Lost Electricity

Steve IA · 2008-01-19T15:40:37+00:00

xposted: alt.energy.homepower,Our average electricity usage for the last 6 years for December is 653 kwhwith a range of 120. December 07 our usage was 682 kwh. This would not havebeen unusual except for the fact that, due to an ice storm, we had NOelectricity for 6.5 days. Billing cycle per the bill was 31 days. I wasexpecting a bill 20% lower than the average bill and was dismayed when itwas actually higher. So far this month of January, we are using at theabout average rate (22kwh/day) as we did in December, the only odd thing isthat we had NO power of nearly a week in December. I've spoken with a fewneighbors who also lost power and 'come to think of it' their bill went upor didn't go down as much as they would have expected for a 20-25% time ofno usage. I ask the REC and they said we 'just used more'. They also triedto blame 'recovery usage'. I'm not buying it. They claim they didn'testimate the bill and when I received the bill I immediately checked and themeter reading seemed in line with normal. I'm talking KWH her not $$ whichcan be affected by rate changes, surcharge and taxes etc.Facts: During the ice storm we used a gas generator intermittently during thedaylight to power the freezer, tv, occasional PC and a few lights .We relied 100% on wood heat, never falling below 60F. For the entire billing period we did nothing that we can think of unusualthat would increase the consumption over the previous December. No extraXmas lights, no 'recovery' usage after power restoration other than 1refrigerator . Normal is LP furnace supplemented by high efficiency wood fireplace. Gas water heater and stove. Elec clothes dryer. 1 powered outbuilding. We live ¼ mile away from nearest neighbor so no chance of somebody running an extension cord and stealing from us.After receiving the bill, I shut the power off below the meter and it quitturning. We've done some other testing by turning off house circuit breakersand watching the meter but have isolated nothing...

D

Don Klipstein 18 years ago

A 1 amp leak is unusual - and serious. That is 120 watts. If there is an actual 1 amp leak, most of that 120 watts of heat will probably be being generated in a small localized area - maybe carbonizing or burning up insulation somewhere.

A 1 amp leak through water will almost certainly cause some serious electrolytic corrosion.

If you find such an animal as a 1 amp leak, find where it is occurring, and repair it before you have a fire. I expect there to be damage and maybe smoke.

- Don Klipstein ( snipped-for-privacy@misty.com)

Vote

M

Mike 18 years ago

If it's not a bad meter reading then that is the prime culprit, the thermostat is stuck 'on'

Vote

T

Tekkie® 18 years ago

ransley posted for all of us...

Ok ransley the circuit overloads have overloaded your brain you putz.

Vote

W

Windsun 18 years ago

Being coiled has nothing at all to do with getting hot, it is merely that more heat is concentrated in that area. Heat comes from resistance, and at

60 Hz that is the ONLY factor.

Vote

S

Solar Flare 18 years ago

Voltage, current doesn't count then. I wonder how DC can heat up a connection then.

..................................................................................................

Vote

W

Windsun 18 years ago

Uhm... maybe from resistance at the connection?

..................................................................................................

Vote

S

Solar Flare 18 years ago

Quote

"Heat comes from resistance, and at 60 Hz that is the ONLY factor."

..................................................................................................

Vote

B

bud-- 18 years ago

Windsun said that coiled cord gets hot from resistance, not electromagnetic effects. You don't understand what was said.

Vote

S

Solar Flare 18 years ago

IF you can't read then that's OK too.

..................................................................................................

Vote

C

CJT 18 years ago

Then there are some people who try to read everything literally, ignoring the obvious, if imprecise, meaning in context.

Vote

Lost Electricity

Join the Discussion

Didn't find your answer?