Electricity useage really high?

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

teachergirl wrote: »

I wonder if anyone else has ever had one fitted and if there was a fault.

Hi teachergirl

In my experience very few meters turn out to be faulty following the installation of a check meter. I think it is something like 2 - 3 per cent!

Faulty meters tend to stop working altogether or gradually begin to slow down.

Time switches on two rate Economy 7 meters can occasionally stick causing all the usage to record on one rate only.

These type of instances tend to be obvious so the meter is just replaced without the need for a check meter.

This is why I always encourage customers to go through all possible reasons for high usage before having a check meter fitted. Shelling out 93 quid only to be told there is nothing wrong is no joke.

However, meters are working devices and can develop faults so I am not saying there are never any problems as the 2 -3 per cent can testify.

Hope this helps.

Malc

teachergirl

Yes thank you it does, at least I know what the chances are. I will discuss it with hubby but i do think we are going to go for it anyway..we might just be in the 2-3 %. I will let you know.
By the way and this is very random..I changed my internet provider yesterday and now I can't insert the smilies...if I click on them i get text instead does anyone know why?

Joyful

Can I suggest you get a monitor ( such as an Owl or Realtime) which attaches to the cable on your meter. You can then go around the house switching appliances off one at a time and see how much the consumption falls. Alternatively add one appliance at a time. This way you may track down the culprit.

I have started advising Customers to go down this route before paying a lot of money for a meter check (I work for BG). You can also sell it on after you get your consumption down very MSE!

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

dinkydoo2256 wrote: »

just found out that the control for my water heater was not working for off peak and would only heat on boost. Kindest Regards
DinkyDoo

Hi DinkyDoo

Electric immersion heating is expensive particularly when used outside the off peak times. :eek:

Do you mean the boost facility on your meter or are you referring to a control which works independently of the meter?

Certain meters have a boost button which give an hours electricity whenever it is activated.

It depends on the time it is activated as to the rates you will be charged. If it is on during off peak times the usage will be recorded at the lower rate.

Alternatively, if it is activated outside the off peak times the usage will record at the higher rates.

Hope this helps.

Malc

espresso

teachergirl wrote: »

Yes thank you it does, at least I know what the chances are. I will discuss it with hubby but i do think we are going to go for it anyway..we might just be in the 2-3 %. I will let you know.
By the way and this is very random..I changed my internet provider yesterday and now I can't insert the smilies...if I click on them i get text instead does anyone know why?

I would suggest that you do not pay for a test meter until you have done everything that you can for yourself. e.g. switch everything off and check the meter. Then use an appliance of known wattage i.e. a 1kW electric heater or a standard 3kW immersion heater. If the tank is cold, a 3kW heater should register one unit on your meter after approximately 20 minutes. It should be very obvious if the meter is reading incorrectly. Do you have a digital or dial meter? Digital meters usually only register full units i.e. no tenths.

Changing your ISP should have no effect on posting smilies

teachergirl

HI there expresso thank you for this. it is at least a different tack to try. We don't actually have any electric heaters to use though. Is there anything else that would work? We have got one of this plug in meters and nothing is registering very high on it at all. Even the lawn mower and the hedge trimmers were less than a KW for an hour...in fact much less. We don't have a digital meter. Actually just remembered we do have an immersion heater in the airing cupboard but we don't use it..how would I know what wattage it is?
Worked out the ISP thing too only cos I had to call in a local firm to sort out my router...they are great and sort all sorts of other things too...it was to do with google chrome.

espresso

teachergirl wrote: »

HI there expresso thank you for this. it is at least a different tack to try. We don't actually have any electric heaters to use though. Is there anything else that would work? We have got one of this plug in meters and nothing is registering very high on it at all. Even the lawn mower and the hedge trimmers were less than a KW for an hour...in fact much less. We don't have a digital meter. Actually just remembered we do have an immersion heater in the airing cupboard but we don't use it..how would I know what wattage it is?
Worked out the ISP thing too only cos I had to call in a local firm to sort out my router...they are great and sort all sorts of other things too...it was to do with google chrome.

Try doing your own meter test by switching everything in the property off and note the meter reading, then switch on only your immersion heater and check the meter again after a period of time. Most standard immersion heaters are rated at approx 3kW, so with a cold tank so that the thermostat does not trip, it should register one unit (1kWh) on your meter after approx 20 minutes. Worth trying anyway, the rating of the immersion should be displayed near to where the cable is attached.

Pont

Just to add to previous posters - we average 12kwh per day.
3 person (2 teenagers)
3 bedroomed semi
3 TVs (1 large)
Large American Fridge/Freezer
Washing machine every day
Electric piano
3 X laptops
Numerous phones/ipods etc charging
Lights (regular and spots) left on (kids!)
Have to agree with others - your useage seems excessively high.

Pont

Just a thought - do you have neighbours with similar sized house/number of people etc? If so it might be worth asking what their consumption is.

teachergirl

Some more good thoughts. I may have to wait until everyone is out before I can turn everything off so it will have to wait until Wednesday but I will certainly give it a try or maybe even when my DD goes horseriding this afternoon. and Thank you to Pont too. My immediate neighbours both have the same size houses but no children living at home but there is a lady around the corner I could try. I just wish it could all be blamed on the iron...it would be a great excuse:rotfl: