StroppyChops wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:51 pm

John Bingham wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:46 pm

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:40 pm

Heng Heng Heng wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:37 pm In a case like that, if all your appliances are off, and the meter is still spinning, there is an issue with theft. Your friendly electrician will be able to isolate and remove the offending wires.

Friendly electrician is licensed, and doesn't want to risk his license by touching any wires up to and including the meter. It's a catch-22.

You should be able to turn off your power at the box on the street.

Yep, that's the plan once I work out which one it is! I'm actually hoping to catch the EDC meter readers when they're in the area, but they move like ferrets on meth to stop people stopping them! The owner claims to not know which one it is, and looking at the bundle of cables, I don't blame him. Once I find it I'll flick it on and off at night and see which of the neighbour's houses respond.

Each meter on the street has a number, and the number is on your bill, so identifying your meter is not really rocket science.

Kammekor wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 9:39 am

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:51 pm

John Bingham wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:46 pm

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:40 pm

Heng Heng Heng wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:37 pm In a case like that, if all your appliances are off, and the meter is still spinning, there is an issue with theft. Your friendly electrician will be able to isolate and remove the offending wires.

Friendly electrician is licensed, and doesn't want to risk his license by touching any wires up to and including the meter. It's a catch-22.

You should be able to turn off your power at the box on the street.

Yep, that's the plan once I work out which one it is! I'm actually hoping to catch the EDC meter readers when they're in the area, but they move like ferrets on meth to stop people stopping them! The owner claims to not know which one it is, and looking at the bundle of cables, I don't blame him. Once I find it I'll flick it on and off at night and see which of the neighbour's houses respond.

Each meter on the street has a number, and the number is on your bill, so identifying your meter is not really rocket science.

I had a free elective when studying my masters, and so took an astronomy course based at the Mt Kent Observatory to do something completely different as a break from the mundanity of my major. That doesn't qualify me as a rocket scientist, but I'm sure it counts for something. I actually snorted with derision when I read your response - you clearly live in an area where the hedges are all neatly trimmed and the SUVs are all parked off the street, so the good people of suburbia can walk along unobstructed footpaths with their families in the cool afternoons.

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 5:47 pm

Kammekor wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 9:39 am

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:51 pm

John Bingham wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:46 pm

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:40 pm
Friendly electrician is licensed, and doesn't want to risk his license by touching any wires up to and including the meter. It's a catch-22.

You should be able to turn off your power at the box on the street.

Yep, that's the plan once I work out which one it is! I'm actually hoping to catch the EDC meter readers when they're in the area, but they move like ferrets on meth to stop people stopping them! The owner claims to not know which one it is, and looking at the bundle of cables, I don't blame him. Once I find it I'll flick it on and off at night and see which of the neighbour's houses respond.

Each meter on the street has a number, and the number is on your bill, so identifying your meter is not really rocket science.

I had a free elective when studying my masters, and so took an astronomy course based at the Mt Kent Observatory to do something completely different as a break from the mundanity of my major. That doesn't qualify me as a rocket scientist, but I'm sure it counts for something. I actually snorted with derision when I read your response - you clearly live in an area where the hedges are all neatly trimmed and the SUVs are all parked off the street, so the good people of suburbia can walk along unobstructed footpaths with their families in the cool afternoons.

Not really. Quite the opposite actually.....

https://goo.gl/maps/o3zdBJuJUz92

But back on topic, did you check if your meter has a number? Because if it doesn't, how would the EDC be able to link the meter to you?

Kammekor wrote: ↑Thu Jun 07, 2018 9:36 amBut back on topic, did you check if your meter has a number? Because if it doesn't, how would the EDC be able to link the meter to you?

Back on topic it is... our meter is one of a cluster of 20 or so that are up a pole, requiring a long ladder. EDC would see the numbers when they're up the pole, they're not visible from ground level.

iow, they're collecting meta data from meters metres up?

that genius wrote: ↑Thu Jun 07, 2018 11:28 am iow, they're collecting meta data from meters metres up?

Maybe.

Totally hijacking OPs thread for a moment, just an update on my situation.

Then landlord appeared unexpectedly this afternoon with two sons in tow to announce that EDC was coming at 2pm to check for any problems. One of the sons let me know they'd need money, and I said I knew it was $5 for a meter check and I was happy to pay that. Furtive glances all round, some discussion in Khmer about $15, which I countered in Khmer and restated $5. I also made it known I expected someone actually from EDC with ID, and a receipt for any money paid. Consternation.

I then spent nearly an hour walking up and down the length of our cable run trying to track it in the mess of cables, and eventually followed it through to the pole. I was able to identify "our" box, which contains only two meters, both new digital ones. Given the way the boxes are stacked I can't see from the ground whether there are extra cables leading into the base of the box, although I can clearly see plenty of cable splicing further up the pole - but no way to check if it's on our line without dragging out the ladder.

As I was walking up and down staring intently at the cables, the neighbours were each coming out to see what I was doing, and then calling others out to discuss anxiously.

Shortly before 3pm the landlord resurfaced to advise EDC weren't coming, but would come in the morning as "they are busy now." The skeptic in me imagines this is to give the neighbours (many of whom are his relatives) time to remove the extra cabling during the night. The happy sunbeam part of me likes the landlord and hopes this is not the case.

I ran the numbers, which align with those done by our electrician, and the power bill is 200% what it should be. More breaking news as it breaks.

You gonna do a stake out tonight to see if the neighbors mess with the cables?

Cam Nivag wrote: ↑Fri Jun 08, 2018 8:09 pm You gonna do a stake out tonight to see if the neighbors mess with the cables?

We can see the pole (and conveniently, it's lit) from our upstairs window, so I'm doing a lazy stake out.

Edit: Also waiting to see if our power suddenly cuts out, which will tell us mischief is possibly afoot.

Shocking new developments.