Help understanding excessive electricity usage

1moneyspendingexpert1

Gerry1 said:

Follow the thin wire from the Ampy meter.  It should go to a timeswitch which is probably stuck.

Thanks Gerry I'll check that out!

1moneyspendingexpert1

To Scot - 

Very informative, thanks.

It won't let me quote your message to reply to you as I'm a Newbie and it contains a link.

I'm currently at work but will try to get this later when I am home.

Thanks

markin

1moneyspendingexpert1 said:

Veteransaver said:

Do you only use electric for heating and hot water?
If so then your electric use will be very high in winter.
Do you have gas?

Hello, only using electricity as mentioned in the first line.

Even in the Summer months, we are using 500-600 kwh - which still seems excessive. I know every home is different, but comparing my usage to colleagues and friends who have bigger families in bigger houses, they are using between 200-350 kwh right now in the winter.

In the summer that 200 more would be around 6-7 kwh for the hot water.

The price and tariff name should be easy to find online.

1moneyspendingexpert1

MWT said:

1moneyspendingexpert1 said:

It is worth noting that only the day reading (2) works on my meter. The figure of the night reading (1) has never gone up since we moved here over 3 years ago.

Can you post a photo of your electricity meter or at least describe it for us..?

As it is an older E7 meter, is there a mechanical clock nearby that looks something like this...

If so is it set to the correct time, or has it got stuck?

Hello, I am home now. Here is my timer. There is a small second dial just above the main clock that is still moving/rotating, however the main clock appears to be stuck and not moving from the 9pm time shown.

1moneyspendingexpert1

1moneyspendingexpert1 said:

Gerry1 said:

Follow the thin wire from the Ampy meter.  It should go to a timeswitch which is probably stuck.

Thanks Gerry I'll check that out!

Hello, I am home now. Here is my timer. There is a small second dial just above the main clock that is still moving/rotating, however the main clock appears to be stuck and not moving from the 9pm time shown.

1moneyspendingexpert1

Scot_39 said:

And again re fire vs central air - do you have a model type.

Only ever came across personally in US rentals - and some were hybrid heat from gas, cool by electric , others all electric  and company picked up bills.

But houses in a local estate had non storage electric versions very expensive to run cf gas at the time - so many owners fitted conventional GCH.

Some actually contain a heat store.

So in theory chargeable at least part of the time at c16p - vs you drawing power at c28p SR or your quoted day / peak c37p.

Hi Scot,

The meter 'type' is 5235D-N

Thanks

QrizB

1moneyspendingexpert1 said:

Hello, I am home now. Here is my timer. There is a small second dial just above the main clock that is still moving/rotating, however the main clock appears to be stuck and not moving from the 9pm time shown.

That definitely sounds like a stuck time switch.

You might want to report it to Octopus.

I know you said in an earlier post that you can't have a smart meter. Do you know why that is, specifically? I would expect them to be able to replace a bog-standard meter-and-timeswitch like yours with a smart meter without any issues whatsoever.

1moneyspendingexpert1

QrizB said:

1moneyspendingexpert1 said:

Hello, I am home now. Here is my timer. There is a small second dial just above the main clock that is still moving/rotating, however the main clock appears to be stuck and not moving from the 9pm time shown.

That definitely sounds like a stuck time switch.

You might want to report it to Octopus.

I know you said in an earlier post that you can't have a smart meter. Do you know why that is, specifically? I would expect them to be able to replace a bog-standard meter-and-timeswitch like yours with a smart meter without any issues whatsoever.

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

At the time it was with Bulb, before taken over by Octopus. This was at least 1 year ago. They said it was something to do with the fact my meter had a blue wire coming from it - which meant it was not compatible to be turned into a smart meter. Now that time has passed this may have changed, however after doing the appointment checker on their website they apparently have no bookings available in my area for the foreseeable future.

WBCPB

I might be wrong but it sounds as though the OP requested a smart meter over a year ago from Bulb and not a request to Octopus?

Gerry1

Get some evidence that it's stuck to support a claim for overcharging, otherwise a quick thump from an inspector's fist might unjam it — and then you'd have no evidence !

A few short videos would prove the indicated time isn't changing.  A good timestamp would be to include a DAB radio showing the time and date and tuned to a news broadcast (e.g. Radio 4) announcing the time and date followed by the headlines.

Also keep copies of all previous bills in case they are cancelled and reissued.