187% increase in gas usage

zeupater

DAKOTA45 wrote: »

Thanks Z!

Here are the readings for the last 24 hours… very consistent, using about 10kWh for the first 12 hour period and about 5kWh in the evening/overnight.

0800 14266 (yesterday)
1000 14267
1200 14268
1400 14270
1600 14273
1800 14274
2000 14275

0800 14280 (today)

Hi

Similar to yesterday then, around 3kWh used around lunchtime (starting just before 14:00) ... baseline usage for the whole day was ~100W higher, but if it was as dull there as it was here that could easily be explained by a 100W filament bulb being left on all day ... there isn't a difference between morning & evening usage, do did you have the TV on in the evening the day before, but not yesterday ??

At the moment, it looks like you are consuming around 9.6kWh (0.400x24) as a baseline and this is pretty constant, day & night. This is not ridiculously high but, unless there's something unusual, much higher than what you have mentioned would suggest, which raised the possibility of some kind of 'parasitic load' such as a freezer running constantly (failed seal or refrigerant depleted), or power being used elsewhere.

So far, it looks like there's nothing which would explain a £2000/year bill, but would support around £1000/year. I remember mention of a bill in October(?) and the latest one but in checking I've just looked back at the thread and noticed that a number of posts concerning billing dates etc. have been deleted - are you sure that the latest bill is for a quarter, not a longer period ?? ....

As you've already performed a basic test of the meter accuracy using the immersion heater for 20 minutes then it's reasonable to expect the meter to be working correctly, so looking at a meter test as being the solution will likely just be a waste of money .... the meter reading a low draw even when your consumer units are off could suggest a wiring issue between the outbuildings which an electrician could help trace, but it would be even easier (and cheaper) to simply mention to the neighbours that you're trying to trace down your high usage and that one possibility is wiring issues ... they might be able to help.

HTH
Z

jamesd

DAKOTA45 wrote: »

Good point… yes, the heating is on all the time. There are two pumps that I know of… and a fan on the oven, but that doesn't get used very much...

One thing you might consider doing if the central heating pumps run all the time is turning it on and off, perhaps with a timer to do it automatically every half an hour. Then the pumps will move hot water around the system for half an hour, leaving it to cool with no pumping for the next half, then pumping warm water around again. This would also cause the burner to be running for only the on times. This might not be on enough for the whole of a winter, so you might need to adjust it then, but it should be fine for most of the year.

It's one of the things I do to some extend with my own gas heating. If there's a clock on the beater that is being cycled on and off that would be messed up. You could work around that by arranging for perfectly uniform half on half off timing then a daily timer would become a two day timer.

Bit more hassle if you have the same heating system providing hot water without a tank, then you might need to time some things for when the heating is fully on.

The potential saving is the cost of running the pumps for half of each day or so.

jamesd

I agree with zeupater about the base load looking a bit high. Something to track down inside your home, the sort of thing that the plug-in type of meter can help with. 400 W (0.4kW) is quite high for a continuous average load. Each 100W of that is costing you around £140 a year (at 16p per kW hour unit) so it's well worth tracking down where it's going.

Still no sign of anything that would explain the huge bills and usage you've seen in the older bills. Just routine stuff so far.

System

I cannot believe that this thread which was originally about gas usage is still going. The current poster refuses to say whether any action has been taken to switch to E.oN's lowest fixed tariff. All that is happening now is that posters are repeating what has been said many times before. Time to move on perhaps?

macman

The reason it's gone on so long is that all the relevant info has had to be prised out of the OP in dribs and drabs. Tariff, annual usage, dog heater hours, water pump, etc. We don't even know for sure the actual amount on the bills before the current quarter, or whether there are other high drain electrical items running that the OP has neglected to mention.
My understanding is that the OP remains on Standard Variable because she 'doesn't trust E.on'.

geoffken

Not sure if she is willing to say where she lives and /or if she would be willing to have a friendly MSE electrician check out the wiring etc or whether she continues to monitor electric on a 2 hourly basis for ever.
Until she/we KNOW if there are any rogue supplies then we/she are peeing in the wind.
IF there is no rogue supplies then she can continue to read every 2 hours and be happy that she is doing all she can.
I m sure that she could get an electrician out for £50 and then she will know for certain.
She also needs to change tariff today if not already done so.
If no credible action on these 2 points then as they say "I'm out"
Currently (sorry for pun) she is wasting approx £5 per week at least

macman

Based on a £2K annual spend, she's wasting more like £30 a week, assuming that consumption can be reduced to a quarter of the current level (approx to UK average usage).

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

DAKOTA45 wrote: »

Thanks, Malc… but what about the Warm Home Discount that I am eligible for and which I applied for and that E.on says there is no record of… do I just have to accept that I could go on for years without ever getting my discount because E.on can't find my application form?
Whenever you go to apply, it state online that the scheme is 'closed' and that you must register your interest on the form and you will be contacted in due course… but nothing ever comes of it...:mad:

Morning Dakota

Just thought I'd confirm some of the stuff I posted about Warm Home Discount earlier (post number 14). The 2014/15 scheme closed on 21 November 14. If you haven't received confirmation from us that your application has been successful then I suspect you won't be receiving a payment this time round.

As in my earlier post, only customers in the Core Group as identified by the Government are guaranteed the payment. These customers don't need to do anything. They'll receive confirmation from the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP). The DWP will let us know as well and payments will automatically be credited to accounts.

If you haven't received a letter from the DWP then it looks like you've applied under the Broader Group. We've a restricted quota for this group and applications are dealt with on a first come first served basis. As a result, even though customers might meet the necessary conditions, they'll not receive the payment once the limit has been reached.

Applications for the Broader Group need to be done every year. Even though it looks like you've been unsuccessful this time, you may not be next time around. You can register your interest now through our website. We'll write to you by the end of June 15 with details.

Hope this helps clear things up regarding Warm Home Discount Dakota.

Malc

geoffken

Dakota
Have you rung any electricians for a quote to check your wiring yet or even switched tariffs!!!!?????

geoffken

Come on dakota45.
Where are you?.
A lot of posts seem to have disappeared.
Were you the biggest troll recently or have you got an electrician or changed tariffs as suggested!!!???