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Utilities & Mobile Electricity Meter Question

Discussion in 'Businesses - Services - Products' started by Rye83, Apr 29, 2014.

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  1. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    I got my bill this month and it was 3500 pesos, an extra 1000pesos and 100KWh from last month. I don't use aircon, take long hot showers, or boil excessive amounts of water. I personally think 2500 is ridiculous in a home that only runs 1 TV, a small ref and a ceiling fan....but hey, it's the Philippines.

    Determined that nothing in the house has changed since last month and decided to look at the meter. I turned off the main electrical switch to my house and went to the meter. The sucker was still spinning.....and noticeably. I'm no electrician but I always thought the meter was supposed to stop if there is no electricity running through it.

    I'm thinking someone has cut into my lines. I guess the electricity company is the first stop? Has anyone been through this before? What was the outcome?
     
    Rye83, Apr 29, 2014
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  2. denpet

    denpet DI Senior Member Highly Rated Poster Blood Donor Veteran Air Force

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    That or a short circuit somewhere between the meter and the main switch.
    Install a Ground fault circuit interrupter as main switch. It will not help in this case, but we have had many cases where poor wiring have cause electricity to 'leak'. With a GFCI at least you will find out right away when it happens.
    It will also make it 100 times safer to use.
     
    denpet, Apr 29, 2014
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    Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    So I have to take it upon myself to do this? Glad I rent and the bill isn't under my name. I'm just going to sit back and not pay the bills until it is fixed. The property manager, land lord and electric company have all been informed of the issue, I've done my part as the tenant. If I wanted the hassle of maintenance I would have bought my own place.
    Meh.
     
    Rye83, Apr 29, 2014
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  4. ShawnM

    ShawnM Living the dream, Plan B ★ No Ads ★ Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Blood Donor Veteran Air Force

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    Wrye...from what you've said it really sounds like someone has tapped off of your service. I've never seen leakage current noticeably spin a meter, not to say it is not possible but I think it is more likely someone spliced in. Is your service 220 phase to neutral or phase to phase?

    Shawn
     
    ShawnM, Apr 29, 2014
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  5. oztony

    oztony DI Senior Member Blood Donor

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    Wrye , If it is not a detached dwelling , so if it shares the same roof with other tenants , there seems to be a fair chance that some smarty pants has hacked onto your supply , maybe in the ceiling space

    Tony
     
    oztony, Apr 29, 2014
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  6. Dave_Hounddriver

    Dave_Hounddriver DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster

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    Or maybe the landlord runs the outdoor lighting off your supply? As far as the increase. I noticed an increase from 3500 to 5000 this month but it could easily be my aircon and hot water usage.
     
    Dave_Hounddriver, Apr 29, 2014
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  7. oztony

    oztony DI Senior Member Blood Donor

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    Wrye , it is rare but could possibly be a faulty meter. Is the hot water a separate circuit ? or normal on the wall (Philippine) style , because a damaged element could suck a heap of juice , to my knowledge the meter will still move even with power turned off cos the meter itself requires power , should be very minimal though . FYI below

    How household AC electricity works. It doesn't start at the power plant, run through your house, and then go back to the power plant. Instead what's happening is the power plant is pushing electrons down one end of the wire, then they reverse it and push from the other end. The electrons in the wire get rubbed back and forth, like a scrub brush. This is what transfers energy to the appliances you're running.
     
    oztony, Apr 29, 2014
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    Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    I am the only person on the meter and have been for 4 years. There is no outside lighting and no other tenants that share the meter. I have recently had two brownout that only effected my house on the property. One lasted about 1 hour, turned on for about 30 seconds and then back off for another hour. It has been the ONLY time in 4 years that my electricity went off but nobody else's on the property did. (note that we are all on different meters, I can, and have shut off my power for maintenance, without effecting anyone else's power.)

    In my first 2 1/2 years my bill was always around 1800 a month, I was single then and had a live in helper. After my gf moved in 1 1/2 years ago my bill moved in to around 2k a month. 6 months ago the helper left and then gf's brother and sister moved in and went up to 2200 a month. Oddly enough, this billing cycle (the most expensive one, excluding my first bill when I found out that aircon is stupid expensive to run here) her brother and sister were gone most of the month and the gf was gone for a week of that month.

    What has me more worried is that when I checked The meter to date it had already shot through 90 kwh, and it has only been 5 days since the meter was supposedly checked. That puts me on target to hit 400 kwh this month! My average usage is 180-220kwh looking at previous bills. I tried following my line but lost it after one telephone pole, complete mess.

    I'm betting that I can go switch off my breaker at the meter tonight and wait a couple minutes to figure out who it is. I am going out tonight. I'll flip it off when I go into town, if it's back on when I get home I think I can say it's not a short circuit.
     
    Rye83, Apr 29, 2014
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  9. Broadside

    Broadside DI Forum Patron

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    My bill, just like everyone else that I've spoken to, is about 25% higher than normal. This is because the meters were read a week late due to Holy Week so it's a 5 week bill. Next bill should be considerably smaller as a 3+ week bill.
     
    Broadside, Apr 29, 2014
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  10. DavyL200

    DavyL200 DI Forum Luminary ★ Global Mod ★ ★ Moderator ★ Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

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    We run a split type aircon for around 8-10 hrs and a fan most of the day if we are in,tv on as kid watches it. Hot and cold shower and other stuff. Bill is around 2.5k month. Someone is stealing!
     
    DavyL200, Apr 29, 2014
    #10
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