Can a faulty electrical item cause more electricity useage?
Discussion
As above, for me it sounds like a stupid question but today the mrs has been on the phone to scottish power who say there has been a huge increase in electric useage in the last 3 months, it's something like £400 of electric per month (usually £175 for gas and electric which I question anyway tbh).
I have a marine fish tank which sucks a bit of power but that's been on for over two years. We also have an air con /heater unit, but again been on for about 2 years.
Scottish power say it could be a faulty item? Probably with the fish tank, but I don't believe it, personally think the meters gone as it has before.
I'll get a smart meter asap to monitor it, they have given us a regime to follow for a week to try and determine what it is.
I have a marine fish tank which sucks a bit of power but that's been on for over two years. We also have an air con /heater unit, but again been on for about 2 years.
Scottish power say it could be a faulty item? Probably with the fish tank, but I don't believe it, personally think the meters gone as it has before.
I'll get a smart meter asap to monitor it, they have given us a regime to follow for a week to try and determine what it is.
You need to measure the actual units being used at the meter.
Go back to your old bills and establish how much you normally use per day in kWh (units).
Then start taking daily readings to see what is actually going on.
Quoting £xx per month from your regular payments is meaningless. Work of actual meter readings.
Go back to your old bills and establish how much you normally use per day in kWh (units).
Then start taking daily readings to see what is actually going on.
Quoting £xx per month from your regular payments is meaningless. Work of actual meter readings.
m3jappa said:
... it's something like £400 of electric per month (usually £175 for gas and electric which I question anyway tbh).
I have a marine fish tank which sucks a bit of power but that's been on for over two years. We also have an air con /heater unit, but again been on for about 2 years.
The increase is only something like a couple of kWh's if running continuously. Sounds a bit too much for a fish tank and I assume it's not heated anyway? Maybe the a/c unit is heating and cooling itself at the same time.I have a marine fish tank which sucks a bit of power but that's been on for over two years. We also have an air con /heater unit, but again been on for about 2 years.
We are going to do a meter reading every day for the next week to see what we are using daily and then do a day where everything is off for a certain period of time except the tank.
It is heated but they aren't on that much as the residual heat from lights etc keeps it pretty warm.
Is what they are saying possible though? I suppose there could be fault with the air con but it seems to be working as normal. I've never heard of this and even google only comes up saying fridges can work extra hard if they are going wrong, fridge isn't that old but can't rule that out yet.
It is heated but they aren't on that much as the residual heat from lights etc keeps it pretty warm.
Is what they are saying possible though? I suppose there could be fault with the air con but it seems to be working as normal. I've never heard of this and even google only comes up saying fridges can work extra hard if they are going wrong, fridge isn't that old but can't rule that out yet.
By saying that an item of faulty equipment can increase consumption they may be referring to a fault with an item such as a thermostat which controls how much electricity an appliance consumes. For example with your fish tank, if the 'stat wasn't turning off when the correct temperature was reached more electricity would be used, however you would probably have noticed if you were cooking your fish.
Looking at similar scenarios, do you have a hot water storage tank with an immersion heater? If you had a faulty timer or thermostat you would perhaps see an increase in your electricity usage.
Looking at similar scenarios, do you have a hot water storage tank with an immersion heater? If you had a faulty timer or thermostat you would perhaps see an increase in your electricity usage.
Edited by PH5121 on Thursday 30th June 07:46
PH5121 said:
By saying that an item of faulty equipment can increase consumption they may be referring to a fault with an item such as thermostat which controls how much electricity an appliance consumes. For example with your fish tank, if the 'stat wasn't turning off when the correct temperature was reached more electricity would be used, however you would probably have noticed if you were cooking your fish.
Looking at similar scenarios, do you have a hot water storage tank with an immersion heater? If you had a faulty timer or thermostat you would perhaps see an increase in your electricity usage.
what he said. Faulty immersion heater thermostat would be an obvious one although I would hope you would notice your water getting very hot.Looking at similar scenarios, do you have a hot water storage tank with an immersion heater? If you had a faulty timer or thermostat you would perhaps see an increase in your electricity usage.
For that sort of change it probably is something on permanently so should be pretty easy to isolate with the help of an energy monitor. £45 and you can even look at the data on your PC
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Efergy-Wireless-Managemen...
btw. I doubt it will be your fish tank - that sort of energy usage would be boiling the fish I would have thought........
Have a look at your meter
If it's the old spinning disc type ... how fast is it turning ?
If it's like a helicopter blade spinning
Turn off your little trip switches in the fuse box ( new type )or pull each fuse one by one until it slows down one Turn off fuse box before pulling fuse !
That should tell you if you have a faulty circuit
If you have a newer meter with flashing led and it's flashing very quickly
do the same as above until flashing is slower
Had many internal fault causing high meter readings but not tripping circuits or blowing fuses
Had one where the sparky had by passed the circuit breaker to stop it tripping
Householders bill was £1150 for a month
If it's the old spinning disc type ... how fast is it turning ?
If it's like a helicopter blade spinning
Turn off your little trip switches in the fuse box ( new type )or pull each fuse one by one until it slows down one Turn off fuse box before pulling fuse !
That should tell you if you have a faulty circuit
If you have a newer meter with flashing led and it's flashing very quickly
do the same as above until flashing is slower
Had many internal fault causing high meter readings but not tripping circuits or blowing fuses
Had one where the sparky had by passed the circuit breaker to stop it tripping
Householders bill was £1150 for a month
interesting replies, ill try and get a monitor this week. wife been taking readings daily.
the meter is a newer type, ill check for the flashing light.
And unlikely to be a cannabis farm, house is detached and next door neighbour is about 80 and a widow so i doubt she's growing weed
but stranger things have happened.
the meter is a newer type, ill check for the flashing light.
And unlikely to be a cannabis farm, house is detached and next door neighbour is about 80 and a widow so i doubt she's growing weed
but stranger things have happened.The electric meter on one of our sports grounds (local Council) went faulty a few years back causing duff readings and unusually high bills.After eliminating every other possible cause, we eventually persuaded the supply company to install a calibrated tandem meter which proved the original electric meter was massively over reading. It only took a week or so for the discrepancy to become obvious and they replaced the meter.
If nothing has been left on and there are no obvious faults, this is were I would be looking.
If nothing has been left on and there are no obvious faults, this is were I would be looking.
The Moose said:
m3jappa said:
And unlikely to be a cannabis farm, house is detached and next door neighbour is about 80 and a widow so i doubt she's growing weed but stranger things have happened.
Have you ever seen the film 'Saving Grace'?! but stranger things have happened.(If not, you should!)
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff