Something wrong here !

[telectrix]

no, it won't the current may be less but the wattage is watt counts.

 

[Mark42]

I’ve never been sure about how electricity meters work – can anyone explain please?

If they accurately measure power: ‘worked out’ by ‘knowing’ both current and voltage, I agree that messing with the voltage does nothing.

But maybe some types measure ONLY current (via some kind of CT arrangement) then do the ‘calculation’ assuming a nominal fixed voltage at 230/400 regardless of what the true value really is.

If the latter I assume increasing the voltage in some way (and hence reducing the current for a given load) would ‘cheat’ the meter.

 

[micknew]

There is no way of cheating the meter apart from bridging it or one other illegal way.
It measures power used in watts as Tel said.

 

[Knobhead]

I’ve never been sure about how electricity meters work – can anyone explain please?

If they accurately measure power: ‘worked out’ by ‘knowing’ both current and voltage, I agree that messing with the voltage does nothing.

But maybe some types measure ONLY current (via some kind of CT arrangement) then do the ‘calculation’ assuming a nominal fixed voltage at 230/400 regardless of what the true value really is.

If the latter I assume increasing the voltage in some way (and hence reducing the current for a given load) would ‘cheat’ the meter.

Look at File:ElectricityMeterMechanism.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A 1KW resistive load at 230V will draw 4.34A.
Apply 240V and the same load will draw 4.53A giving an output of 1.088KW. so raising the voltage increases consumtion for the same applience

 

[Mark42]

Thanks for looking it up Tony – I was too lazy to do it myself

So a meter does measure voltage AND current, so genuinely gives an indication of watts per unit time. I agree that messing with the voltage therefore does nothing.
Sure, the power output of resistive appliances is increased with increased voltage, and the meter runs faster and charges you more in unit time, but the kettle boils faster, the thermostat cuts off the immersion heater earlier, and so on. The same total amount of energy is used to do the job.

So how on earth do these voltage regulator things pretend to save money? Maybe by making all your lights dimmer so you can’t see anything so need to switch more on, but for the most expensive loads which need a fixed amount of energy to do their job, they can’t make a blind bit of difference. How do they get away with it?

 

[Knobhead]

If you search the forum you’ll find several threads where we’ve ripped them to pieces. In one the manufacturer got involved, not that he got any converts around here!

 

[SparkyDips]

you could try disconnecting one of the cables that your customers not using n see if any neighbourds lose power

hahaha remember the "Gas Man" episode of Bottom?? have a look for any suspicious cables hanging freely along the outside of the house. lol