Electricity usage - broken fridge

[Tierney]

Hi,

My flat was empty for a month, with nothing on except the fridge and the electricity usage was an average of 30kw per day. The fridge has been making a funny noise for long periods of time; but, could this really be causing it to use 30kw per day???

I am going to get one of the monitoring devices that British Gas (electricity) provide and see if that tells me anything. Unfortunately the meter can only be opened by the caretaker (mon-fri), which doesn't help.

All advice, suggestions greatly appreciated.

DT

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My whole household doesn't use a fraction of that. You are supplying next doors skunk farm.

 

[Chrispy]

We also only use about 10 kwh per day on a four bed house, sounds to me as if they are reading the wrong meter.

 

[NikNak]

30kw a day.... :shock: :shock: :shock:

Methinks you might mean 3kw, or even 300w a day.... even that is a lot for just a fridge.

We've got one of them owl'y devices like this one...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OWL-wireless- ... 4d0a0649d1

and we (me & her) use on average 8kw a day, and that's for a four bed hoose with all 'normal' 'lecky stuff going on.

Well worth the investment....



Nick

 

[Tierney]

Unfortunately, it's definitely 30kw per day - I've got the bill to prove it!

 

[NikNak]

Sounds like there's definitely something wrong.... how does that compare to a 'normal' month when you are there..?

Did you maybe leave an immersion heater switched on..? (but even that wouldn't use that kind of 'lecky)

Is the fridge still working or has it died..?

Try to replicate the same conditions... oh no... you cant get access to the meter :evil:

 

[Lons]

Hi DT

Not possible unless the meter is faulty or it's being misread IMO. Read it yourself or have it tested by your supplier.

I have a large house and use more than average as per British gas figures. Have 2 freezers and a large fridge, several tvs and computers, loads of lights as well as the outside lights which are on all night and of course the workshop and machinery. The heaviest bill I've had over a month in the depths of winter is half what you're allegedly using per day.

Bob

edit: Look at sites such as http://www.ehow.com/how_5839726_figure- ... source=ask
check the rating on your appliance and you'll see how much it is actually using

 

[Gary Morris]

first thing to do is check your current reading against the billed reading, may be a error at the suppliers end, 2nd phone your supplier.

Gary

 

[pip1954]

hi i would query that mate get suppler to check meter that's well high.
pip

 

[RogerS]

Hi,

My flat was empty for a month, with nothing on except the fridge and the electricity usage was an average of 30kw per day. The fridge has been making a funny noise for long periods of time; but, could this really be causing it to use 30kw per day???

I am going to get one of the monitoring devices that British Gas (electricity) provide and see if that tells me anything. Unfortunately the meter can only be opened by the caretaker (mon-fri), which doesn't help.

All advice, suggestions greatly appreciated.

DT

Out of curiosity, when you got back to your flat, was it warmer than normal? 30kW is equivalent to having more than a 1kW heater running flat out all day and night...so that flat, the heat should have hit you when you walked in.

Could anyone have tapped into your feed? Monday morning, if you can, turn off your flat at the consumer unit and get the caretaker to open up the meter. is it going round? Check the seals...there should be some on the meter. Have they been tampered with? Caretaker warming his flat up at your expense?

 

[Tierney]

Thanks for all the advice - I'm thinking its the meter is faulty or someone is helping themselves!

 

[Lons]

Hi again DT

Are you 100% certain you haven't confused days with months (stupid question but should be asked!).

I've just done a quick google and here's an example http://www.t2c.org.uk/saving-energy/electricity-usage/
It shows a 30 year old fridge (energy guzzler) uses roughly 1200kw pa which is about 3 per day which at 14p kw equates to £160 per annum.

Bob

 

[Paul Hannaby]

All these estimates of usage are based on a working fridge. All fridges and freezers have a thermostat that turns off the pump when the desired temperature is reached. If the thermostat is faulty, it may not switch off the pump, leading to considerably higher energy usage but even then, I would think 30kW per day was still a lot more than a fridge could use.

Try turning everything off and make sure the meter has stopped too - if not, either it's the wrong meter or someone else is using your supply.

 

[Lons]

All these estimates of usage are based on a working fridge. All fridges and freezers have a thermostat that turns off the pump when the desired temperature is reached. If the thermostat is faulty, it may not switch off the pump, leading to considerably higher energy usage but even then, I would think 30kW per day was still a lot more than a fridge could use.

Try turning everything off and make sure the meter has stopped too - if not, either it's the wrong meter or someone else is using your supply.

Good point Paul. I hadn't thought about it not switching off though on reflection I think it would probably have packed up pretty quickly if that happened. I still think it's almost impossible to use that much if the only appliance connected. 10 x the consumption of a 30 year old fridge is hardly believable.

I think the key to this might be that only the caretaker has access. He has, more than likely misread the meter especially if it isn't a modern digital type. Other than that it must surely be faulty meter or fraudulent activity.

Bob

 

[RogerS]

All these estimates of usage are based on a working fridge. All fridges and freezers have a thermostat that turns off the pump when the desired temperature is reached. If the thermostat is faulty, it may not switch off the pump, leading to considerably higher energy usage but even then, I would think 30kW per day was still a lot more than a fridge could use.

Try turning everything off and make sure the meter has stopped too - if not, either it's the wrong meter or someone else is using your supply.

Good point Paul. I hadn't thought about it not switching off though on reflection I think it would probably have packed up pretty quickly if that happened. I still think it's almost impossible to use that much if the only appliance connected. 10 x the consumption of a 30 year old fridge is hardly believable.

I think the key to this might be that only the caretaker has access. He has, more than likely misread the meter especially if it isn't a modern digital type. Other than that it must surely be faulty meter or fraudulent activity.

Bob

That was the reasoning behind my question as to whether the flat was extra warm on entry (after being away for a time). To use 30kW a day, I had assumed that the fridge was running permanently.

 

[Tintin]

A fridge will only be 10-15 watts averaged over the day.

So about 1/4 KW per day.

 

[NikNak]

come on come on..... i'm waiting to hear where all the 'lecky was going.... :shock: