Faulty Pre-Paid Electricity Meter (City of Cape Town)

[Steamy Tom]

those tankless water heaters (sometimes called instant water heaters) chow power like nothing on earth. The issue you describe souns like either a faulty meter or more likely a leech on the power somewhere, it could very well be in the muncipal box.

 

[Marsie27]

We live in a complex and I can’t even see a pole anywhere near me....

My comment was a bit tongue in cheek, I didn't think your area was that sort of place.

 

[FGRL]

those tankless water heaters (sometimes called instant water heaters) chow power like nothing on earth. The issue you describe souns like either a faulty meter or more likely a leech on the power somewhere, it could very well be in the muncipal box.

Should I get COCT to come back tonight or just wait until tomorrow and pay the R800 for a "accuracy test of residential meter on site"?

 

[FGRL]

My comment was a bit tongue in cheek, I didn't think your area was that sort of place.

And I fell for it hook, line and sinker!! Can anyone say dork!!!

 

[Marsie27]

EDIT: My dear husband insists I inform you that the “thingymajig” is actually a tankless water heater.

Ours was a Triton, and our bathroom was used in a TV ad for the product. That's because the rep was continually having to come and sort it out. A good idea in theory but it drove us mad and we ditched it eventually.

 

[FGRL]

Ours was a Triton, and was our bathroom was used in a TV ad for the product. That's because the rep was continually having to come and sort it out. A good idea in theory but it drove us mad and we ditched it eventually.

I’m not a fan I’ll be honest!! The joys of renting....

 

[Steamy Tom]

Should I get COCT to come back tonight or just wait until tomorrow and pay the R800 for a "accuracy test of residential meter on site"?

i doubt they will come still tonight? probably best to pay it and go through the process, before you go tomorrow go peek inside the box and see if the meter there looks tampered

 

[John Tempus]

I am not sure if you specifically mentioned this in the thread but have you tried to completely kill all power at the mains and monitor unit usage over an hour. There might still be some electricity bleeding that occurs even if the mains is off but it should be so low that the usage would be near impossible to notice after an hour.

 

[Marsie27]

i doubt they will come still tonight? probably best to pay it and go through the process, before you go tomorrow go peek inside the box and see if the meter there looks tampered

You're kidding, right? They have a seal and you'd be in trouble if they come and find that's been fiddled with.

 

[FGRL]

I am not sure if you specifically mentioned this in the thread but have you tried to completely kill all power at the mains and monitor unit usage over an hour. There might still be some electricity bleeding that occurs even if the mains is off but it should be so low that the usage would be near impossible to notice after an hour.

I switched off all the switches on the DB and it was using 1 kWh when I did a #1# immediate consumption check, as I’m in a complex I cannot access the isolator on the garage of our complex to truly “switch everything off”.

 

[John Tempus]

I switched off all the switches on the DB and it was using 1 kWh when I did a #1# immediate consumption check, as I’m in a complex I cannot access the isolator on the garage of our complex to truly “switch everything off”.

Well I guess in part you troubleshoot possible issue at the isolator on the garage since mains was off and that is the only part you could not switch off. Gotta Scooby-doo this mystery at the area that you are unable to shutoff completely.

Of course the alternative might be that there is something more suspicious happening where they are juicy 0.5-1kWh base leeching ie. a way to generate revenue on power that is not actually ever supplied, from any client as a continuing stream of usage to benefit the power utility. I hope that is not the case because that would be done on purpose and much harder to fight to get them to stop doing it.

 

[FGRL]

Well I guess in part you troubleshoot possible issue at the isolator on the garage since mains was off and that is the only part you could not switch off. Gotta Scooby-doo this mystery at the area that you are unable to shutoff completely.

I’ve logged a call with COCT and told them to come now so we can check isolator.

 

[Steamy Tom]

You're kidding, right? They have a seal and you'd be in trouble if they come and find that's been fiddled with.

i am not meaning to touch the box in anyway, literally look inside, those boxes (at least where i stay) are never locked

 

[FGRL]

i am not meaning to touch the box in anyway, literally look inside, those boxes (at least where i stay) are never locked

Locked sadly

 

[Steamy Tom]

Locked sadly

wow now that's something.

 

[Marsie27]

Keep us in the loop, MrsGreen. We had an electricity issue a few months ago, got our electrician round and he reckoned it was a CoCT issue so we phoned and they were here within the hour with their cherry picker to sort out the problem at the pole. Cost us several hundred for the sparky's callout fee.

 

[isie]

We quickly reduced temp from 60 to 50 degrees and it reduced consumption from 19 to 12..... it is definitely a heavy user!!

this is your issue
play around with the temp you can put it lower 40 - 45( maybe even lower), it's a tankless instant hot water heater so you don't have to worry about legionella and the temp i suggested can give you a decent hot shower . yes its a heavy user but it's actually might be more efficient than regular geyser since it only heats up when you use it so no need to heat up a full tank of water that you might not need. of course it might suck when you have to shower with no power. also the hot water never ends so if you like my daughter who only gets out the shower when the water is cold that can cost you a pretty penny,

also just occurred to me you sure none of your hot water taps are leaking , wasting hot water and intern electricity for nothing?

 

[FGRL]

Update:

COCT Electricity team came after I reported a power outage (yes, I lied but can you blame me?)....


Soooooooooooo..... the keypad in our flat is connected to the “prepaid unit” in the complex garage (which is where the invertor is) and it appears the unit was “bridged”. No idea what that means but tomorrow morning 9am they are booked to come replace it.....

Now call me pessimistic but I will wait until 9:15 and then let you know if all worked out!!

Sleep well!!

 

[Sigint]

Send us a pic of your DB panel;. See Earth leakage breaker etc.
Those Instant water heaters need a seporate 45A breaker and Earth Leakage on both Live and Neutral.

 

[Sigint]

Update:

COCT Electricity team came after I reported a power outage (yes, I lied but can you blame me?)....


Soooooooooooo..... the keypad in our flat is connected to the “prepaid unit” in the complex garage (which is where the invertor is) and it appears the unit was “bridged”. No idea what that means but tomorrow morning 9am they are booked to come replace it.....

Now call me pessimistic but I will wait until 9:15 and then let you know if all worked out!!

Sleep well!!

Invertor? Your have another 220VAC power source?
Transfer switch?