EDF counters: Security, Progress, Profits ...

[I Citro]

Information circulates on the need to modernize the fleet of meters ...

For the electricity distribution operator, the challenge is multiple:

- Modernize the fleet to have new network management functionalities (remote metering, remote billing, future communication with connected equipment such as electric vehicles, etc.)

- Cut 6000 jobs out of 12000 meter readers.

The major problem concerns the cost of the operation, apparently underestimated ...

Another piece of data concerns the safety of over-age meters ...
This week, the house of a neighbor completely burned down (the inhabitants escaped by miracle, saved by the barking of the dog who left his skin there).
The local press reported the news by questioning the gas boiler which is turned off this season, when the fire broke out at the EDF meter (an old black meter with banner wheel).
Consulted by telephone, on the reason for this error, the newspaper replied that it was not to panic the population.

We are used to the manipulation and misinformation of our press but this event shocked me and the members of my entourage ...

Beyond hiding the truth (and even outright lying), there is a desire not to designate the real cause and therefore the responsibilities ...

It would seem that this type of accident is not so rare, due to the growing obsolescence of the fleet of meters ... Are we at the dawn of a new scandal like that of asbestos or safety valves LPG ... How many deaths will it take before action is taken?

Imagine the consequences for EDF's image, the share price and the aura of its CEO ...

[Napo dwarf]

my old neighbors also had a fire because of their old meter

but it is on that 40 year old meters there are risks

I talked to a guy from ErDF who told me he wanted to do this for 5 years
so basically they're going to train guys to install all the meters and once they're out

more meter reading 12 k fewer jobs must also count the positions that revolve around but that's what you have to see

they would have done better to offer customers to change the meters 10 years ago and to do so as and when possible saying nothing to anyone (but must say that at the time the pcl was not yet available on the meters therefore not sufficiently attractive in terms of return on investment)

two possibilities :
1st insurance begins to scream on ErDF because the number of fires is increasing and it is getting expensive
2nd, the shareholders wish to make more profits in the long term and wish to get rid of all the subcontractors of ErDF for positions that they consider useless given the technology available today

[I Citro]

I talked to a guy from ErDF who told me he wanted to do this for 5 years
so basically they're going to train guys to install all the meters and once they're out

Well, I don't know if they will lay off that much ... The installation of the meters is already outsourced ...

In the TF1news article, they say:

the objective of installing these new meters on average in 20 minutes will be difficult to achieve. Consequently, the cost of an individual installation risks exceeding the first amount announced by ERDF, namely 120 euros.

The ERDF subcontractor who installed the 3 meters + the distribution box + the remote feedback during my photovoltaic connection took barely an hour. I was impressed, and again, they wasted time ...

[chatelot16]

I also saw an electrical meter cupboard catch fire: luckily it was outside far from the house.

but it is not the age of the counter that does the trick: even the old counter is made of completely incombustible materials: it is the plywood support plate which burns

if a connection screw is not tightened the problem will be the same regardless of the meter

it would currently be forbidden to install with fuse circuit breakers mounted on a plywood plate

there are many people who have in their house an EDF meter or an EDF circuit breaker mounted on plywood which can catch fire in the event of poor contact and overheating: and this wooden assembly is sealed, it is forbidden to modify it

there is not to be afraid of the old counter but of the bad wooden assembly

At my place it was worse: the grain stored in the attic passed through the floor and filled the interior of the electrical panel EDF in wood: if a screw had been loosely tightened ...

[elephant]

We also forget another feature:

many old counters are worn and mark less (However, it is the legal responsibility of a trader to have correct measuring instruments)

The abolition of indexers is indeed catastrophic for employment, especially since it might be in their interest to "denounce" dilapidated installations, which would have a positive impact on employment.
Of course, this denunciation can be made when the meter is changed, but it is not worth an annual look.

[boubka]

Hello

if a connection screw is not tightened the problem will be the same regardless of the meter

this is very true, and we come back to the quality of the work.
by squeezing the lemon in the subcontractors, I am not sure that this quality is there.

there are many people who have in their house an EDF meter or an EDF circuit breaker mounted on plywood which can catch fire in the event of poor contact and overheating: and this wooden assembly is sealed, it is forbidden to modify it

when they changed everything at my house (meter + circuit breaker), 5 years ago, they handed over a new table ... made of wood.
more the power cable of the meter is pre-war (rubberized aluminum fabric) and there is 2 cm sticking out of the wall.
When I told them that it had to be changed they told me that it was not in their work orders and that especially that it did not concern me.
result: a beautiful table but connect to the "bite me the knot" because no place behind ...

for the sealing of the board it must be removed to connect a new line and this can be done by any electrician without warning edf. (and we pull a little more on the power supply)

one last point, everything upstream of the circuit breaker is the responsibility of edf, but as soon as the circuit breaker output is yours.

interventions on the distribution boards for loosely tightened or loose wire are quite frequent and fortunately it is often without fire (in general it warns a little)
but sometimes....

[Flytox]

if a connection screw is not tightened the problem will be the same regardless of the meter

this is very true, and we come back to the quality of the work.
by squeezing the lemon in the subcontractors, I am not sure that this quality is there.

The tightening of copper wires is not as simple and always the fault of the electrician. You may have already noticed that for example you tighten the screws of a rather strong domino. Wait a few years and come and find your domino. You will have no trouble tightening it an additional 1/4 or 1/2 turn without forcing. What morons these electricians, they don't even know how to squeeze a domino!

In fact, it is the copper which has "settled" under stress, after forty years, it is normal that it is not tight. Besides, good electricians as soon as they open an old meter, they tighten the connections before anything else.

[Macro]

..

To tickle such buttons the most risky fire is the fire of little panties ... It happens to extinguish quite easily with a small lance ...

For what is upstream of the circuit breaker ... If there is more than 30m ... This is no longer neither the business nor the property of EDF ...

[Christophe]

Good topic, FR2 just talked about it. Around € 200 billed to the consumer customer smoothed over several years.

On econo, we already talked about it here or there

Read in particular: https://www.econologie.com/forums/electricit ... t5969.html

Datasheet of a siemens electronic counter: https://www.econologie.com/les-compteurs ... -4026.html

For me one thing worries me is the lifespan of these new meters ... little chance that it will be more than 30 years ... contrary to electromechanics. The lack of security of these electromechanical meters is for me a deception aiming to try to better "pass the supo" ...

[Remundo]

since we paid them subscriptions ... Pfff ....

30 years, 40 years ... I even have a house where the meter has been installed since 1948 ...

And you still have to pay for a new meter.

It's completely crazy: we are going to rent them something, pay it 100% too and on top of that it lowers operating costs for EDF !!

And there you go right in the pocket.