Is someone stealing my electric?

MK716

I've been checking my usage everyday cause its just to high. I'm all electric. I live in a 1 bedroom house maybe 600sq ft. with a basement. My daily reading have been 30 kwh a day for 1 person. I have been trying to figure it out by turning things off at the breaker. Also once every 5 days I'll have a reading of 3-4 kwh a day then 30 kwh for the next 5 days.

I'm getting 30 kwh readings and these were the only things plugged in. I already had the water heater turned off for 3 days and still got a 30 kwh reading. I'm not using any heat or ac for these readings.

30 kwh readings
48" tv
Cable box
Router
Phone charger
Tablet chager
Refrigerator
Ceiling fan
Led ceiling lights
Microwave

I then turned the refrigerator off for a day and got a 20 kwh reading, I know I need a new refrigerator if that reading of 10kwh is correct, but for 1 person I should not be using so much electricty. What is going on, is someone stealing my electric or the electric company ripping me off. Any help is appreciated on how I can get to the bottom of this. Thanks

FutureGirl

Do you not have gas? If not then your hot water will also then be electric as well so will need to take that into account.

D_M_E

30 units a day when no heating or hot water in use is certainly excessive - even your old fridge running constantly for 24 hours would only account for about 10 of these.

As it's only about 55 square meters, I assume it's some sort of flat/apartment - have you checked that the meter you are watching is actually the one supplying your power - check the serial number on the meter with the serial number on any bill you have had, the two should match.

Once you have identified the correct meter, turn everything off and see if the meter still advances and, if it does, then either the meter is faulty or, as you suspect, there could be something connected to your meter which you don't know about.

MK716

No gas, the water heater been turned off at breaker.

MK716

It's a small ranch style house, with other houses around. I will check the meter numbers. Thanks

Robin9

MK716 wrote: »

No gas, the water heater been turned off at breaker.

What do you use for hot water and showers ?

MK716

I don't know why you care how I wash myself, but since you asked. My water works fine without the water heater being on. I found out the water stays hot for 2 days and warmish for another day after the water heater is turned off. When the water gets to cold I turn the water heater back on and !!!!!! I get hot water within the hour. It's only been off for the past few days since I've been trying to figure out what the issue is, but since I only take 5 minute showers and don't accumulate alot of dirty dishes that need done daily, I'm going to leave it off and just turn it on for a few hours ever few days atleast until winter. Also your response did not help me at all. :rotfl:

CashStrapped

I think Robin was confused by the fact you said the hot water was off at the breaker, thinking you meant permanently off all the time. Some people turn off one method of heating/heating water, only to use (unknowingly) a more expensive alternative. So it was just a clarification post.

Just for further clarification. Are you on economy 7? Do you have storage heaters that charge at night (if and when you use them)? Just getting an idea of your whole set-up.

As pointed out in a previous post you need to check meter numbers on bills and match them to the meter.

Then do a meter test by putting everything on for a short time while you double check the meter and see if it is whizzing round (or counting quickly if digital).

Then turn everything off on your breaker master switch and see if the meter records any use (it should not). Do this around dinner time when other flats are likely to be occupied to see if you have any unidentified/suspicious use.

So, first identify you are checking the correct meter, then we can problem solve usage from there.

Robin9

MK716 - I did not wish to offend or intrude in how you live.

Like the other posters we are trying to get a complete picture of your electrical use. Water and space heating are the highest consumers of electricity - everything else is insignificant.

I support Cashtrapped post - good first steps are to check meter details and prove its the right meter.

teddysmum

We have similar to the above list (except for tablet charger), but do have a laptop (so using more power), which runs for most of the day, an electric cooker, fish tank, washing machine,plus a tall freezer and occasionally used tumble drier in the garage . We average 7kwh per day for a three bedroomed semi with two occupants (I'm home all day).


Even when our gas boiler broke and we had to heat water in the kettle for baths etc , with an oil-filled radiator to back up the gas fire, we only went up to 9 or 10.

MK716

I checked the number on the meter and it's the same as the bill. I just talked to the electric company and the readings that they are giving me online are completely off to what they have, for example on 5/10 my online reading was 43.19 but the actual reading was 12.22 everyone of the online readings were off between 2-30 kwh. The person I talked to over a week ago at the electric company told me the online readings were correct, which was a lie. So I'm just going to check the reading on the box everyday for the next month and write down my actual readings. Some of my real reading the lady gave me seem accurate but there are a few that don't, most were between 6-10 but there were a few 11-20 which can't be right. Yesterday my reading was about 7 kwh and just about everything was off except a tv and fan. I'm gonna keep a eye on it and will update. It's not as bad as I though it was, but still high for 1 person. Thanks for your help.