Help with gas and electricty company

kamzee

Hi following the report on watchdog about overcharging gas companies with ft3 and metric meters i have a imperial ft3 meter and it states
Imperial calculation - if your meter measures in cubic feet.
To convert the readings on an imperial meter from imperial units to kWh's the company should do the following calculation;
(The number of units you've used) X (The metric conversion factor) X (The volume correction factor) X (The calorific value of the gas) divided by 3.6 = kWh's.
The number of kilowatt hours you calculate should match the number of kilowatt hours the energy company says you've used. If they don't, then you should query your bill with your energy supplier
Now my bill
GAS CHARGES
Period 10/12/08 to 25/03/09 (calorific value: 39.2 Vol Correction 1.022640)

Description Start End Units Price([EMAIL="kWh@p"]kWh@p[/EMAIL])

---

Standard Meter 315A 487E 172 [EMAIL="5420@3.817"]5420@3.817[/EMAIL] £206.88
+
Standing Charge 106 [EMAIL="days@11.890"]days@11.890[/EMAIL] £12.60

Your Total charges Total(£) £219.48
Discount - £5.54
£213.94
VAT at 5.00% on £213.94
Total now due £224.64

---

Electricty charges
Period 11/12/08 to 25/03/09

Description Start End Units Price([EMAIL="kWh@p"]kWh@p[/EMAIL])

---

Standard Meter 73265A 74199eE 934 [EMAIL="934@12.519"]934@12.519[/EMAIL] £116.93

Standing Charge 105 [EMAIL="days@14.000"]days@14.000[/EMAIL] £14.70
Total electricty £131.63

---

Your Total charges Total(£) Discount - £5.54
£126.03
VAT at 5.00% on £126.03
Total now due £132.33inc vat

Can some one show me how they have calculated (The number of units you've used) X (The metric conversion factor) X (The volume correction factor) X (The calorific value of the gas) divided by 3.6 = kWh's.
The number of kilowatt hours you calculate should match the number of kilowatt hours the energy company says you've used. If they don't, then you should query your bill with your energy supplier

because they do not show this calculation on my bill above or have i got it wrong? Also is my gas supplier really expensive( SCOTTISH POWER ) ???? i did do a comparision online through energy helpline.com as recomended by money saving expert they recommended British Gas web saver 2 and after reading review found that customers who did switch were not happy with the prices as they did not save money and there bill was even higher has anyone got an ideas on this topic thanks

Vestra

Just a quick note please edit out your meter number if you don't want to post personal info.

KimYeovil

Divide the kWhs by the meter units

5420 / 172 = 31.5

You are being charged for an imperial meter. If you were being charged for a metric meter, the result would be about 11.2.

Premier_2

(The number of units you've used) = 172

(The metric conversion factor) = 2.83 (that's the number you appear to have been missing)

(The volume correction factor) = 1.022640

(The calorific value of the gas) = 39.2

divided by 3.6

= kWh's.

Hence:

172 x 2.83 x 1.022640 x 39.2 / 3.6 = 5420


Regarding the cost of gas, well you have been charged 3.817p/Kwh plus a daily standing charge, plus vat (and been given a discount of £5.54 plus vat) = £224.64

If you had bought from ebico, you would have paid 3.77p per kwh (reduced to 3.675p/kwh since 30/03/2009) including VAT with no hidden extras/discounts.
So 5240kwh would have cost £204.33 (or £199.18 from 30/03/2009)

kamzee

Premier wrote: »

(The number of units you've used) = 172

(The metric conversion factor) = 2.83 (that's the number you appear to have been missing)

(The volume correction factor) = 1.022640

(The calorific value of the gas) = 39.2

divided by 3.6

= kWh's.

Hence:

172 x 2.83 x 1.022640 x 39.2 / 3.6 = 5420


Regarding the cost of gas, well you have been charged 3.817p/Kwh plus a daily standing charge, plus vat (and been given a discount of £5.54 plus vat) = £224.64

If you had bought from ebico, you would have paid 3.77p per kwh (reduced to 3.675p/kwh since 30/03/2009) including VAT with no hidden extras/discounts.
So 5240kwh would have cost £204.33 (or £199.18 from 30/03/2009)

THANKYOU PREMIER

Thats exactly the explanation i needed your a star premier by the way why have they decieded not to show the The metric conversion factor) = 2.83 that is missing on my bill??? why have they not printed this info on my bill? Thanks everyone else you too have helped and i think i will be changing my gas and bill supplier do you think it is better to get dual fuel??? also i did a comaprsion and it returned British Gas web saver 2 but i have heard that some customers did switch only to get a higher bill or do you think ebico the company you metioned ? or will it be the same if i switch i wont really get the price down even if at first that is what they appear to show on the comparision website?

Magentasue

kamzee wrote: »

do you think it is better to get dual fuel

Often it is, but not always. Check the best dual fuel tariff, then click the tabs for elec only and gas only and compare the savings.

dawn1974

Premier wrote: »

(The number of units you've used) = 172

(The metric conversion factor) = 2.83 (that's the number you appear to have been missing)

(The volume correction factor) = 1.022640

(The calorific value of the gas) = 39.2

divided by 3.6

= kWh's.

Hence:

172 x 2.83 x 1.022640 x 39.2 / 3.6 = 5420


Regarding the cost of gas, well you have been charged 3.817p/Kwh plus a daily standing charge, plus vat (and been given a discount of £5.54 plus vat) = £224.64

If you had bought from ebico, you would have paid 3.77p per kwh (reduced to 3.675p/kwh since 30/03/2009) including VAT with no hidden extras/discounts.
So 5240kwh would have cost £204.33 (or £199.18 from 30/03/2009)

Why is mine:-

Gas calculation

We measure the amount of gas you use in hcf.
We use the following calculation to translate
these into kilowatt-hours (kWh):

1 hcf of gas units used = 94

2 convert to cubic metres x 2.83

3 multiply by conversion factor x 1.02264

4 multiply by calorific value x 39.60000

5 convert this into kilowatt-hours ÷ 3.6

6 giving kilowatt-hours used = 2992

SwanJon

I assume you are questioning the calorific value (as it is in big numbers)
This is the energy content of the gas - sometimes the gas has more energy in it so you have to burn less for the same heat. This is tested at certain points on the network everyday, and an average is given for your bill.
So the value changes with time, and different parts of the country. There's something on National Grid's website with today's value
http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Data/Operational_Summary/calorificvalue.htm

dawn1974

SwanJon wrote: »

I assume you are questioning the calorific value (as it is in big numbers)
This is the energy content of the gas - sometimes the gas has more energy in it so you have to burn less for the same heat. This is tested at certain points on the network everyday, and an average is given for your bill.
So the value changes with time, and different parts of the country. There's something on National Grid's website with today's value
http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Gas/Data/Operational_Summary/calorificvalue.htm

Thanks for this information.