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Changing my electricity meter..


joidevie

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I have recently modernised an old barn which still has a pretty old electricity connection to a 3kw meter / tarif. I want to upgrade to 6kw. EDF will do this for no charge, but what will they swap? In an ideal world I think the head needs changing to one which can be read externally etc..

2 years ago I comissioned a quote to move the meter (which I no longer need to do) and received a prix of around 300 Euro to move it 1m and renew the whole lot.. However, this quote has now been lost and the departement responsible moved to Narbonne (11)

Question - what do I get for the 'free' 6kw upgrade? Is this 'modern' enough or will I need to go to the whole hassle of writing to the 'new' department to retreive the quote etc etc..

Thanks

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We were in a similar situation (house, not barn) and the old 3kW dial meter was simply replaced by an LCD 6 kW display meter.

The EDF engineer commented that they could only place it where the cables were situated.

I registered with their Relevé Confiance and I get a letter asking for my own reading about 10 days before the bill is due. I can give the meter reading by phone or over their website.

They come over and do their own reading once a year.
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I had mine upgraded to max supply and a new heures Creuse, Heures Plein compteure fitted at the same time: only charged for the upgrade.

Also opted for Relevé Confiance, since hardly being there, EDF's "Estimates" were rather a lot on the high side!

Since then I merely let them know (card system) the actual readings and if they have already issued the facture, they immediately issue a credit.

Has worked very well to date.

 

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My experience is similar to Gluestick's, except I had one of those gizmos fitted where the man can read the meter without getting out of his car. This suited us because the meter is in the cellar and we are in the UK more than we are in France.

Hoddy
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Thanks for the responses.. I was particularily hoping to find out what is actually changed.. The fat cable running to the outside walls seems OK, but the stuff going from the head to the meter and main fuse switch does look pretty tired..

Thanks

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Until reading this post I had not considered changing my meter though I guess as permanent residents who run a business from our home then we are probably over paying by not taking advantage of the lower rates available over night with the new meters. Can anyone advise:

1. How long the whole process normally takes from contacting EDF to having the meter installed

2. What sort of savings can be made against a basic tariff

Many thanks,

Mike

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[quote user="joidevie"]Thanks for the responses.. I was particularily hoping to find out what is actually changed.. The fat cable running to the outside walls seems OK, but the stuff going from the head to the meter and main fuse switch does look pretty tired..

Thanks
[/quote]

When you say "Head" I can only presume you mean the tableaux or if like most old French electrical installations, the rat's nest of odd cables and with luck a cut-off (Overload) switch.

In fact the wiring from the compteure is your responsibility. In theory, EDF should refuse to connect their new meter to unsafe and non-conforming wiring. IN practice, they tend to connect it to disparate collections of old coat hangers and bent nails (!!!), relying only on their overload switch isolating their meter and wiring from your impeeding disaster!

 

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It takes anything from 1 - 6 weeks for an appointment for an EDF engineer to call.

If you happen to be seeking a visit just after a storm has taken out

miles of o/head cables you will be unlucky, as affected regions cadge

engineers to help get the show on the road again, but at other times

they can be quite quick.

My experience has been that they do stick to appointment times although others may have different experiences.

You do have to second guess them a bit though:  my appointment to

change the meter  (which - by definition -  involves

disconnecting the supply completely to do the work) was for 17h00 on a

February weekday. He arrived without a torch ! Good job I have enough

torches and lanterns to illuminate the Creuse.

p

 

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