Power Consuption - Somthing is out of wack

[b_james]

I have been having some power issues for a while now. Back last spring I had Epcor come to the house on many occasions to run an analyzer on my meter as I was experiencing weird power problems. There report reveiled surprising results. There were momentary power draws of aprox 80 amps lasting for only a second or so. Epcor concluded that they could see anything adnormal. My power bills always seemed a bit high considering its only me in the house. My monthly power consuption has been about 40KWh / day. I calculated my aquarium should be drawing about 20KWh / day according to the nameplate info. There is NO WAY that I could be consuming 20 KWh/ day using a few lights, furnace fan and microwave twice a day for about 1.5 minutes. Is it possible that my aquarium is drawing WAY more power that what the published rating shows or could there be other factors contributing to this such as power leaking into the water? BTW I do have a grounding probe.

Sorry for the longwinded post... Its just if my power bill goes much higher than it is now, I may have to decommission my tank due to funds drying up.:cry:

[fencer]

I assume you cycle you lights. You should take some reading on your power meter just after the main tank lights go off and just before they go on. And the same when your mains are on.

[b_james]

What do you mean by cycle the lights? I do have them on a staggard timer.

[fencer]

I am assuming you turn your lights off on the tank for the night. and then have the fuge lights on.

[b_james]

The fuge light is on 24/7 I found when I turned off the light during the day, my macro algea deminished. I still think the pods in my tank are eating all the macro. not sure where its going.

[mark]

Insist that they replace your meter and 80 amp spikes, that sounds a little flaky.

[Delphinus]

What I would do is see about getting one of these Kill-A-Watt meters, and then testing every piece of equipment on the aquarium:
http://the-gadgeteer.com/review/kill_a_watt_ez_electricity_usage_monitor

Once you have that info, you'll have a better idea if your bill is wrong.

I'm not sure where you can pick up one of these Kill-A-Watt meters. I did a search at canadiantire.ca and came up empty. Maybe Home Depot or Rona, or Home Hardware type places.

Or you can check out ebay, about $20 for one that way:
http://search.ebay.ca/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=kill-a-watt&category0=

[andestang]

I got mine from Home Hardware $29.00. After we moved my power bill doubled. Nothing changed from one house to the other.

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Power.jpg

[fencer]

I spoke to one of our electricians and the first thing he said is the meter out of whack or someone has tapped into your power(little paraniod on that one)

[DanG]

What I would do is see about getting one of these Kill-A-Watt meters, and then testing every piece of equipment on the aquarium:
http://the-gadgeteer.com/review/kill_a_watt_ez_electricity_usage_monitor

Once you have that info, you'll have a better idea if your bill is wrong.

I'm not sure where you can pick up one of these Kill-A-Watt meters. I did a search at canadiantire.ca and came up empty. Maybe Home Depot or Rona, or Home Hardware type places.

Or you can check out ebay, about $20 for one that way:
http://search.ebay.ca/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=kill-a-watt&category0=


Problem with canadian tire, they only have a small portion of their actual product available on their website. I know I've seen them there before.

[Delphinus]

Yeah I thought someone told me they got one at Canuck Tire. They're funny that way, I bought a garage heater off their site that wasn't available at the stores, there was something ridiculous like a 6 month wait period if you bought it at the store, but I ordered it off the site and had it the next week. It's like the website and the stores are two completely different businesses but sharing the same name but that's about it. Anyhow it is the sort of thing I would expect to see at one of their stores but I didn't want to send anyone off in the wrong direction..

[Pescador]

Calgary library has them for loan maybe Edmonton does too.

[mark]

Got my Kilowatt fr a radio shop in Edm (ALFA 466-5799). Just called to see if they stock and they have one left. If you can't get a loaner and you are desperate for one, their's selling for $75 ?!?

[Pan]

I believe fortis has them, as well as enmax...or whatever, they come out and check your electronics to help you "go greener". At least they did out this way.

[wickedfrags]

Need to get to the bottom of this - even if you turn on every electrical device in your house you should not be able to draw 80 amps (assuming you do not have a hot tub or a workshop). Check to see if there are voltage fluctuations...any light dimming? How old is the house?

I was lucky to identify the cause of my voltage fluctuation before I lost power...a bad outdoor meter base connection...

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m142/djelley/panel.jpg


I have been having some power issues for a while now. Back last spring I had Epcor come to the house on many occasions to run an analyzer on my meter as I was experiencing weird power problems. There report reveiled surprising results. There were momentary power draws of aprox 80 amps lasting for only a second or so. Epcor concluded that they could see anything adnormal. My power bills always seemed a bit high considering its only me in the house. My monthly power consuption has been about 40KWh / day. I calculated my aquarium should be drawing about 20KWh / day according to the nameplate info. There is NO WAY that I could be consuming 20 KWh/ day using a few lights, furnace fan and microwave twice a day for about 1.5 minutes. Is it possible that my aquarium is drawing WAY more power that what the published rating shows or could there be other factors contributing to this such as power leaking into the water? BTW I do have a grounding probe.

Sorry for the longwinded post... Its just if my power bill goes much higher than it is now, I may have to decommission my tank due to funds drying up.:cry:

[Delphinus]

Good Lord! Was that a short between the two wires??? Wouldn't that actually be smoking or sparking?? This just manifested itself as a high power bill?

[wickedfrags]

They melted together...my house was built in 1974. And I run alot of juice!
Find out about this mysterious surge...generally speaking with everything on in your entire house you should not be able to exceed 50amps.

Good Lord! Was that a short between the two wires??? Wouldn't that actually be smoking or sparking?? This just manifested itself as a high power bill?

[midgetwaiter]

If you do the math on it 80A is equivalent to 10,000W of draw. I can't believe they saw that and still said "everything is okay".

[b_james]

I think my panel is protected by a 100 Amp breaker. When Epcor was doing their test, there were no signes of shorting at the panel and meter, however the neutral connection at the pedestal located at the property line was a few turns too loose. Also they identified that there was a differencial power draw reading between the two 120V legs that go into the panel. One half was reading 121v the other side was 118V. Also they said the neutral wire running into the house could be a bit larger gauge to match the wire size Epcor provided. Also when they had the analyzer connected, they noticed a lot of distortion in my power - they couldnt figure that one out.

The simptoms that I experience would be described as a brown out (lights flickering) for up to 8 hours. Now heres the interesting thing, As the brownout was occuring, Those outlets were measuing 100Volts while other outlets on different circuits were measuring up to 154Volts. I ended up cooking my laptop as a result of that circuits' over voltage.

I think I an going to buy one of those devices to meter each peice of equp.

[mark]

Forget asking for a new meter, get a new transformer on the pole.

I'm hoping EPCOR is continuing to follow up on this as can't believe they would say there's a problem, we're not sure so we're walking.

[b_james]

I have noticed that they have been doing quite a bit of work at the transformers in the area. I am willing to bet that even if there were problems with epcors infrustructure that they probably would'nt tell me in order to avoid the potention of any legal action.

[wickedfrags]

Voltages between the two lines is expected to be +/- 5 volts, no exceptions unless there is a problem (at least in Ontario). So it seems you are ok there. Sounds like the the problem is likely at the transformer, you better get them out there...soon as you detect more than a 5 volt diferential on the lines coming in there is a problem, and as they check the outdoor meter base outside your house, it's the transformer. Better get them out there!!!!!!

I think my panel is protected by a 100 Amp breaker. When Epcor was doing their test, there were no signes of shorting at the panel and meter, however the neutral connection at the pedestal located at the property line was a few turns too loose. Also they identified that there was a differencial power draw reading between the two 120V legs that go into the panel. One half was reading 121v the other side was 118V. Also they said the neutral wire running into the house could be a bit larger gauge to match the wire size Epcor provided. Also when they had the analyzer connected, they noticed a lot of distortion in my power - they couldnt figure that one out.

The simptoms that I experience would be described as a brown out (lights flickering) for up to 8 hours. Now heres the interesting thing, As the brownout was occuring, Those outlets were measuing 100Volts while other outlets on different circuits were measuring up to 154Volts. I ended up cooking my laptop as a result of that circuits' over voltage.

I think I an going to buy one of those devices to meter each peice of equp.