Excessive electricity consumption 3 Bed House.

[viewer]

What clocks? Free standing or built into appliances? Although manufacturers may say that their microwave only uses 3 watts on standby, many users find differently See-
http://www.avforums.com/forums/rene...8-panasonic-microwave-using-70w-all-time.html

You've no option but to turn off the power after the meter but before any connections if you want to check whether the meter is counting whilst you're not looking.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well, with the exception of Wyoming and South Dakota (which are not far off), all those states you list are not just "the more northern states of the US" but, rather "the most northern states of the US"!

OK - how far south do you want to go with your "more northern states of the US"?

Nebraska? Most of which gets 25 - 35 inches of snow a year, has had a temperature as low as −44 °C recorded, and gets tornadoes in spring & summer?

Iowa? mid- to high-30's commonplace during summer, and tornadoes?

Illinois? Nearly 1m of snow normally in the northern parts. And tornadoes in the summer.

Ever been in NYC in the summer? Or in the more northern parts of NY state in the winter? Fancy winters in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine?

Sorry, but basically this:

Climate-wise, I presume that the UK equates to the more northern parts of the US.

is complete nonsense - our climate is nothing like that of the more northern parts of the US.

 

[JohnW2]

I have tried to isolate the offending "Drain" by checking the meter readings overnight after I have switched off the appliances still normally operating, i.e. The Fridge/Freezer in the kitchen, the Freezer in the Garage, the Security Light, The House Alarm system and still getting 4 Units of electricity consumed!

If that is the case, then, as you go on to say, getting a plug-in monitor would not help you. The whole point of that was to ascertain which of the suspect aplliances (fridge/freezer and freezer) was using an excessive amount of power.

Do I take it from what you now say that, as far as you are concerned/aware, there was absolutely nothing meant to be using electricity (apart, perhaps, from the occasional light) during that night when the meter still showed 4 units consumption?

As has been pointed out, 4 units overnight represents a continuous load of about 500W, which is far from insignificant and hardly likely to relate to something that has been 'overlooked' - it would really have to be something that produces heat, one way or another. You didn't mention an immersion heater (which is something that has been mentioned before) - do I take it that there is not one (even one which you weren't aware of, or didn't think was being used)? Possibilities like greenhouse/loft heaters and high-powered garden lights have already mentioned - I assume that there are none of those?

You could, I suppose, systematically work your way through your consumer unit, switching each circuit off, one at a time, overnight in the hope that this will enable you to narrow things down to one circuit. (if you did that, start with the socket circuits, and leave the lighting ones until last). Ultimately, if you could cope without any electricity (even lights) overnight, you could switch off the entire CU overnight - if the meter was then still showing consumption, there would then be very few options left (although, I confess, I've never heard of a meter showing appreciable consumption when there is none at all!).

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

..............is complete nonsense - our climate is nothing like that of the more northern parts of the US.

You must be getting bored - hadn't you noticed that there are quite a few electrical discussions around that you could add to if you wanted?

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Fair enough - you keep on making yourself look like a bigger and bigger idiot by dealing with criticism of your manifest and egregious error by trying to convince people that I'm doing it because I'm bored.

Presumably you've not thought about the fact that even if I am, that does not alter the fact that what you wrote was rubbish.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Köppen_climate_classification

 

[viewer]

From JohnW "Do I take it from what you now say that, as far as you are concerned/aware, there was absolutely nothing meant to be using electricity (apart, perhaps, from the occasional light) during that night when the meter still showed 4 units consumption?"

Probably - no - certainly badly written in my post, but clocks in appliances nearly always have links to other functions. An oven which switched itself on for an hour or so would account for the lost units. It is common to find timers have been left on and only when the user tries to manually switch on the appliance is it noticed.

 

[skotl]

Fair enough - you keep on making yourself look like a bigger and bigger idiot by dealing with criticism of your manifest and egregious error by trying to convince people that I'm doing it because I'm bored.

Presumably you've not thought about the fact that even if I am, that does not alter the fact that what you wrote was rubbish.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Köppen_climate_classification[/QUOTE]

Are we allowed to consider the fact that, even if you are bored, what you write is often puerile and nit-picky?
Just checking that it's ok for us to think that...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Are we allowed to consider the fact that, even if you are bored, what you write is often puerile and nit-picky?
Just checking that it's ok for us to think that...

