AboutRick Miell Expertise Past County electrical inspector, hold St. of Colorado Master license, will try to answer any electrical question with Code related answers.
Experience State of Colorado Master Electrician. Past County Electricial Inspector (15 years)
Question QUESTION: our electric provider is charging us for a billing adjustment that covers 6 months. based on the checking of our meter it was uncalibrated and only registers 88% accuracy. They discover this last June but since there last inspection was December they are charging for the whole period. In the laboratory result the reason for inaccuracy of our meter is an alleged dirt between the magnets.
My question is, if that is the reason then the dirt could have been an accumulation from dirts from day 1 up to the day that they discovered it. Meaning the inaccuracy of the meter could have been 2% off in the first month and so on until it reaches the 12% off for the 6th months. So the billing adjustment should also be computed in the same manner.
ANSWER: Hi Vergel.
I'm not sure what your question is, but I would be willing to bet that, if the meter was reading incorrect (88% accuracy), it was reading the same way from day 1.
Check to see if they have an appeals policy, and try to appeal the extra charge. It may not do any good, but you never know unless you try.
Good luck.
Rick Miell
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks for the prompt reply.
This was the case there is semi annual meter checking/calibration, it is done on every June and December. Last June 2008 my meter accuracy reads only 88%, which means that i was being billed below of what i am using. Based on lab result the cause of the meter inaccuracy was a dirt found between the magnet, and that magnet is the one that measure electric consumption.
My question are:
1) Since we have a semi annual meter checking, this means that after the meter was checked last December 2007 it was doing fine and 100% accurate, Right?
2) The dirt found between the magnet are dust that could have entered the meters casing due to a loose casing, Right?
3) If so, the dust was an accumulation between the two calibration period of December 2007 to June 2008?
4) Then the inaccuracy in the first month January 2008 could not be the same as for the inaccuracy discovered last June 2008?
5) Lastly, is it safe to assume that my meter accuracy was only January 98%, February 96%, March 94%, April 92%, May 90% and June 88%?
Yes i will appeal this to our service provider but before doing so i would like to equip myself with needed knowledge to strengthen my case.
Thanks.
Answer The only way to safely say that the meter accuracy was as you state in #5, is to have had it checked each of those months.
There is every reason to believe that when they re-installed the meter, the vibration caused the dirt to get into the magnets, so it probably was reading incorrectly, at 88%, from the start.
I just can't see why you would think the accuracy would get worse with time, unless there was more and more dirt getting into the meter, which is unlikely.
