Energy Monitor Malfunction: How To Spot The Signs

Energy monitors are devices that help you identify ways to save energy by measuring how much electricity your home uses, even down to individual devices. They can be incredibly useful, but it can be hard to tell if they're working properly. If you're worried your energy monitor might be broken, there are several things you can do to test it. Firstly, read your energy bill carefully and look out for sudden bill increases. You can also try performing a Creep Test by turning off your home's power at the fuse box and checking if your energy meter is still increasing after five minutes. If it is, your meter is faulty and needs to be tested by a professional. You can also try a Load Test by turning on your appliances one by one and checking if one is causing a large jump in energy use. If you have a smart meter, you can use the Citizen Advice Service's automatic checker to see if your meter is reporting properly. If you suspect your energy monitor is broken, contact your energy supplier directly and they will have several steps to help you diagnose the issue.

Check for a blank screen or error message

If you have a blank screen on your energy monitor, it could be due to a number of reasons. Firstly, check that the monitor is on. Some monitors have more than one power button or switch, so make sure they are all switched on.

If the monitor is on but you still have a blank screen, check the power cable connections. The power cable may be loose or unplugged, or there may be an issue with the cable itself. Check for any cable adapters that aren't fully secured, such as a small connector that joins an HDMI or DVI cable to a VGA plug, or vice versa. If the monitor's power light is off, this could indicate that the power cable is disconnected.

If the power light is on but you still have a blank screen, try adjusting the monitor's brightness and contrast settings. These may be too dark, making it difficult to see any information on the screen.

If you have a prepayment meter, a blank screen could indicate a fault with the meter. Contact your supplier immediately, as you could be left without energy. They will need to repair or replace the meter.

If you have a smart meter, a blank screen could be due to a number of issues. Try moving the monitor closer to your smart meters, as they work best when nearby. Check if the monitor has a flat battery or is unplugged, as unplugged monitors have a short battery life. Try turning the monitor off and on again, and check your supplier's website or instruction booklet for troubleshooting tips.

Test on another device

If you're using your computer and the monitor screen suddenly stops working, it could be an issue with either the computer or the monitor. Testing the monitor on another computer can help rule out one of the devices as the cause of the problem.

The fastest way to determine if your monitor is faulty is to test it on another computer. Disconnect the monitor from your current computer and connect it to another properly functioning computer. If the monitor turns on correctly and displays what's supposed to be on the screen, you can rule out the monitor as the source of the problem. If the screen doesn't turn on within a few seconds, try using the working monitor's connection and power cables. Then, connect only the test monitor to the computer and reboot the test computer to eliminate every variable other than the monitor. If the monitor still doesn't turn on, it is most likely faulty.

If you're testing a computer monitor, it's important to ensure that you're using the data cable that came with the test monitor and not the one from your original monitor. Additionally, when testing on another computer, make sure to use a different power outlet to ensure that the issue is not related to a faulty power source.

If the monitor works on the new computer, the issue is likely with your original computer rather than the monitor. In this case, the problem could be related to a disconnected or faulty video card. Test your original computer by connecting it to a different monitor that is known to work. If this new monitor doesn't display anything, the original computer is likely the source of the problem. If the new monitor works, then the issue is likely with your original monitor.

If you're testing an energy meter, you can perform what is known as a "Creep Test" and a "Load Test". For the Creep Test, turn off your home's power at the fuse box and wait five minutes. Then, check your energy meter. If the reading on the meter is still increasing, the meter is faulty and will need to be tested by your energy supplier. If the numbers don't increase, perform a Load Test to see if a particular appliance is causing an increase in energy use.

For the Load Test, turn on your appliances one by one, leaving 10-15 minutes between each device. Each time you turn on an appliance, check the meter to see if one causes a large jump in energy use. If a specific appliance causes a significant increase in the reading, it is likely that appliance that is faulty rather than the meter.

Check power and cable connections

If your energy monitor is not working, it could be due to a problem with the power and cable connections. Here are some steps you can take to check and potentially fix this issue:

Firstly, ensure that the monitor is turned on. This may sound obvious, but it is worth checking, especially if your monitor has more than one power button or switch. Make sure that all of them are switched on.

Next, check the monitor's power cable connections. The problem could be as simple as a loose or unplugged power cable. Check both ends of the cable to ensure it is securely connected to the monitor and the power source.

Also, look for any cable adapters that may be loosely connected or unplugged. For example, a small connector that joins an HDMI or DVI cable to a VGA plug, or vice versa.

