problems and I should plug all appliances directly into mains. Then 20 minutes after he left the house flashed into disco mode, my plasma TV and boiler were going insane until i flicked off main power. So I hope no damaged has been caused :-(
 
Yeah, its scary really. I'm an electrical noob so I just assumed he knew his stuff. Now I've plugged all my expensive electrical stuff back into a spike protection plugs, maybe I'm been paranoid but don't want that happening again.
 
I think you make a very fine point spinlondon. After all green is the colour of life, renewal, nature, and envy. It is associated with meanings of growth, harmony, freshness, safety, fertility, and environment. However, I settled for bold red ticks because red is the colour of extremes. It's the colour of love, violence, danger, anger, energy and adventure. Our prehistoric ancestors saw red as the colour of fire and blood energy and primal life forces and did you know that most of red's symbolism today arises from its powerful associations to our past. :laughing:
 
ian burnett said:
I think you make a very fine point spinlondon. After all green is the colour of life, renewal, nature, and envy. It is associated with meanings of growth, harmony, freshness, safety, fertility, and environment. However, I settled for bold red ticks because red is the colour of extremes. It's the colour of love, violence, danger, anger, energy and adventure. Our prehistoric ancestors saw red as the colour of fire and blood energy and primal life forces and did you know that most of red's symbolism today arises from its powerful associations to our past. :laughing:
Click to expand...
Wish I could like this with a red tick.;)
 

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