Is my electricity usage high?

LarryR

So I have just had a smart meter installed by EDF, it took a week of 'waiting for current data' before it burst into life and now I'm not sure if what it is telling me is right?!?
It is telling me 'Weekly budget exceeded' even though I don't remember setting a weekly budget?!? It says 'Used so far this week: 347kWh' which does seem very high.
The display on the front of my smart meter, when I lock it on electricity, shows me a price which seems to fluctuate depending on how much electricity I'm using that moment - when I'm using very little, say, 500W, then it says something like 'Cost per hour £0.05', other times, like right now, it says 6.22kW and 'Cost per hour £0.98', then a moment later it says 4.17kW and 'Cost now per hour £0.67'. So it fluctuates a lot - in use and price?!? Is that normal?? (Now it is 6.28kW and £1.00 per hour)
When everyone is out the house tomorrow, I will turn all the lights off, all the computers off and see what it shows, but even so, does it seem high or normal, what I'm currently seeing? 
We're a family of 4 in a 5 bedroom detached house in North London.
Thanks

Neil_Jones

Do you have gas to the property or are you all electric?

rp1974

If thats normal then your using around 1388 units per month as your previous bills etc should show.
What were your readings,usage figures prior to the smart meter being fitted?.
If your usage hasn't changed then all the smart meter is showing is the cost at that instant in time,does seem high to me as I'm in a 2 bedroom mid terrace western Scotland using around 2400 units of electricity a year.

[Deleted User]

The IHD has set within it a budget that you can change. I confess that I have just ignored it.

What you are seeing on the IHD is instantaneous usage. For example, the oven is on (3kWs) and you turn the kettle on (3kWs) so the IHD shows 6kWs and the IHD shows a cost based on 6kWhs/hour. The IHD cannot predict how long you will leave the oven or kettle on. The kWh figure (and projected cost) will fluctuate as and when electrical appliances are turned on and off. The total cost will be accurate provided EDF has set the correct tariff in your smart meter. Mine is 3 tariffs out! 

In sum, what you are seeing is entirely normal. Your usage is high but before you start blaming your new meter, I would look back to your actual usage over the past 12 months. This will enable you to calculate an average kWhs/week. 

LarryR

Thanks for the quick replies.

Neil_Jones said:

Do you have gas to the property or are you all electric?

Yes, I have electric in the property which is used for hot water and gas central heating.

rp1974 said:

If thats normal then your using around 1388 units per month as your previous bills etc should show.
What were your readings,usage figures prior to the smart meter being fitted?.
If your usage hasn't changed then all the smart meter is showing is the cost at that instant in time,does seem high to me as I'm in a 2 bedroom mid terrace western Scotland using around 2400 units of electricity a year.

I probably haven't taken a proper reading for a year, so not sure what to compare to. Plus, I think I may be on economy 7, so always had to numbers to report on the old meter.

Talldave

Why are you using electricity for hot water when you have a gas boiler? That's insane. 

Leave the IHD in watts, that shows your actual consumption and is the figure to worry about. 

rp1974

Is that meaning that you have been paying estimated bills for the past year then?.
Compare it to the last full month,full years figures you do have,if any.
Failing that some comparison sites will provide you with average usage figures for your type/size of house.
Obviously I've no knowledge of how things are set up,with a gas supply heating,hot water and cooking would be best using gas,then no need of Economy 7,if you have it at present or not.

Gerry1

LarryR said:

Yes, I have electricity in the property which is used for hot water and gas central heating.

I probably haven't taken a proper reading for a year, so not sure what to compare to. Plus, I think I may be on economy 7, so always had to numbers to report on the old meter.

Oh dear, three classic mistakes !

• Pointless to use electricity for water heating when you have gas.  Look at the kWh rates, probably 4 - 6 times the rate for gas.  Make sure you're not using an instantaneous electric shower.
  

• As you haven't taken any readings, Bill Shock may be coming down the tracks.  Check that future readings haven't been estimated, don't rely on your smart meter being smart, especially if you switch suppliers.
• Find out which tariff you are on.  As you have gas, E7 probably won't be the cheapest.  You don't have to change the meter to switch to single rate, many suppliers will just charge the same rate for both registers (but not Bulb).
  

Robin9

@LarryR Please don't confuse the In House Display (IHD) which sits in your kitchen with the Smart meter itself which is in your garage or an outdoor meter box. The IHD is capable of providing a host of info which it looks you are finding confusing.

Read your meters as soon as you can  - and compare them with the sticker that's on your new meters.  Electric is easy you just take i=one figure from another; gas is less so and you need to multiply my 11.2 to get kWh.

And heat your water by gas all the time - use electric only in an emergency.

LarryR

My mistake - my hot water is run by gas, with the heating. Phew!

rp1974

LarryR said:

My mistake - my hot water is run by gas, with the heating. Phew!

Wouldn't be celebrating just yet,your cooking is electric powered yes?.
As your heating and hot water are both gas fuelled then to answer your original question,yes on balance your electricity consumption seems extraordinarily high,if nothing other than the meter has changed then you were probably always using the amount that you are.
Only difference is your fancy gadget has alerted you to it,next task is to find out what,when it is being used and reduce it as it appears excessively high