Why such a high electric bill?

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A friend of mine just bought a brand new double wide mobile home. He asked me how his light bill could be so high. It was around $900 dollars last month. The amp meter is only reading 18 amps. It's all electric. They keep the water heater off half the day, and the thermostat up to 80. What do you think could be making their bill so high?

Steve Shaw
 

hillbilly

Senior Member
If they have a heat pump with supplemental heating coils (probably a self contained unit), I would check for current on the heating elements when the AC is running.

It's possible that a heating element is being energized with the AC.

This would be a double whammy on the power bill.

Just a idea.
steve

Just saw the 18 Amps.
Is this a split unit?
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
Were all the breakers on with the 18 amp reading ? If not, be sure they are all on then try to determine the loads which attribute to the 18 amps.
"Leakage" thru a water heater element and as mentioned A/C heat coils or a well/sump pump using just a little power 24/7 will add up quickly.
 

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Were all the breakers on with the 18 amp reading ? If not, be sure they are all on then try to determine the loads which attribute to the 18 amps.
"Leakage" thru a water heater element and as mentioned A/C heat coils or a well/sump pump using just a little power 24/7 will add up quickly.

How does One test for that, amp probe, frankly wouldn't that be a live short?

I don't know, I'm just asking...!
 

masterinbama

Senior Member
If they have a heat pump with supplemental heating coils (probably a self contained unit), I would check for current on the heating elements when the AC is running.

It's possible that a heating element is being energized with the AC.

This would be a double whammy on the power bill.

Just a idea.
steve

Just saw the 18 Amps.
Is this a split unit?

That happened at my office once. 4 tons of AC fighting 15 KW of heat will suck up some power in a hurry.The landlords HVAC contractor replaced the condensing unit and didn't realize the new ones reversing valve was energized for cool where the old one was energized for heat. Every time the T'stat called for cool the strips would come on too. Guess who didn't make any money on that condenser change?
 
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augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
How does One test for that, amp probe, frankly wouldn't that be a live short?

I don't know, I'm just asking...!

Elements can develop "pin holes" and complete a high resistance circuit from the element to the water. Since the thermostat only breaks one line, this "leak" can operate anytime there is power to the water heater.
Just test the circuit with an ammeter. When heating it should pull full power (around 18 amps for a 4500w), once the thermostat turns off there should be "0" amperage.
 

Cow

Senior Member
Location
Eastern Oregon
Occupation
Electrician
The first thing to do is verify the meter reading is correct on the billing statement. Also check to see if power rates may have changed for whatever reason.

After that's done, then start looking for loads drawing high current.

The last one I had, the AC unit was short cycling every 2 mins.
 

hurk27

Senior Member
I have seen many things that could do this, so here are a few:

Bad element on a two element water heater.
wrong thermostat setting on the same water heater, both will cause the heater to call for heat for a long time

if the meter is located remote, then a bad wire underground, check by turning off main at trailer, and see if the meter is still turning.

look for electric dryer usage all the time, allot of cooking?

heat tape shorted out on water line

any bad underground feeds to sheds or post lights
 

JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
A friend of mine just bought a brand new double wide mobile home. He asked me how his light bill could be so high. It was around $900 dollars last month. The amp meter is only reading 18 amps. It's all electric. They keep the water heater off half the day, and the thermostat up to 80. What do you think could be making their bill so high?

Steve Shaw

At $0.10/kwh, he'd be using 12.5kw/hr to run up a $900/month bill. I can't imagine any fault or combination of faults in a trailer that would result in a 50+ amp average 24/7 continuous draw on both legs w/o burning the place down.

As to what is making the bill so high, my first thought is the POCO read the meter wrong, or read the wrong meter. Neighbor XXX tapped past his meter?
 
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broadgage

Senior Member
Location
London, England
$900 in a month is about $30 a day which is an average load of from 6 to 12 KW depending on the local power price, perhaps 5KW if power very expensive.

A large low efficiency air conditioner could certainly use say 4KW, which with a few other loads might reach 6KW, together with a high power price, this could explain the bill.
And remember that a "month" can be as long as 45 days depending on meter reading dates, public holidays etc.

As posted above, it is unlikely that a fault would waste that much power without something catching fire or blowing up.

A leak of hot water could do it though, resulting in the water heater running 12 hours a day (it is stated to be turned off for half the day)

If the premises have been empty for a while, then the bill may include months of standing charges, or some small load left on for months, before the present customer moved in.
Or even money owed by a previous customer.

Or as posted by others, the utility may have mis read the meter or read the wrong meter.
 
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