Suspected energy theft

Mr.Generous

Alnat1 said:

Is there a wired in smoke alarm that could be using a few watts?

Always been on a lighting circuit when I've seen them.

On the electrical inspection report there might be some information. The electrician would get stragne readings if unable to isolate the item draining that circuit. Have a look behind all the kitchen plinths for anything electrical.

Also I've just remembered something, wasn't there a type of damp proofing sollution installed once that ran a small current through the walls? Electro-osmosis or something?

chris_n

You can't use a CT to measure power consumption accurately without also being connected to the mains. Switch mode power supplies cause ripples / harmonics on the supply due to rapid switching. Unless this is compared with the actual supply with a physical connection the ripples can be counted numerous times. This effect is damped when heavier loads are connected. My UK house with a similar system shows about 130W continuously (my daughter lives there and has all sorts of Alexa/chargers etc) but the actual meter only records about 30W.

Gerry1

A Current Transformer can be useful for spotting unnecessary consumption, but it's not particularly accurate for power measurements because the voltage will be assumed to be 230V or 240V but it can legally vary from 216.2V to 253V.  The power could be 37% higher at the upper limit compared to the lower.

Grumpy_chap

As for the thread title "suspected energy theft", no one will steal 50w continuous load.  It simply is not worth it.

It would seem essential for the OP to work out how to access this sump pump. 

 In the immediate term, this will allow the OP to isolate the same to determine that as the power draw, or confirm the need for a further search.

In the longer term, the OP needs to know so that appropriate maintenance can be undertaken if the sump pump fails.

What happens if the pump fails?

Chrysalis

No idea where you stand legally, but morally if its not being declared to you its off.

In my old bedsit, LL had his own meter for communal area stuff.

In my existing property when LL fitted security lights, he tried to get a meter added for it, but when it was too hard, he started rebating the tenant in the flat who's meter he used.

mmmmikey

Chrysalis said:

No idea where you stand legally, but morally if its not being declared to you its off.

In my old bedsit, LL had his own meter for communal area stuff.

In my existing property when LL fitted security lights, he tried to get a meter added for it, but when it was too hard, he started rebating the tenant in the flat who's meter he used.

You're describing shared resources in communal areas, which doesn't sound like the case here and puts a different slant on things.

From a legal perspective, I suspect that describing this as electricity theft puts it into the "laughed out of court" bracket, and to be blunt l suspect that probably applies to the court of public opinion too.

Having said that, understanding where the 50W is being used sounds like a worthwhile exercise - if indeed that is the case. I'd suggest the first thing to do is to eliminate any errors associated with the measuring device to make sure there really is 50W being used.

Is there an option here to get a smart meter fitted and use the IHD, which for practical purposes pretty much guarantees accuracy as long as the IHD connects to the meter?

Chrysalis

I agree on the rational steps to take here, I dont think I would even attempt to take it to court either, assuming this is your typical AST type tenancy.

doodling

Hi,

As the OP hasn't yet checked with a properly calibrated meter (e.g. his electricity meter) then we have no idea how much power is actually being drawn.

That would be the first step.

Once the actual amount of power is known then the OP can then decide whether it is worth investigating and they might perhaps have an idea of what it is from the amount of power drawn..

EssexHebridean

gurudave said:

matt_drummer said:

What would happen to your flat without the sump pump?

It's of no benefit to you?

That's not the point though. If I'm responsible for paying for it then it should be mentioned in the contract, I think.

Does your tenancy contract make specific mention of paying for the electricity used to operate the central heating boiler? I think you may be overestimating the specificity of what is required by the contract, particularly as this is a (relatively) low cost “appliance”.

matelodave

to get back to basics - if you are measuring something but you don't know what and you dont know whether you are measuring accurately, then you do really need to investigate it properly before making assumptions and accusing someone of theft - which is the title of this thread.