If your monitor's power light is completely off, a disconnected power cable is likely the cause of the issue.

In addition to the power cable, check the monitor's data cable connections. The monitor may be turning on, but if the cable that connects it to your computer is loose or disconnected, no information can get through. Check both ends of the data cable to ensure it is securely connected to the monitor and the computer.

If the monitor's power light is on but is amber or yellow instead of green, a loose or disconnected data cable is likely the issue.

If the power and data cables are securely connected, try turning the monitor's brightness and contrast settings up completely. The monitor may be working, but the display settings could be too dark for you to see anything. Most modern monitors have a single on-screen interface for all settings, while older monitors may have manual knobs for adjusting brightness and contrast.

If you are using multiple monitors, ensure that they are all set up properly. If you are using a dual-monitor setup, for example, the extended displays may be working fine, but the operating system may not be using them correctly. This could be due to issues such as a missing or corrupt video card driver or an incorrect setup procedure.

If you have checked all the connections and adjusted the settings, and your monitor still isn't working, try connecting a different monitor to your computer to see if the problem is with the monitor or the computer itself. Use the data cable that came with the new monitor, not the one from your original monitor. If the new monitor works, then your original monitor is likely faulty and may need to be replaced. If the new monitor doesn't work either, then the issue is likely with your computer rather than the monitor.

Perform a Creep Test

Performing a creep test is one of the two simple tests you can perform on a standard energy meter to check if it is working properly. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to perform a creep test:

• Choose a suitable specimen: The specimen should have a uniform cross-section and a smooth surface to avoid stress concentrations and cracks. It should be representative of the material and the conditions it will face in service. Standard or custom-made specimens can be used depending on availability and test specifications.
• Prepare the test setup: The test setup consists of a loading device, a furnace, and a measuring system. The loading device can be a dead-weight machine, a hydraulic machine, or an electromechanical machine, depending on the required load level and accuracy. The furnace should maintain a constant and uniform temperature throughout the test and have a suitable atmosphere to prevent specimen oxidation or corrosion. The measuring system should record strain, stress, and time during the test using devices such as extensometers, load cells, and timers.
• Apply the load and temperature: Apply a constant load below the yield strength of the material to ensure the specimen remains in the elastic-plastic region. The temperature should be high enough to induce creep deformation but not so high that it causes melting or thermal shock. Apply the load and temperature simultaneously and gradually to avoid sudden changes or fluctuations.
• Monitor the test: The test duration can range from hours to years, depending on the material and test conditions. Measure and record the strain, stress, and time at regular intervals, plotting them on a creep curve. The creep curve illustrates the relationship between strain and time and can be divided into three stages: primary creep, secondary creep, and tertiary creep.
• Analyze the results: Evaluate the creep properties of the material, such as the creep rate, creep strain, creep life, and creep modulus. The creep rate, which indicates how quickly the material deforms under stress, is the slope of the creep curve in the secondary stage. The creep strain reflects the total deformation of the material at a given time, showing how much it can elongate before failure. The creep life represents the time required for the material to reach a certain strain or fracture and indicates how long it can withstand stress. The creep modulus, which measures the stiffness of the material under creep conditions, is the ratio of stress to strain.
• Compare the data: Compare how the material performs under different conditions or against other materials. Plotting creep curves on the same graph, calculating the activation energy for creep, or using empirical models or equations are all methods for comparing data. This allows you to understand how the material responds to changes in stress, temperature, or environment, and how it compares to other materials in terms of creep resistance and reliability.

By following these steps, you can effectively perform a creep test to evaluate the creep behaviour of a material and determine if your energy monitor is functioning correctly.

Perform a Load Test

To perform a load test, you will need to turn on your appliances one by one, leaving 10-15 minutes between each device. Each time you turn on an appliance, check the meter to see if one is causing a large jump in energy use. If one of the appliances causes a large jump in energy use, it is likely that appliance that is faulty, rather than your meter.

If you have a smart meter, performing a load test is much simpler as you can immediately see the effect of turning off your power, and each device as you reconnect it.

If you have a pre-payment meter, watch for the credit balance on your meter decreasing, rather than your usage increasing.

If you have a gas meter, you can perform a load test by turning off every gas-powered appliance in your home, including your boiler or heating system. If the meter reading increases with everything turned off, you might have a gas leak – report it immediately to the National Grid Gas Emergency line.

Frequently asked questions