Scottish Power bill high (not first post about this)

WiserMiser

The highest washing machine kW load  will be the heater.  The manual is likely to show you the kWh usage of various programs.

dekaspace1

vic_sf49 said:

dekaspace1 said:

Sorry for long delay, dog was terrified for a few days due to fireworks then I was away for over a week.

Have some photos on phone which is charging so will either edit this post later or have a new post.

Noticed when I was away it was using a solid £1.10 or £1.11 a day, I took readings from most of this week and a few days the week I was away (but forgot to take some so there's a few days gap, but they match the £1.10 readings.

This week what was confusing was I returned on Monday lunchtime turned PC on quite quickly and went to bed around 11pm left house around 7am got back 6pm but the usage was near identical for those 2 days despite the Tuesday not having a PC on until about 7pm and I went to bed around 11.30pm.

I do have an external light that comes on via sensor, I had to adjust it as it was coming on all the time for about a week, but that was installed in March and as it was lighter then I switched it off and only put it back on about a month ago.

Usage stats 913.330 on Tuesday PM 945.563 now

£1.16th 2.50 kWh 10th £1.15 2.48 kWh 11th £1.14 2.45 kWh 12th £1.10 2.30 kWh 15th £1.11 234 kWh 16th £1.88 4.91 kWh 17th £1.84 5.12 kWh 18th

This

 This does not seem like excessive usage.

You seem focused on the computer as being the culprit, but have you looked at everything else? Have you looked at your background usage at night, with most things switched off?

Some figures from my house, as an example.... 

My fridge freezer uses about 1kwh in a 24 hour period. (Data from Tapo plug.) 

I had my gas central heating on more of late, which accounts for increased electric usage from the combi boiler.

My background usage at night, when the fridge hasn't kicked in, is about 65w (boiler switched on but not heating, cctv x3, router, fridge freezer idling, various smart plugs, 2 x tvs on standby). 

(Apologies if I've got my watts and kWh mixed up.) 

I did notice for the 3 days (first time I used heating this year) last week with heating I used about 20p more, I had heating on for a few hours, I rarely use it.

I have 1 tv on standby, my fridge and freezer, the day I checked it at night when fridge kicked in usage went up about 30 or 40w then when the compressor or whatever it's called went off it my usage was around 90w

The computer from just looking at the IHD can use about 100w idle and about 200w when gaming but I mostly just browse the internet or stream on it.

dekaspace1

Ok after giving my current reading the website is saying £93 a month which is still a little higher than I use, but now says I am £118 in credit!

Looking at my readings from the IHD which give me weekly usage, apart from the week I was away I am using £15 (or there about) on average i.e some weeks is about £14.80, some about £16, and one week at £17.48 but most seem to just under £15.

Which if I go by £18 per week should be £81 a month (I haven't calculated that, just guessing)

£93 is tolerable, £81 is more understandable even if still seems a little high at least it's far lower than £125

Here's a picture of my meter cupboard but the trip switches aren't shown as I didn't lift the covers)

There is also a double socket in the meter cupboard above the trip switches and one is taped off and other works.

Robin9

£118 in credit is too be expected at this time of year as you use more heating - indeed £118 may be considered a little low

dekaspace1

Robin9 said:

£118 in credit is too be expected at this time of year as you use more heating - indeed £118 may be considered a little low

I have gas heating with a different supplier, I am electric with Scottish Power.

Robin9

Your electricity use goes up in the winter months -  has heating needs a pump, we switch the lights on by tea time and when we get up for breakfast, we are generally in more. .......

Your costs really are quite typical , as is your DD

dekaspace1

Robin9 said:

Your electricity use goes up in the winter months -  has heating needs a pump, we switch the lights on by tea time and when we get up for breakfast, we are generally in more. .......

Your costs really are quite typical , as is your DD

Well, I have somewhat come to terms with it, but will say what I said earlier.

I rarely have heating on, maybe 7 days max a year this year was a 2 maybe 3 hours a day for 3 days after I came back from holiday. Put it this way my neighbours have heating on very high, flat currently 22c and I had to open 2 windows to stop myself feeling sickly.

The days I did have the heating on the usage was around 20 or 30p more than other similar days.

I also only use washing machine once a week and since this have lowered the speed it spins at to 800 rather than 1000 or 1200 but that didn't seem to do any difference to the cost, in fact when I did a 18 minute quick wash it still used about 70p when a full wash seems around the same.

But like I say, have come to terms with it more or less even if I think I should be less than the norm not the norm or higher.

QrizB

dekaspace1 said:

Here's a picture of my meter cupboard but the trip switches aren't shown as I didn't lift the covers)

Please lift the covers and give us a photo of the trip switches (probably MCBs). It might give us some more clues.

At the bottom of your meter cupboard there's another white boxy thing. What's that?

dekaspace1

QrizB said:

dekaspace1 said:

Here's a picture of my meter cupboard but the trip switches aren't shown as I didn't lift the covers)

Please lift the covers and give us a photo of the trip switches (probably MCBs). It might give us some more clues.

At the bottom of your meter cupboard there's another white boxy thing. What's that?

The white box at bottom is the ex storage heater fuse box, right now it just has the boiler electrics and thermostat going to it.