Usage I can't explain!

MikeR71

I have an electricity monitor which most of the time seems to reflect my usage adequately. I have tested it and it seems to go up and down as I switch power on and off. So far so good.
Recently I have noticed that around 7am, there is a surge in usuage eventhough most things in the house are turned off (around 2.9 kw) I have looked everywhere around the house and can't find anything that can cause this. Even more inexplicably, an hour or so later it drops down to a reasonable level (0.2 kw).

I can't help thinking there is something dodgy going on. I am being charged for electricity I don't use. Has anyone else noticed this? Can the electric company increase my meter running from their end? I am with Npower.

Cardew

2.9kW is serious power.

Have you checked your electricity meter also speeds up at the same time?

Immersion heater on a timer?

Oven/ring on a timer.

Any other heating devices that could be on a timer - heated towel rail?

There was another similar thread about the same issue.

Norman_Castle

To use over 2kw it would be electric heating, water heating, shower, kettle or washing machine while heating water. If you have an electric immersion hot water tank it may be heating water you have just used.

MikeR71

Ok, thanks. I will try turning the boiler off tomorrow and see whether it's the cause. But the boiler is on other times of the day for heating and it doesn't produce anything as high as that.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

have you just noticed this since the clocks changed at the weekend?

Maybe it was happening before at 6am.

It sounds to me like an immersion heater set to come on for an hour.

Are you on economy 7?

MikeR71

No, I am on economy 8. It works out cheaper for me.
I have only noticed it since yesterday, but then agaon I have only had the monitor for a month or so.

I will turn all heating off tomorrow and see. If it were an immersion heater, I'd know about it as I'd need to set it up to come on at that time surely.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

never heard of economy 8, there's 7 and10, anyway still think that it is an immersion heater that has been set to catch the last hour of the cheap rate electricity, which with clock change, will now be 7/8.

How do you heat the water, have a look at hot water tank, is there a timer near it?

stewie_griffin

[Deleted User] wrote:

Hi,

never heard of economy 8, there's 7 and10,

I think Economy 8 is only available in Scotland. Economy 18 also exists in some parts of the country.

MikeR71

Yes, that's the one. It was Sign Online 18, that I am on.

Frugal, I think you maybe right. I will need to check. Thanks.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

I see that Sign Online 18 is a dual fuel tariff, so I would suspect that your water is heated by your gas, so hits my economy 7 theory on the head, unless, of course, you also have an immersion heater set to come on at 7.

MikeR71

Yes, I checked last night when I got home and there is an immersion timer in the cupboard in the bathroom. I have lived there for two years and just noticed this which is amazingly lazy on my part. Think of the money I could have saved

I re-set the time last night so it should be more economical now. I also need to find out what an immersion heater does and whether I need it!!!

Thanks for all your help guys.