OT Electric bill

[super99]

Just paid electric bill, and on the back is an electric usage profile as follows

3/08 30days $3.18/day 50.47kwh/day ave temp
23
3/07 31days $1.94/day 23.26kwh/day ave temp
28
I know that the price has gone up, but that says I am using twice as much electricity/day. The only difference from last year to now that I know of is a new TV and new computer. Usually leave computer on all the time, can it be useing that much extra electricity just setting there not doing anything? Think I need to call power company about getting an energy aduit to find out why I'm using so much more power. Chris

 

[Anonymous-0]

Could it be estimated based on usage in your area, or do you get meter readings? Could the meter jockey have gotten readings mixed up with your neighbor? I wouldn't think yourcomputer would use that much, but it is easy enough to check. Check your meter for 24 hrs with the computer on and again with it off. Have you got it set for a sleep mode where everything shuts down until you move the mouse or hit a key?

Dave

 

[MarkB_MI]

It could be that one reading was estimated. You might want to pick up a Kill-a-Watt meter and start checking things out. Harbor Freight carries the Kill-a-Watt; it's the only thing I'll ever admit to buying from HF.

 

[Brent in IA]

It shows your average temperature was 5 degrees colder in 2008. On our farm we have 9 electricly-heated waterers for livestock, plus various space heaters and the furnace blower fan in the house. 5 degrees is quite a bit when you have lots of "extra's" plugged in. I don't know if you have any of those situations but it may explain part of the increase.

 

[IaGary]

What type of heat do you have?

5 degrees colder average is quite a bit if you have electric heat.

Did you plug in tractors more often?

Tractors take a lot of electric also. With more snow you may have plugged in more.

Do you keep water thawed with electric for livestock?

Like I said before 5 degrees doesn't seem like much but it is. Less sunshine makes a difference also with less passive solar heat on everything.
Temp could be the same but the sunny days warm a house more as well as all other objects.

Gary

 

[PaulW_NJ]

As already mentioned, make sure the bill you are looking at is based upon an actual reading, and not a estimate. That covered, usually a change that large is due to something like a bad controller on an electric hot water heater, or something major like that.

You can use your own electric meter to analyze you useage. I've used this technique to map out useage for customer's that have the older mechanical meters. I've been told it will also work with the more modern electronic meters, but haven't tried since we don't have those in this area.

Look at the electric meter nameplate: there will be a "factor" printed on the label. Around here the factor is 7.2, but depends upon the meter that you have. Take a stopwatch and time the number of seconds it takes the wheel to go one revolution. The kw useage is calculated by multiplying the Factor by 3.6 and then dividing by the number of seconds you timed.

Make a chart, and go thru having someone flip breakers off, and measure the kw useage each time. You can do an audit of your whole house and see where the power is going, breaker by breaker. Of course you first have to know what each breaker circuit is connected to.

 

[Kestrel in CT]

I checked all my house gadgets with the Kill-o-Watt meter last month.

My Mac computer, phone, printer, digital camera,and router collectively used 1.23 kwh in 24 hours. The TV, VCR cable used1.06 kwh/day.

I keep them plugged in all the time.

I would suspect your 5 degrees colder temps is the real culprit, if you have electric heating sources around

 

[Tradititonal Farmer]

Maybe Al Gore will make up the difference since he promised it'd be warmer from now on every year

 

[Anonymous-0]

Some new TV's suck juice. My bill is rising more from fixed fees and taxes than kwh. That'll motavate conservation not.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Chris --- what do you mean (( the Computer is ON -- but not doing anything )) what Planet are you on ??? --- when the computer is ON --- it's doing just as much as if your clicking an clacking ---
these days -- most folks don't know enough to turn off a switch -- and then wonder why it cost so much for juice -- what a joke ..........

 

[paul]

A modern computer will go into sleep or shut-down or standby mode if you don't touch anything for 5-15 minutes. It uses far less energy - monitor shuts down, processor slows down, drives spin down, etc.

