Any thoughts before I get there?

[Strahan]

Hello all, I've recently been asked by my mother in law to come take a look at her panel. It seems in the last three months her electrical bill has more than tripled. She went from roughly a $200 a month bill to a $700 a month bill. She has not added any new appliance or changed anything during this hike. When she calls power company they say "well that's what the meter reads". Now she is older and of course does not know anything technical so I think they are giving her the run around.

For the life of me I cannot see any appliance that would cause a hike this big. Maybe water heater but not this big of a jump. House is all electric but it is a small bi level house roughly 1500sgft. I will be going over there with my clamp and do some testing and maybe hook my fluke recorder up, but I just can't imagine the house is drawing this much power. Anyone run into this before?

 

[masterinbama]

Had a similar problem at my brothers house last spring. Turned out that the HVAC unit was pulling in the 15 KW heat and the AC at the same time. turned out to be a short in the t-stat wires.

 

[electricmanscott]

Had one recently where the well pressure switch was stuck causing the well pump to run constantly.

 

[readydave8]

Had one recently where the well pressure switch was stuck causing the well pump to run constantly.

Or no air in the bladder tank causing pump to constantly stop and start.

 

[growler]

For the life of me I cannot see any appliance that would cause a hike this big. Maybe water heater but not this big of a jump.

Do not under-estimate what a water leak can cost. Even a small drip in different areas can add up to a large amount of water over a period of time and it cost a fortune to heat water.

A water leak ( hot water) with a well would cause not only the water heater to operate but the well pump.

 

[gardiner]

Had a similar problem a few years ago at my mothers house, her bill doubled all at once. It turned out the poco had replaced the meter. The older the meter the slower it turns, so once a new one went on the true usage was seen, and was that a shock.

 

[Strahan]

Do not under-estimate what a water leak can cost. Even a small drip in different areas can add up to a large amount of water over a period of time and it cost a fortune to heat water.

A water leak ( hot water) with a well would cause not only the water heater to operate but the well pump.

Wow great info guys! I'm currently still at my every day job and will be on long hours all week; so I made a phone call to her about her water system. Turns out she is on city water, but what is more important is that she has been indeed battling a water leak in her basement. Turns out she had someone there to fix this leak a few months ago and she has recently noticed it is leaking again. Now I couldn't get an answer from her whether it was a cold water or hot water pipe. I will still make it over there but it sounds like if this turns out to be a hot water pipe then the problem may be solved by fixing the leak. Thanks!!!

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I have also seen a shorted wire going out to a shed that was just bleeding current into the ground. Not sure that can equal $500 in a month but golly.

Sounds like the water leak was from the hot water and if it is an electric water heater then it would be on all the time-- if the leak was big enough.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

Not sure that can equal $500 in a month but golly.

Golly is right.

$500 @ $.10/KWH would be about a 7KW load 24/7. That's a pretty large leakage.

 

[Strahan]

Golly is right.

$500 @ $.10/KWH would be about a 7KW load 24/7. That's a pretty large leakage.

Yea I agree. I am still planning on going over there with my clamp, but from what I'm being told now is that she has been battling many leaky pipes for some time now. Piping is old and sounds like more than just one leak. She is going to have to hire a plumber because that is one area I am not talented in especially with old pipes.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Mine was a simple as the meter reader not giving a crap. Had the POCO install a smart meter after my last $600 bill and I didn't have to pay the next three months bills because of the credit I recieved. Since I had the meter installed, my bill has not been over $130 for a 3,000 sq ft house.

 

[growler]

Sounds like the water leak was from the hot water and if it is an electric water heater then it would be on all the time-- if the leak was big enough.

Even if it turns out not to be the water heater it's still the first thing I would check once I know that they have leaks. If they have an electric water heater that is.

Water leaks are one of the most distructive and expensive things that can happen in a house. The damage adds up fast.

 

[LarryFine]

There are two things that can affect the electric bill:

1. The kwh used.

2. The cost per kwh.

Does the increase reflect more usage or higher price?

You need to compare more than just the dollar amount.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

There are two things that can affect the electric bill:

1. The kwh used.

2. The cost per kwh.

Does the increase reflect more usage or higher price?

You need to compare more than just the dollar amount.

Also...has the fuel utilization rate gone up?

 

[jdero]

The last one I saw had a loose connection on the neutral at the pole mounted transformer (over head service). The utility checked and found it.
definately lowered the electric bill.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

The last one I saw had a loose connection on the neutral at the pole mounted transformer (over head service). The utility checked and found it.
definately lowered the electric bill.

I don't understand how a loose connection at the pole could cause a meter at the house to read higher usage.

 

[cadpoint]

Ask about the refrigerator, is that cycling alot? And if you have an amp loop isolator read the draw.
Be sure to read all the appliances to a good ground for voltage.

I would amp read everything in the panel!

 

[kameele]

If she has electric heat, check to make sure the t-stats have an off position. Discovered this when we were a little slow closing up the family cabin in Maine and got a big complaint form FIL about the electric bill. turned out that one of the room t-stats only went down to about 40F without a actual OFF postion. it gets a lot colder than that in Maine late in the fall.:roll:

 

[GlennH]

Seeing as your in Pa.

I'm assuming your taking into account the rate hikes allowed by the state.

PPL went up 30% and i believe Peco did too.

 

[220/221]

Sell her one of those power saver boxes!!

Had a similar problem at my brothers house last spring. Turned out that the HVAC unit was pulling in the 15 KW heat and the AC at the same time. turned out to be a short in the t-stat wires.

Oh crap! They didn't notice that the AC wasn't working quite right?