My consumer unit keeps tripping, is this connected to the smart meter?

Hi ​@Sine ,

Usually when this happens it’s a fault with the Consumer Unit and nothing to do with the Meter itself. Given that it’s constantly transmitting, I’d expect to see your circuits being constantly killed 10 seconds after you reset them if the Meter was the actual cause.

I’d recommend getting a private electrician to check your circuits and consumer unit over - something might need to be replaced but I’m 99.9% confident it’s not the meter that needs swapping out!

Hey ​@Sine 

Sorry to hear of the issues you’re having

Smart meters should not interfere with the consumer unit causing your power to trip however there is speculation that certain RCD or RCBO units (particularly if not adequately earthed) may trip if too close to the meter . 

If you are experiencing any issues with a circuit tripping after a smart meter installation we would advise you to contact an electrician to check your consumer unit .

Thanks for the advice.  Another OVO engineer came yesterday and said the RCD needs replacing and suggested we get an electrician.  Spoke to a sparkie on phone and they said we should turn off and unplug all our kitchen appliances except for the freezer (we weren’t keen to lose all our frozen food) as it was likely a faulty appliance causing the trip.  However I have just checked the CU again this morning and the rcd has tripped.  I think I will take your advice about getting an electrician to check the CU, am a bit worried about possibility that the storage heating coming on has caused the trip if its not caused by a faulty appliance or RCD.  We have lived here for 40 years and never had a problem until the smart meter was installed last month.  

Sometimes changing one thing exposes a pre-existing fault that you never knew about. That’s what this feels like to me. We’ve seen it before a couple of times, but it’s rare.

Any RCD/RCBO will become less accurate over time and often needs testing for trip levels. It is possible that the change of appliances over time can increase the level of leakage and therefore make the RCD more sensitive. 
From your circuit tests, this sounds most likely and an updated RCD (or even better a cascading scheme) should help

I hope the engineer manages to get your issue sorted ​@Sine. Please keep us posted with how you get on 

​@Emmanuelle_OVO s first post has made me curious.
My smart meter was fitted about 2 years ago. There was no tripping. 8 months later I had an automatic garage door fitted. Almost immediately the kitchen circuit started tripping only when the oven was on.

I was on the point of changing the oven, but having become fed up of breaking into the garage(where the consumer unit was) I had the garage motor moved to its own circuit. Since then I have had no trips at all, anywhere!

I don’t have the electrical knowledge, garage power could have been the feather that broke the camels back, but it is an unearthed switch mode supply so presumably no earth leakage.

That was a good move on the engineer’s part, judging by this story: RCD tripping straight after smart meter install | on ElectriciansForums 

I wouldn’t rule that out as the possible cause yet unless something else proves to be faulty, like the RCD itself or the wiring.

A smart meter in some circumstances can influence an RCD/RCBO but when the RCD devices are installed, they only have to pass timing tests (disconnect within a certain number of milliseconds) alongside a sensitivity test (not trip at 50% rating and fast trip at high current - 5x rating). They do not have to be measured to determine their exact trip current.

With any situation like above, I would always recommend a repeat of the install test plus a ‘creep’ test where the leakage current is slowly increased to its trip level.

The RCD measures the difference between current flowing in the live conductor and current flowing in the neutral conductor. There doesn’t need to be an earth as current can leak to surroundings to cause a difference.

It is usually found that any meter influence is seen on a highly susceptible or inaccurate RCD

Had two electricians tell me they think its the way smart meter was installed or a problem with the smart meter.  Neither of them would touch my CU or smart meter as they said its a problem for OVO.  Went back on to OVO and the advisor spoke to the support team.  They have said they will call me back within 48hrs to arrange to have a Heritage meter replace the smart meter.  I have no idea what a Heritage meter is but apparently they will discuss all that in my phone call.   I have no faith that this will address the problem or even if the Heritage meter will ensure we have to no problems with our heating/water heating next year when the RTS signal stops in 2025.   As a couple in their sixties and my husband suffers with bad health I have had to constantly remind OVO we are on the Priority Service register and cant wait weeks for appointments.   Very frustrating but I am hoping the situation can be resolved.