Some advice please?

[Strahan]

Awhile back I posted a thread "Any thoughts before I get there" pertaining to my mother in laws high electric bill like three times higher. In that post I suspected the hot water heater and it turns out that's not the case. I looked at this yesterday and of course did the obvious stuff. I shut the main off and verified meter stopped and current dropped to zero which it did.

Next I tightened all connections nothing too loose. While turning single breakers back on I monitored my current draw nothing unusual. I would occasionally see some spikes in current up to 20amps and then it would drop back down. With everything on the most current I seen on either leg was 20A for a short duration. Even if she was drawing 20a continuous around the clock it would not equate to a $700 bill from previous $200.

My question is how do I approach this with power company?

 

[charlie b]

All I can think of suggesting is that you read the meter, and compare your reading to whatever reading showed up on the utility's statement.

 

[iwire]

My question is how do I approach this with power company?

Just call up customer service and talk to them about it.

 

[480sparky]

Is the service on a 'budget billing' plan, and it was time for the annual renewal?

I find this the culprit more than anything else.


Also, check the past few months bills and compare it to the actual usages. Sometimes, on-site readings are not taken and are under-estimated. When a meter is finally read, the bill goes up.

 

[Cavie]

Ask for a meter history and see when this started. Go back at least one year. See if it was in one big jump or did it go up gradually. Play detective. If this is an air conditioned state, See if the heatsrtips (if you have them) are on with the A/C Compressor. I don't remember if you provided those details before but I do remember the post.

 

[Strahan]

Is the service on a 'budget billing' plan, and it was time for the annual renewal?

I find this the culprit more than anything else.


Also, check the past few months bills and compare it to the actual usages. Sometimes, on-site readings are not taken and are under-estimated. When a meter is finally read, the bill goes up.

No budget billing. I have just recently applied on line for her billing and past usage so maybe I can get more info. According to one bill she showed me all readings were actual and none were estimated which I find odd.

 

[cadpoint]

Get to and ask to talk to your local Poco Engineer, ask him what they can do for you. State that the bill has gone up. That they need to send out a good crew and check out their stuff. Ask them if he'll only get involved after a formal customer service compliant is on file with Poco. If the file is on record have case number.

I didn't search for your other thread, I though some good suggestions where given there, I guess those were all QA'd out and disquailified as well.

Seems it could be the wire(s) between the main and meter, the meter itself or the dreaded loose neutral, anywere back to source on POCO side, again ask EE-Poco what is their procedures (please tell me) what is going to be checked and checked and how it's going to be resolved! ?

IE play Dumb... or you could be asked to be educated (much better-choice of words)

 

[Strahan]

Get to and ask to talk to your local Poco Engineer, ask him what they can do for you. State that the bill has gone up. That they need to send out a good crew and check out their stuff. Ask them if he'll only get involved after a formal customer service compliant is on file with Poco. If the file is on record have case number.

I didn't search for your other thread, I though some good suggestions where given there, I guess those were all QA'd out and disquailified as well.

Seems it could be the wire(s) between the main and meter, the meter itself or the dreaded loose neutral, anywere back to source on POCO side, again ask EE-Poco what is their procedures (please tell me) what is going to be checked and checked and how it's going to be resolved! ?

IE play Dumb...

Thanks! I will call later today when I leave work. I will get back to you all then

 

[gar]

100706-1420 EST

Buy a TED System with software. Install this and connect to a computer for continuous monitoring. Compare TED data with the power company and see if there is a difference. Also look at the TED data for any unusual loads. Put the computer on a UPS.

I assume the meter is close to the main panel and nothing has been tapped in between the main panel and the meter.

The two TED current sensors (Hall devices) go onto the input hot wires to the main panel and must be phased correctly per the instructions.

20 A continuous at 240 is 4.8 KW and if on solid for 1 month would be about 30*24*4.8 = 3456 KWH and at $0.13/KWH would cost about $450.

A TED System with software will cost about $200.

If you buy this test system, then you might be able to sell its services, and educate yourself in some new areas.

.

 

[LarryFine]

Have you separated "more kwh's" from "more $/kwh" yet?

In other words, are you sure more power has been used?

The main thing that will run more as it works worse is A/C.

 

[Strahan]

Guys just a follow up. I believe in following up my threads with answers that may help others. Unfortunately in the beginning I did not have all the info necessary to properly analyze what the problem was. I created an online account and tracked her usage and billing for the last 2 years here is what I saw:

May - Oct. readings were normal AVG 1200KWH per month
Nov - April readings gradually increased and sky rocketed in the months of Jan and Feb exceeding 7,000KWH per month. It seems she has a heating issue; which I can't properly analyze at this time. Either it pertains to a heater or house efficiency I'm not sure. I do know she keeps it extra hot in her house almost unbearably hot. These bills were in excess of $700 and they just piled up and were to much for her to handle. So I will have my work cut out for me this fall. Thanks guys for all your input and helpful ideas. One thing I did wrong here was persue without having all the information I needed.

 

[Cavie]

Check the duct system. My money is on broken ductsystem. She is possibily heating the attic or floor space (don't know the construction type) through a break in the system. In Florida cheap systems consist of fiber board and flex duct. The joints are taped togther. The tape dries out and the duct blows apart. Also comes apart when the "cable guy" smashes it. Small leakes just become bigger.