electrical usage

[Curtis]

USA
Our electric usage, (as indicated on our bill) has increased almost 30% compared to last year. This increase has shown up for a couple of months now and I cannot identify additonal loads we have added, i.e. new appliances, in the past year. Does anyone know of a portable electric meter that you could plug appliances into that would let you measure the electrical usage over several days.

[Wgoodrich]

I would say that your increase of electric usage may be weather related. Furnace and water heater running longer. Furnace has motor for fan even if gas or oil. Water heater is in garage is exposed to colder temps.

Normal convenience usage increase are often unnoticed such as heater turned on dishwasher that used to be cold dry, bad seal on freezers or refrig or even more opening of doors of freezers or frig also increase usage. heaters on frig door also can increase usage. High usage that will increase you bill can be curling irons, hair dryers, more showers and baths, coffee makers left on, room heaters electric portable. Many things add to electric usage that change in daily use without noticing increases being used. Above just a few places that can make big differences.

House thermo blanket getting older allowing more leakage of heat loss including bad door seals or kids with windows open etc. also add to electic usage.

Any one of the above can greatly change you electic bill. All combined may be little by themselves but heavy increase combined also.

HOpe this gives you some ideas.

Wg

[6pack]

WG, I understand what your telling Curtis. Is there also a possibility that a connection could be going bad downstream from meter causing heat would also increase electrical bill.

[Wgoodrich]

Good Thought, yes a loose connection on a hot service entrance conductor would increase load causing a higher electric bill.

Wg

[imported_joed]

I am confused how a loose connection could increase power consumption. It would cause resistance in series with the load and voltage drop. Wouldn't that reduce power consumption?
If you had an under ground feeder that was leaking to the ground that would increase consumption.

[Wgoodrich]

The demand load of the house remains the same. What is trying to run it still trying to run loose connection or not. As voltage drops then that load increases in amps while trying to run in lower voltage present. Example a 10 amp load with a loose connection is still trying to run that same motor under load making that motor work harder pulling more current to get past the loose connection to the motor thus raising watt usage to do same work only with low voltage. As voltage goes down on a fixed load the amp draw goes up to try to do the same work.

Example a loose connetion works much like voltage drop condition the voltage is low then the motor gets hot working harder trying to push the same resistance of that motor such as the machine it is running. Again voltage goes down watts go up to do fixed amount of work regardless if getting correct amount of voltage.


Does that help?

Wg

[imported_joed]

Sort of. I understand motors drawing more current at low voltage. But a normal home wouldn't have that many motor to increase your consumption and you would notice a problem with the motors.

[Wgoodrich]

freezers, refrigerators, a/c, microwave, range hood, garbage disposal, dishwasher, vaccuum. Probably more but that should show more motors than you would think. Remember many of those motors are 24 hours on cycled by thermostats. 7 days a week.

Just a thought

Wg