Solid red light on electric meter

[denisegordonrossi@gm]

We have a electric meter which has two lights on it, one showing 100A, the other 1000amp/KW hour. I have noticed this week that in the morning before 9 the 100 button is illuminated solid red. Our electric has night and day rates (the same price, we used to have economy seven and electricity board wouldn't change over to one rate only). The bottom light flashes when electricity being used, but the top button stays red even when all power breakers are off.
The red light switches off when the meter turns over to day mode at 9am.
I'm concerned as our electricity bill is horrendous, for a house using little electricity, and I'm talking about £300 per month.
Do you think we have an issue please?

 

[stem]

There have been a few discussions on the mysterious red light previously. There's one here.

 

[Murdochcat]

When you say your bill is horrendous do you take readings regularly to understand your consumption?

 

[Rodders53]

Yes the 100A red light is an indicator that the Off peak (E7) contactor in the meter is energised (to power storage heaters, immersion heaters etc.,.) on those old "Night rate" circuits of the Consumer Unit(s)...

How do you heat the home? (If not by electricity)?
What heats your water for washing, bathing and showering?

How many units are you using (Day/Night/Total in kiloWatt-hours) every Day/Week/Month/Quarter/Year)?

£300 per month is meaningless without the tariff rates and standing charges... and the Ofgem price rates have changed every 3 months...

We use around 12 kWh per day and have a circa £100 bill every month for that. Heating and water is from Kerosene oil. Even when away on holiday we use some 3-4 kWh a day, my smart meter tells me.

 

[denisegordonrossi@gm]

When you say your bill is horrendous do you take readings regularly to understand your consumption?

Yes, every month we send readings.

 

[denisegordonrossi@gm]

Yes the 100A red light is an indicator that the Off peak (E7) contactor in the meter is energised (to power storage heaters, immersion heaters etc.,.) on those old "Night rate" circuits of the Consumer Unit(s)...

How do you heat the home? (If not by electricity)?
What heats your water for washing, bathing and showering?

How many units are you using (Day/Night/Total in kiloWatt-hours) every Day/Week/Month/Quarter/Year)?

£300 per month is meaningless without the tariff rates and standing charges... and the Ofgem price rates have changed every 3 months...

We use around 12 kWh per day and have a circa £100 bill every month for that. Heating and water is from Kerosene oil. Even when away on holiday we use some 3-4 kWh a day, my smart meter tells me.

 

[denisegordonrossi@gm]

Heating is by log burner. Bathing is by shower which we restrict to short periods, and hot water in the kitchen is by a small economical heater which heats just as we need it, which isn't often as we have a small dishwasher which is switched on only when it's full. We no longer use the hot water tank as it proved even more expensive.

 

[Rodders53]

Heating is by log burner. Bathing is by shower which we restrict to short periods, and hot water in the kitchen is by a small economical heater which heats just as we need it, which isn't often as we have a small dishwasher which is switched on only when it's full. We no longer use the hot water tank as it proved even more expensive.

Instant electric shower so energy hungry when operating.
Ditto the undersink heater. (Make and model to find out the exact losses if it stores water/keeps it hot ready for use)?

And what are your meter readings for the last year? Detailed month by month (Day and Night and Total). What is the tariff you are on with which energy supplier? You are being billed for both Day and Night at the same rate?

Any odd things in use like fish pond pumps? Whole house ventilation (some have heaters)? Hot tub? Outdoor halogen floodlights (stuck on)? Is all the home lighting now LED and/or fluorescent, rather than tungsten bulbs (or tungsten halogen)?

I'd be tempted to say get a Smart Meter installed and use the IHD to see what energy you are using when some things are operating. An energy monitor smart switch can help identify appliance use - I know my 6ft upright freezer uses 1 - 1.4 kWh every day by doing the check. Tapo and Meross make them and are £10-11 each.

Another test is to turn off the whole house (at Consumer Unit main switch) and check that the other led stops flashing on/off... it may even go solid red after a few minutes with no energy being drawn by the house.