Calling electrical sleuths

[Phil Pascoe]

I seem to using far too much electricity - can anyone throw some light (bad pun!) on it? In 16hrs yesterday I used 12Kwh, which with some baking I'd have thought it was enough, but not enough to worry about. Last night however, the only power consumption was a few small things - a telephone, a computer, a router, some clocks - things like that, a small aquarium with a 300w heater and a 30w filter, and a vivarium with a 40w heater. The oven was off at the isolator, the fridge/freezer switched off for the night. The gas central heating was off, as was the drier and the washing machine. The consumption - 13Kwh. in just over 9 hours Any ideas? It's baffling me.

TIA Phil

 

[KevM]

Have you got a rogue security floodlight? My neighbour's has been on 24/7 for the last couple of weeks - I told them about it and they don't seem too bothered!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

No, none.

 

[WoodMangler]

A neighbour tapping off your supply ? (I saw that done to a friend of mine years ago - when we disconnected him, he tapped into a lamp-post instead).

 

[n0legs]

I can offer up 3.33 Kwh for the aquarium equipment over 9 hrs.
The computer if used constantly may come in about 0.9 Kwh.
With the other equipment if you estimated a fat 2Kwh to cover their load only takes you up to 6.23 Kwh.
What kind of meter have you got, is it an old disc type or a more modern digital readout ?
What have you used to quote the load in your post ?
If you have one of the modern meters it may have a "blinking" LED on the front, there is usually a Kwh count for them. On mine it's 800 flashes to 1 Kwh. You can watch as the household load increases the the flashing light flashes more and more.
Turn everything off and observe the LED, it shouldn't flash/blink.
You could switch on a known load, turn everything else off, and count the flashes over an hour, this might allow you to work out if the meter is right.
You could request your electricity supplier to install a check meter alongside your meter, this used to be free, but these days if no fault is found with the meter they usually charge you for the check.

 

[bugbear]

Get one of these?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/13a-plug-in-e ... wwodD4YAbw

It measures (and display) both instantaneous power use, and total power use
over a period.

BugBear

 

[Phil Pascoe]

N0legs Thank you. The tank heater is only on intermittently and it has only to raise the temp. by 5c at the most. The fish would be dead if it stuck on. Likewise the vivarium heater - it's only 40w, but again intermittent. The meter's modern. The computer is switched off. Unfortunately I have to rely on my wife to read the meter as I have only one leg (and no prosthetic yet) so I can't estimate the speed of the flashes. I'll definitely try counting with everything off, though.
BB Thank you also. I'll probably get one of them for the smaller things, but at the moment my problem is that the items I have working overnight cannot possibly use that amount of power, even if faulty.

 

[RogerS]

Phil

That power consumption averages out at around 1.5kW per hour. So you're looking for something that is steadily consuming that and is on continuously (such as a stuck compressor maybe in a fridge or freezer) or something like an immersion heater that kicks in frequently consuming a lot more kWh but for shorter bursts.

Before you go to bed, are you able to switch off as many breakers as possible? Then in the morning see if the power has been used. If not, the next night leave one of the breakers on. Repeat the morning power check. Repeat until you have an idea which circuit is carrying that load. That should give you an idea for further investigation.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I went for one of the doofers that BB suggested, thinking that at least I can exclude certain devices. There was an offer on so I paid £16.99 for one that'll do everything except cook the breakfast. It's going to take weeks of faffing around with - the instructions are absolutely impenetrable.

 

[wizard]

It could be a duff meter we have just had a duff gas meter that used £52.00 just for the hell of it. nightmare to get the money back and a new meter.

 

[RogerS]

I went for one of the doofers that BB suggested, thinking that at least I can exclude certain devices. There was an offer on so I paid £16.99 for one that'll do everything except cook the breakfast. It's going to take weeks of faffing around with - the instructions are absolutely impenetrable.

Phil..it will be much quicker to follow the route I suggested.

 

[Shed hermit]

Hi
Have you got an induction hob? If so try switching it off at the "wall" one night and see if that makes a difference, as have heard some of the older models seem to have quite a hungry standby state! Just a thought while I munch me cornflakes!