Excess electricity consumption?

Redcarzone

We live in a 3 bedroom detached house, two adults one working full time Monday to Friday the other on a 6 weeks on 6 weeks off rotation.
Our consumption seems to be on average around 600 kWh per month making around 7200 kWh per year which seems rather a lot when we compare to other similar or larger families in similar properties.
Our hot water and central heating is by oil so doesn't impact on our electricity usage.
Earlier this year we had a new meter fitted as we were concerned by our level of consumption but we haven't noticed any change in our rate of consumption.
We've recently purchased a plug in power monitor to try to pin down where the power is going but so far none of the appliances tested have given any clues.
We were away this weekend and the meter clocked up 48kWh over the 3 days the house was empty!!
HELP!!!!!

spiro

48kwh over 3 days multiplied up to yearly equates to the national average consumption.

I know you say hot water is by oil but do you have an immersion heater?

If you can I would try and read the meter several times a day to see when the power is being used most.

Was the last month a '6 weeks off' period?

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

16 kWh per day when the house is empty means something is very wrong.

To use that sort of power it must be some form of heating. A fridge/freezer even if faulty wouldn't account for that sort of consumption.

The most likely culprit is an immersion heater switched on without you realizing - but even that wouldn't account for 16kWh if no hot water was being used.

james2012_2

When I am away and my house is empty I use about 3kWh a day, most of it used by my sky+ box (left on to record stuff) then freezer then fridge.

Everything else is unplugged..

Redcarzone

spiro wrote: »

48kwh over 3 days multiplied up to yearly equates to the national average consumption.

I know you say hot water is by oil but do you have an immersion heater?

If you can I would try and read the meter several times a day to see when the power is being used most.

Was the last month a '6 weeks off' period?

Yes we do have an immersion heater which is switched off and un-plugged
Yes I have been off over the last month but haven't been using any heavy consumers.
Over the weekend the only appliances in use were the fridge and freezer, which when checked used 0.25 and 0.85 kWh per day 3.3kWh for the 3 days we were away.
It's got me baffled!!

penrhyn

Immersion heaters are normally hard wired, not plugged in.
What happens if you turn all your circuits off at the consumer unit, is the meter still registering?
Then turn on each circuit at a time to isolate the problem.

Also check the loft for horticulture!!

Redcarzone

Just been outside and checked the meter, 21 kWh in 24 hours:eek:

Cardew

500 watt floodlights?

Heaters in greenhouse?

It should be very easy to identify the 'culprit' by isolating each circuit on the consumer unit.

Redcarzone

Cardew wrote: »

500 watt floodlights?

Heaters in greenhouse?

It should be very easy to identify the 'culprit' by isolating each circuit on the consumer unit.

No and No

Yes that's my next move

Redcarzone

Checked meter at 9am and it's used 4.5 kWh in 12 hours so I've switched off the house and left the garage on, I'll leave it off for 3 hours and see if it's moved, don't want to leave it off too long as the freezers off.
I'm off out now so I'll see what it is at 12 and put up another post then.

spiro

Redcarzone wrote: »

Checked meter at 9am and it's used 4.5 kWh in 12 hours so I've switched off the house and left the garage on, I'll leave it off for 3 hours and see if it's moved, don't want to leave it off too long as the freezers off.
I'm off out now so I'll see what it is at 12 and put up another post then.

If you dont open it the freezer will be OK for hours (6-12 or more).