You're allowed to consider what you like, and draw whatever pathetic and inadequate conclusions you wish.

But it will not change the fact that "Climate-wise, I presume that the UK equates to the more northern parts of the US" was rubbish, nor that when this was made clear JohnW2 tried to dismiss the criticism as stemming from my supposed boredom. Oh - and by nit-picking over the meaning of the word "northern".

 

[JohnW2]

From JohnW

"Do I take it from what you now say that, as far as you are concerned/aware, there was absolutely nothing meant to be using electricity (apart, perhaps, from the occasional light) during that night when the meter still showed 4 units consumption?"

Probably - no - certainly badly written in my post, but clocks in appliances nearly always have links to other functions. An oven which switched itself on for an hour or so would account for the lost units. It is common to find timers have been left on and only when the user tries to manually switch on the appliance is it noticed.

Yes, that's probably true - but, as I said, we're looking for 500W. Whilst I agree that a few things are pretty greedy when on 'standby', the majority aren't too bad, so for them to add up to 500W would be pretty extrordinary. Also, don't forget that this is a new thing - which is how the OP became aware of the situation - this 'unaccounted-for' 500W throughout the night (and maybe day) hasn't always been there - it has 'appeared'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[GRBASF]

Thank you JohnW2

I am trying to systematicallyl identify the culprit appliance and switching off certain circuits overnight. The Fridge/Freezers seem to be OK, The Security Lamp is ok. Now turning off (fairly new cordless phones) which,incidentally show both red/green lights continously,checking this with the BT Email help Line.- I wonder of these are faulty?

Other things on standby are Sky Plus boxes and DVD Play/Record Boxes, that's the next check.


We have no Immersion Heater, or Greenhouse Heater, the Gas Combi Boiler fires up of course via an electrically operated Timer for our Gas Central Heating and Hot Water. Could that be wired up incorrectly causing this "Drain"?


GRBASF

 

[JohnW2]

I am trying to systematicallyl identify the culprit appliance and switching off certain circuits overnight. The Fridge/Freezers seem to be OK, The Security Lamp is ok. Now turning off (fairly new cordless phones) which,incidentally show both red/green lights continously,checking this with the BT Email help Line.- I wonder of these are faulty? Other things on standby are Sky Plus boxes and DVD Play/Record Boxes, that's the next check.

Systematic elimination is all you can really do - although, as I recently wrote, I would find it extraordinary if little things like phones, or other devices on standby, could add up to anything like 500W - ISTR that my grandmother used to heat her living room in winter with a 1000W 'electric fire'!

Does your meter give a figure with tenths of a unit? If so, you'd only need to switch off the entire electrical instalation for an hour or so (consumer unit main switch), which you could do during daylight, to ascertain whether it is totting up usage at the rate we're talking about (about 0.5 units/hour) when there definitely is no electricity being used. As I said, I've never heard of a meter doing that, but I suppose nothing is impossible!

Kind Regards, John

 

[phatboy]

Get one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Owl-Connect...F8&qid=1369074462&sr=8-6&keywords=power+meter

It will arrive within a few days, and will help you easily find the cause of your issues. It also helps going forward with day to day usage, and noticing if something is left on.

Highly recommended!

 

[Wontdothatagain]

If so, you'd only need to switch off the entire electrical instalation for an hour or so (consumer unit main switch), which you could do during daylight, to ascertain whether it is totting up usage at the rate we're talking about (about 0.5 units/hour) when there definitely is no electricity being used. As I said, I've never heard of a meter doing that, but I suppose nothing is impossible!

It is called "meter creeping" and is a lot more common than you would think. About 1 in 10 wheel type meters that i remove "creep".

 

[JohnW2]

It is called "meter creeping" and is a lot more common than you would think. About 1 in 10 wheel type meters that i remove "creep".

Goodness - that does surprise me. Have you seen it to the extent that we seem to be talking about - i.e. simulating a ~500W (i.e. ~2A) continuous usage?

In that case, GRBASF, maybe you shoud do the 'switch the entire installation off' test sooner, rather than later!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Wontdothatagain]

No, usualy it is a very small creep and when you think that a meter has to turn 600 times to go 1 KWh, what he is seeing is something other than creepage.

I only notice it as on some instalations there are several points of isolation and sometimes they are "hidden" and looking at the meter is a good reference that you have got them all. It also identerfies that the customer has not switched every thing off like you have asked them to.