jeffgause said:I have a customer who has very high electric bills.The city has done an audit and did not fine anything. The meter also was checked. What can I check? What could it be?
augie47 said:The first two things I would check, if they are present, would be the water heater and the HVAC system. It's been rare, bu I have seen water heater elements "leak" to ground (water) and pull current when not needed to heat water. Even more rare, I have seen HVAC units trying to heat & cool at the same time.
Over the years the most common factor I've seen is the "human element".
stickboy1375 said:If they have a well, look for that pump running continuously, Check their electric bill from last year same month, note the temperature and such... life style changes, home all the time now? etc, etc, etc... I find it rare that a problem really exists, other than cost of electricity and HO's lifestyle has changed.
gar said:080802-2012 EST
Dennis:
How does one element of a hot water heater not working cause the required energy to heat the water increase?
If you supply half the power input to heat water, then it takes twice as long to raise the temperature 1 degree. It takes the same total energy in both cases, therefore the same cost if all energy comes from the same meter.
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stickboy1375 said:If they have a well, look for that pump running continuously...
This is incorrect. If this was true the standard heater would only have one element. Even know the elements are not energized at the same time, the are both required to be more effecient.gar said:080802-2012 EST
Dennis:
How does one element of a hot water heater not working cause the required energy to heat the water increase?
If you supply half the power input to heat water, then it takes twice as long to raise the temperature 1 degree. It takes the same total energy in both cases, therefore the same cost if all energy comes from the same meter.
.
George Stolz said:That was the last one I saw. The pressure switch was set below what the pump could produce. They had a well pump running continuously for over two years, before they finally decided they needed to figure out why they were paying $500 electric bills.![]()
George Stolz said:Me too. I was not impressed when the pump company only comp'ed the pump, and not the labor to get it installed. I had recommended the customer go for the throat, I thought it was a pretty horrible mistake on the pump installer's part.
They apparently didn't verify the pump shut off. :roll:
stickboy1375 said:I find it rare that a problem really exists, other than cost of electricity and HO's lifestyle has changed.