What is this thing in electricity meter box

[Arron]

The white device on the left hand side in the photo below appeared suddenly in my mother in law’s electricity meter box. My sister in law thinks it’s a smart meter - but I’m not sure.

Can someone tell me what it is please?

Also, I note that it’s currently turned off. Can someone clarify why, and whether it should be?

Thanks
Arron


D5A64AB4-3086-4AC0-A73D-166FDC8117B2.jpg

[poundy]

i don't think it's a smart meter - ordinarily a meter would need to show you a readout, and from that pic I can't see any form of display. Plus, they'd need to connect it to the existing cabling so they'd replace the existing meters. It's possible that it's a "companion" device sending readings back to base, but I doubt it - don't even know if that is even a legit scenario.

You say it's off? I was assuming the green visible meant it was on?

[Uncle Al]

It may be a controller for the off peak water heater. If so, it has probably replaced the old style controller.

Alan...

[PJM16]

I'd contact Powercor or a local electrician and find out for sure.

[Arron]

i don't think it's a smart meter - ordinarily a meter would need to show you a readout, and from that pic I can't see any form of display. Plus, they'd need to connect it to the existing cabling so they'd replace the existing meters. It's possible that it's a "companion" device sending readings back to base, but I doubt it - don't even know if that is even a legit scenario.

You say it's off? I was assuming the green visible meant it was on?

Yeah, I retract what I said about it being off. My wife told me it was off and I didn’t check - though I should have considered the source.

[aldav]

Does your mil have off-peak hot water? Based on there being two meters on the board I would expect so. The instrument you're enquiring about switches the off-peak availability on and off. If you have a look at it at the right time it will be on and the off-peak meter will possibly be spinning dependent on whether the hot water system is up to temperature or not. It's nothing to concern you. That board is a pretty old installation.

[Arron]

I'd contact Powercor or a local electrician and find out for sure.

Not as easy as it sounds, with a 90 year old paranoid with no English skills and no authority to act on her behalf.

[Arron]

Here’s a close up photo of the device.

And yes, she has off peak meter but oddly no mention of off peak on the bills.
C4E67A6F-EB37-46C6-B775-0B27894E5121.jpg

[Arron]

Does your mil have off-peak hot water? Based on there being two meters on the board I would expect so. The instrument you're enquiring about switches the off-peak availability on and off. If you have a look at it at the right time it will be on and the off-peak meter will possibly be spinning dependent on whether the hot water system is up to temperature or not. It's nothing to concern you. That board is a pretty old installation.

Ok, didn’t notice your reply before my previous post. Does the close-up of the device I just posted change anything? And can I categorically tell my sister in law that it has nothing to do with smart metering or remote reading ?

Doing anything in this situation is incredibly hard, as many forum members will know.

[droog]

The front panel tells you that it is a ripple control receiver. It is a device that the energy company can turn devices on or off via signals sent over the power cables.
It will be for control of the off peak hot water, the energy provider will control when it is turned on and off to best suit overall use and demand of power.

[woodPixel]

Post deleted due to trivia.

DavidG. Moderator

[A Duke]

Post deleted due to trivia.

DavidG. Moderator

Hi,
Today is Halloween, not all fool's day.

Regards

[aldav]

Yes it is to activate the off-peak supply. If there's no mention on the bill of off-peak it may be recorded as 'controlled load'. If there's a 'supply charge' for the off-peak (controlled load) but no usage then there was previously an off peak appliance (hot water - most likely, or room heating - unlikely but possible) and she's paying the supply charge for nothing. If that's the case you can pay an electrician to remove the meter and switch gear, but it would cost a few hundred dollars. The fact that Endeavour Energy has gone to the trouble and expense of replacing the receiver would seem to indicate that there is some power usage.

If your 90 year old is anything like mine she doesn't do a lot of surfing on the net so I wouldn't worry about woodPixels concerns.

[woodPixel]

Post deleted due to trivia.

DavidG. Moderator

[apple8]

Definitely an off peak controller, looks like it’s been added/replaced recently. You can also see the labeling “off peak” for the meter partially hidden behind the service number.