--->Paul

 

[Anonymous-0]

Got a heat pump with electric backup heating elements? That will make the ol' meter spin when the temperature goes below the 'balance point' where the heat pump itself can no longer keep up with the demand for heat. I don't remember exactly, but I think that happens around 28-degrees F and lower. Heat pump is very efficient but that electric heat isn't.
In comparison, the TV and computer use very little power. Your computer should automatically switch to 'Standby' and low power use after a short period of inactivity. To use even less power put the computer into 'Hibernate' mode at the end of each use, then it will restart with a very short wait. Click 'Turn off computer' then hold down 'Shift' and click on 'Hibernate' (Win XP). Hit the power button to restart.

 

[buickanddeere]

As much as we complain about the hydro bill. You can"t purchase diesel fuel and generate your own power cheaper.
Time to take a trip through the breaker panel with a ammeter. I found a phantom load one time that was running up an extra $110.00 a month. The contacts on the wells submersable pump were welded closed. Fortunately the pump was a low powered unit with only a few stages in a deep well. Otherwise it would have ruptured the system somewhere with overpressure.
My power bill almost doubled after the 25yr old meter was replaced with a new & freshly calibrated unit.
Has the wife or kids plugged in a portable heater somewhere and forgot about it?

 

[Bruce Hopf]

Another big issue you might be having, is your waterheater in your basement. I couldn't figure out why my hydro bill was getting out of hand. I had a crew come in, and check out the hydro meter, and all the outsid hookups at the hydro pole. I thought that maby the problem was at the hydro pole. Every thing there was ok. Started pulling the fuses, and checking the hydro meter to see if it made a difference. When I pulled the fuses for the Hot Water Heater, the Hydro meter spun real slow. Put the fuses back in for the water heater, the meter spun like a kids top. Turned out that the water heater wasn't turning off, when it was hot, and the elements where shot. I replaced the Hot Water Heater, instead of $1,500.00 to $1,900 a month, I'm paying $300.00 to $700.00 a month. I'd encourage you to check out your hot water heater.
Bruce.

 

[john_Bud]

Good lord! HOW MUCH are you paying a month for juice? (eyeballs popping out of my head!)

And I yelp like a pup that got it's tail stepped on when I pay more than $100 a month! Course, I follow the wife and kid around and flip the switches behind them. I hate lighting an empty room!

jb

 

[Anonymous-0]

I remember a post on here by jdemaris about small trnsformers like for phones and such drawing alot more than one might think.Fridge is a major load after that maybe TV.Im looking at it from the middle class veiw.A rich guy with a heated driveway pukes when he gets his bill too.haha.Mine changes alot in months with alot of welding or lathe time.Alot of these things are hobby related usage that you may forget about.Balanced load helps a bit.Someone told me there is a transformer that ties to a main panel that keeps both phases in balance as far as the meter is concerned.

 

[kcred]

Put your computer and printer on a power strip, when youare not using them , turn the power strip off.

 

[Nancy Howell]

Also suggest you start reading your meter. Had an electric company "estimate" because of bad weather. Lie. The meter was on the house which could be accessed by a paved walk from the paved driveway connected to a paved street connected to a paved highway.

 

[buickanddeere]

Mine is $300-400 per month, thought it was quit reasonable.
Heat, lights, water, block heaters, waterline trace, two freezers, fridge, AC etc.

 

[cahess]

Just using your average you gave you paid 11.98 per kw in 07 an 15.87 this march.March bill here in oh was 10.75 per kw for 1120 total kw (mid oh energy)

 

[cahess]

Apoligize for former post of mine incorect.Your march bill would have been .063 per kw an last march .083 per kw Mine was.092 an febuary bill for 2452kwh was .084 per kwh.Think i am correct this time.Also have question -are any of you on a demand meeter an would be interested to know price per kwh you have to pay . Final price on bill per kwh

 

[Anonymous-0]

I don't care if the (( Monitor shuts down - processor slows down - drives spin down - or goes in to sleep mode )) IF THE COMPUTER SWITCH IS [ON] IT'S USING ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF ENERGY -- SLEEPING OR AWAKE --- ON IS ON --- AND OFF IS OFF....

Computers are powered up with AC VOLTS -- THEN TRANSFORMS THEM SELF INTO DC FOR OPERATION SLEEPING OR AWAKE // THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE -- THE FULL AC WILL ALWAYS BE THERE SLEEPING OR AWAKE ...

