Electrical Problem

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May even be the meter itself - seen a few of them from time to time that freely spin like a top with only a doorbell transformer - and one that would continue to spin with everything off.... I would see if you could get you put on an event recorder of some type to have something to compare W/hr to for a period of time. Read the meter when you put it in, and compare usage when you take it out. Then again the meter guy could be reading this meter from home and just punching random numbers in.....

But then again this could be a home with a bazillion recessed cans, an oven thats on all the time, landscape lighting thats visable from space, and the kids have a tesla coil they have not told you about. So even amp-clamping some stuff during the day may not tell you much. With a recorder you could get the read out and see some wierd stuff - like this... (real situation - guy complaining of high power bills) "Mr. (Smith) something you used last night from 8-9PM is using an awefull lot of power, and ....." - "I wasn't using anything last night - I was in the hot tub. That doesnt use a lot of power does it?" - ME: 'what hot tub?' Takes me back to this hidden lair with a hot tub, and a steam and suana. No mention of any of it when I first talked to him about what could be using loads of power.
 
A poor man's way to check the panel without an amp meter is to have someone stand at the meter (it should be spinning good with that kinda bill) and you go to the switchbox and start cutting breakers off and see which one or ones slow the meter down drastically. Pay attention to what you are doing and this method will help. Don't ask me how I know, I work for a poco and have investigated these for many years and am suppose to have the equipment to do it with but for some reason its not always in my truck.
 
joeyww12000 said:
I have a friend whose electric bill is running way high, almost 3-4 hundred a month! We have checked everything and cannot understand what is drawing so much current. He has went with his a/c off for a month, unplugged dryer, stove....etc. We have checked all panel connections and found no problems. We are stumped, anybody here have any suggestions? The power company says there is good.
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I completely understand your OP. A/C off for a month? Doub't it. While I do not especially care for my POCO, his meter don't forget (and they seldom break).

These 'high bill' problems are not due to direct electrical consumption, but due to that sneaky electrical stuff.

I have a neighbor with the same $400 high bill complaint. Those folks (your friend and my neighbor) steadfastly maintain that they practice 'electrical conservation'. They are fibbing. Why can I look over at neighbors and see two 100 watt lamps just 'giving it heck' 24/7? And that is only what I see outside. Five girls in the house - go figure.

He recently replaced his A/C condenser and evaporator, and his electric bill went up!

One grossly overlooked and big time money loser is home 'air infiltration', whether that air is coming or going. I was trained early on by the best HVAC engineer in Central Florida on this subject. Do you see any light, even a sliver, around a door or window? Blap, wrong answer. And I haven't even touched on the value of 'thermal' insulation.

joeyww12000 - keep your amprobe in your pocket and stay in your comfy house, you can not help those kind of people . . .

Best Wishes Everyone
 
joeyww12000 said:
LawnGuyLandSparky your here to answer questions, your not Dear Abby.
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I would say his reasons for being here are his own. It may be to answer questions, but I can assure you that is not my reason for being here.:cool:
 
If this neighbor has an electric hot water tank, that would be my first target. I have seen sediment build up in the bottom so that the water wouldn't get hot and the element stay on.
 
HighWirey said:
I completely understand your OP. A/C off for a month? Doub't it. While I do not especially care for my POCO, his meter don't forget (and they seldom break).

These 'high bill' problems are not due to direct electrical consumption, but due to that sneaky electrical stuff.

I have a neighbor with the same $400 high bill complaint. Those folks (your friend and my neighbor) steadfastly maintain that they practice 'electrical conservation'. They are fibbing. Why can I look over at neighbors and see two 100 watt lamps just 'giving it heck' 24/7?
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Seldom break yes - accuracy is another story altogether - does that mean its broken no.... I see meters that will come up with one bill for an average - then you do a service change and they (POCO) give you a new meter and average usage in kw goes up or down by a lot. Yet the habits in the home have not changed. My own example was the digital read-it-from-street radio job I was forced to get - nothing changed in my home - but the bill sure did - not by a lot, but I'd like to have that old meter back.... As my neighbors all got them too - they all went up, spare one that went down, I doubt she wants her old one back.

Even though people rarely have AC units in my little micro climate bills can be shot through the roof by simple lighting design - e.g. 30 recessed cans to replace those two floor lamps. Sure you can see the art on the walls & your museum of knick-knacks better - but you knew what they looked like anyway.... :rolleyes:

I don't come across much in the 'sneaky' arena - but a lot of the misconceptions about what and how much power is drawn by average things.
 
he might be over charge

he might be over charge

i suggest you to take to his utilitiy provider and make sure they put in the right KWH muitpler , it could be simple mistake made by given him a higher KHW multipler . i have heard before
 
I would get these high bill calls every now and then while doing property management work.
I would always ask to see the bill . Half the time it was last months balance added to this months.

Those baseboard heaters with a single pole thermostat can raise the bill to. I've seen them almost all the way down in the summer. Yet you could still feel a little heat.
 
We have a customer who owns an Indian restaurant. He's always complaining about the electric bill. He's always shutting off lights and he replaced all the incandescent lamps in the dining room with CFL's.

We tried explaining to him that the lighting load is so marginal compared to the 2 refrigerated prep tables, the soda reach in, the 2 large refrigerators (that has a bad gasket and is left ajar all the time), the small refrigerator, the freezer, the walk in, and the hood fan that runs well into the night to remove the heat from the tandoor oven.
 
Tell him to turn off the HID grow lights being used for the pot plants. Not only will it save on the bill, it will keep law enforcement away. High electric utility bills get them caught everytime.:rolleyes:
 
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