Excessive KW/hr

[kwired]

Was this just a single indecent? I have seen it where the meter reader marked the wrong reading into their program. if that is the case you can call the utility and have your meter checked out and re read. Also they could have a meter issue they are more common then you think.

I am not familiar with problems with electronic meters but when mechanical meters fail it is usually in the consumers favor.

 

[mtnelectrical]

well this is not a month incidente and it seems has been a cycle at least for almost a whole year.

 

[gar]

100504-1443 EST

Consider your 7.2 A motor and assume a PF=0.6 . This is about 5 A so power would be about 600 W. Run this continuously for one month and the result is about 0.6*24*30 = 432 KWH. Next assume 0.13 cost per KWH and the monthly cost is $56 per month. You will need a continuous load of about 5400 W at $0.13 per hour to equal $700 per month. If both phases are equally loaded, then this is continuous load of about 22.4 A on each phase.

Monitor both main line currents and see what you read in the evening when the house is being used, and some other time when there is little load. Do the tests I have previously indicated.

You would find a TED monitoring instrument a useful test tool.

.

 

[growler]

I have a call from a customer saying he has been paying over $600 a month in electricity. Do you think this is the reason for the high bill? House is aprox 950 sq feet.

OK, 950 sq ft house. You can check the current draw of the A/C unit but I doubt that is it.

I would check the hot water heater if they have an electric hot water heater. Heating water uses lots of power and a small leak can cost a fortune. check the size of the water heater and see if the have one of those monsters shower with the multiheads.

I know of a house that has three 50 gal. water heaters because the wanted one for each bath room. It's not that big of a house and yes they do pay for it. They like long showers.

Also check the temp setting of the water heater/heaters because just turning it down to 120 degrees will help if it's set to max.

 

[mtnelectrical]

checked already. It is a gas water heater

 

[newservice]

did we ever get resolution on this?

 

[cowboyjwc]

I was having problems with inconsistant electric bills, so I finally had them come and install a digital meter. My bills before would be $500 then $100 then $350 and nothing would change. After I got a $500 bill I complained again and got the meter changed. I didn't have to pay my next three electric bills and my bill has not been over $150 a month for the last year.

My house is around 3000 sqft.

Meter readers here don't make much and they also know that they are soon going to be replaced by the digital smart meters, so they really don't care.

 

[MJJBEE]

I am not familiar with problems with electronic meters but when mechanical meters fail it is usually in the consumers favor.

That is true we are having lots of issues with electronic meters not passing testing. I'm not a distribution engineer but electronic meters seem to fail either way. Again I think he either has a meter issue or unknown load his neighbor isn't using his power to grow pot is he?

 

[One-eyed Jack]

If you can show just cause the POCO will usually install a test meter in series with the existing meter and compare.

 

[LarryFine]

If you can show just cause the POCO will usually install a test meter in series with the existing meter and compare.

I'd want it wired in parallel.

 

[gar]

100517-2113 EST

Larry:

The current coils have to be in series, and the voltage coil in parallel. Single phase meters usually, if not always, have a single coil across the 240.


For the original poster:

An easier way to install a monitor is to use a TED system with clamp-on current transducers (Hall devices) and a single 120 V input. With their software this may provide move useful information than just another watt-hour meter. The accuracy of the TED system is sufficiently good that the gross error that seems to exist at this home would be easily detected.

.

 

[LarryFine]

Larry:

The current coils have to be in series, and the voltage coil in parallel. Single phase meters usually, if not always, have a single coil across the 240.

I know. I was trying to be funny. Oh, well. I guess I should save it for Friday night.

 

[One-eyed Jack]

I'd want it wired in parallel.

You would get a refund for sure.

 

[LarryFine]

You would get a refund for sure.

If only.

I used to pass through Scotland Neck when visiting my sister at ECU. (I-95, rt 125, rt 11, rt 13)