 

[Anonymous-0]

I use 15 to 20 kwh per day.Usage drops in summer.You cant leave anything on, that will cost you. Monitors with crts will get dimmer as there are a given amount of hours in the cathode coating.Oil furnace and heat tape on the barn water line run the winter usage up.Put a power strip with a shut off switch on the tv and computer.

 

[JML755]

LOL, Me too. My teenage daughters leave the lights on in every room they enter, then leave. They leave the outdoor lights on when they come in at nite. I've even got up in the middle of the nite to find the lights on in their room while they're asleep! Drives me crazy. I used to holler and complain, but now I just do what you do: turn them OFF when I find them ON. (Heh, heh, can't wait till they have their own place, so I can come over and go around the house flipping lights on for no good reason)

 

[Anonymous-0]

We're on Paulding Putnam here in Ohio. The company has us read our own meter (they check occasionally) We have a chart to look up the cost per month. For 1120 kwh our cost would be $97.28. Divide 97.28 by 1120= .0868 cents per kwh. This rate chart was issued Jan 1st this year, the former chart would have been $85. Plus now we also have a surcharge added that we never had before. The good thing though is in December they give us a refund, it's varied in past years.

 

[Anonymous-0]

All you have to do is -- take the bulbs out -- or you can put some very low wattage bulbs in the lamps - your choice

 

[guido]

Hello Joe from MN.
Some computers (LIKE MINE), when they hybernate don't even show the power light on.
But wiggle the mouse and it powers up!
They are using some power while in hybernation state or sleep mode, but not much!.
The olny place ac power is present in the computer is at the power suypply. Everthing else is powered through the power Supply as D.C power for all computer componets,CDROM, FANS, CPU or cpu's as in some computers.I think it makes sense to power them down when not in use, but the sleep mode is a faster way to power up and it saves energy.
Guido.

 

[Bruce Hopf]

They claim that power strips use 10 percent more hydro, on or off. That was in a flyer I got with my hydro bill last fall. Not a good Idea. Just reach out, and turn the TV off, and the computer off.

 

[super99]

Our house is a 960 sq ft Design home put up in 2002. 2X6 sidewalls, LP heat and waterheater. Have 1000 gal LP tank, filled last june, checked it about 2 weeks ago and still have 35%. Just me and wife. Have had tractor pluged in quite a bit this winter to keep driveway cleaned out, and just remembered that I have a lit flag out now, that would probably add some more to bill. Guess I have an excuse to go to Harbor Freight now to get a meter to check things out. I think the computer hybernates, when left alone, it goes dark and takes a couple seconds to come on when you move the mouse. Just seemed odd that it would almost double over last year's usage. Chris

 

[Anonymous-0]

(quoted from post at 17:43:20 03/25/08) I have a lit flag out now. Chris

Good Man!!! Thanks....

There are plenty of ways to cut down. Florescent lights wherever possible and energy savers (florescent or LED) for the screw ins. I used to use the halogen (500 watt) floodlights until I ran across some with florescent tubes that use 27 watt and do what I need. I had to check the hybernation thing yesterday. I turned as much as possible off and watched how the disc in the meter spun (slow but steady, computer hybernating and TV, recorder, and sat reciever on standby). Then, I turned everything off that was on standby. The disc barely moved. The power strip using power in itself couldn't be much if anything. Just make sure you get a good one as they can overheat and burn.

Good Luck,


Dave

 

[Anonymous-0]

How can a power strip use more power when the switch is turned off? It removes power from every item plugged into it.I put my TV service bench on a wall switch 40 years ago.When I forget to switch on the bench is dead.

 

[Anonymous-0]

It don't make ANY Difference to the Computer if it's in sleep mode or not --- the same power through the AC Side is still using the power wheather you like it or not -- and you will not SAVE anything unless you (( Power OFF ))

 

[mkirsch]

Hey Joe, how about you put a kill-a-watt meter on the power strip for your PC, then measure with the PC on and again with the PC in hibernate mode. You'll be surprised.

Yes, it will still use SOME power but not the SAME power. It will use a LOT LESS power in hibernate/sleep mode. Guaranteed.

In fact, the PC will use less power if it's just sitting there vs. you clicking and clacking away even without hibernate mode. It won't be much different, but it will be different.

I work in IT, and all our servers are like that. If you work 'em hard, they use more energy, just like a tractor.