Electric bill

[tutusue]

Re: Electric bill

Ohhhhhhhhh gaaaaaaaawd! Here we go on the refrigerator from hell thread again! [...]

<tee hee> The HECO customer service rep is a woman! I disagreed with her, of course! I used that same fridge in Makaha for a few years with no spike in the HECO bill.

You poor thing. Idea for you: store it in a freezer, not a refrigerator - you'll find it to be a whole new taste treat!

[anapuni808]

Re: Electric bill

I monitor the HECO bills for the bldg where I work. I called to question a raise in our rates late last year (when oil was very expensive!!!) and I was told that part of our rate increases each month was based on the cost at the time the oil was purchased by HECO to be processed into electricity.

Our bills for the office went WAAAAY up this last month. If what HECO told me is correct, we are probably just now getting into the use of that very expensive oil. Another cause for rate increases right now is that the PUC just approved new rate increases.

I'm lucky where I live now in that I don't have to pay any utilities (included with my rent) but I do check with my landlord once in a while to make sure I'm keeping my useage down - or at least not increasing it when I can.

[matapule]

Re: Electric bill

You poor thing. Idea for you: store it in a freezer, not a refrigerator - you'll find it to be a whole new taste treat!

Freezer? You put ice cream in da freezer? You meen dare anudder way to kau kau cream besides drinkin' outta glass kine? Hey, maybe dats wha' uaifi all gotta beef 'bout - no put ice cream in frigeraper!

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Electric bill

I read on the AP wire that those cable/satellite tv boxes can use as much electricity as a 21-cu ft refrigerator. I got five of them.

Depends on what they are. From what I hear, it's the ones with a built-in DVR that suck the power. It's a desktop computer on 24/7. It's either recording or scanning for something to record.

If it's just a tuner, I wouldn't expect it to draw that much, but if it's digital, well, I guess it's all in how it's designed.

You might want to check the power ratings on them (worst case) or maybe by a Kill-A-Watt to see how much it's drawing.

Water is included in the condo maintenance fee.

I think he's talking about hot water. That's a big portion of the total energy bill. If you've got a dripping faucet, that can explain a lot.

[tutusue]

Re: Electric bill

Depends on what they are. From what I hear, it's the ones with a built-in DVR that suck the power. It's a desktop computer on 24/7. It's either recording or scanning for something to record.

Even if it's powered off?

If it's just a tuner, I wouldn't expect it to draw that much, but if it's digital, well, I guess it's all in how it's designed. [...]

And, if it's HD?.....

I think he's talking about hot water. That's a big portion of the total energy bill. If you've got a dripping faucet, that can explain a lot.

Hot water is also included in the maint. fee. I love not having a hot water heater!

[Walkoff Balk]

Re: Electric bill

I love not having a hot water heater!

Why would you want to heat hot water? Don't you mean a cold water heater?

[Palama Kid]

Re: Electric bill

However, your electric rates are much lower by a significant factor than our home in California. If you move back to CA.......bring lots of money!

Matapule, I live alone in house juss under 1300 sq ft:
- Winter average over $80.00 per month, mostly due to electric furnace
- Spring / Fall - no need use furnace all the time - around 50 bucks
- Summer time it's below 40 bucks. I no have A/C, so I keep house open during the evenings to cool off the house; usually around 60° at night. No work all the time, though.

Take multiple showers daily, but no big ting as I keep water heater (gas) in OFF position until needed. Cold water for clothes washer. I've rarely used my dishwasher - rinse bowl / cup / utensils after most meals.

FYI around forty bucks every two months for water.

[tutusue]

Re: Electric bill

Matapule, I live alone in house juss under 1300 sq ft:
- Winter average over $80.00 per month, mostly due to electric furnace
- Spring / Fall - no need use furnace all the time - around 50 bucks
- Summer time it's below 40 bucks. I no have A/C, so I keep house open during the evenings to cool off the house; usually around 60° at night. No work all the time, though....]

Just received the following from my daughter who, as I mentioned earlier, lives in a 1400 sq. ft. townhouse in Irvine, CA:
"My place in Irvine isn't usually more than $45 except in the winter when I use heat."

[Honoruru]

Re: Electric bill

We will probably be paying much more for electricity in the near future because of this rate increase proposal. From what I understand (and I could be wrong here), but this increase is significant in that it is not tied to the price of oil or operating expenses, but is being used to pay for HECO’s future capital improvement projects.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Electric bill

Even if it's powered off?

Quite possibly. I'd have to look into how they work. I think some of them continually scan for shows you've said you want.

And, if it's HD?.....

Definently digital.

Hot water is also included in the maint. fee. I love not having a hot water heater!

Just as long as the association doesn't go to sub-metering. (Llike this) It wouldn't surprise me but what it gets to be popular. Without paying for what you use, there's no incentive to reduce energy. Condos may find themselves trapped between high costs and residents screaming about rising maintenance costs.

[matapule]

Re: Electric bill

"My place in Irvine isn't usually more than $45 except in the winter when I use heat."

Not enough information to know what that means. In most situations in California, heating is done with natural gas which is less expensive (in general) than electric heat.

Without paying for what you use, there's no incentive to reduce energy. Condos may find themselves trapped between high costs and residents screaming about rising maintenance costs.

I agree. I think that associations that include all utilities in their dues are going to experience a rude awakening in the very near future. From an environmental standpoint, I oppose utilities for a flat fee (HOA dues). There is no incentive to use utilities judiciously.

[maliemalamalama]

Re: Electric bill

Mahalo, tutusue, for directing me to this thread. I live in a 1400sf townhouse. There are only two in our household (husband and me). CFLs in about 90% of all fixtures. All appliances are energy star. Water heater on a timer. We are at home and awake for six hours in a day. Our kwH usage for all of last year was never more than 500. Starting in January 2011, HECO showed usage went up slightly. In February, it spiked at almost 900 even though Feb is the shortest month of the year, and we weren't even home for 10 days that month. March showed lower usage, but it was still well over our usual. Since then, it has kept going up so that last month's purported usage was over 900 kwH. My bill for June was $283! We do not run a/c; all of our appliances seem to be working just fine. We have not changed our lifestyle - we are creatures of habit.

My friends live in a single family home, have two adults and three teenagers, have at least two people home during the day, and have the tv on and various appliances running continually all day. Their electric bill last month was $245. How can?

I called HECO twice this week and was told that someone would get back yo me in 4-8 weeks! What kine customer service is that?! I just want to find out if we're "leaking" electricity somewhere. Does anyone have any ideas?

[anapuni808]

Re: Electric bill

I'm sorry for your problems with a high electric bill but I've had a lot of experience with HECO customer service through my job and I've never had your sort of problems with them. and I don't think it is just because its a commercial account. I've had personal interaction with them at my apartment too. the response you say you have gotten from them just doesn't seem right. but of course, I'm only speaking from my own personal experience.

also, have you tried going to their website? they have a lot of tips on how to track you usage.

again, sorry for the experience youv'e been having with HECO.

[tutusue]

Re: Electric bill

[..
I called HECO twice this week and was told that someone would get back yo me in 4-8 weeks! What kine customer service is that?![...]

This makes me wonder if HECO is backlogged with a plethora of complaints similar to yours. In addition to your spike in kwH usage have you compared the various charges, under "Bill Detail", of your current bill to bills that were more normal for you?

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Electric bill

Our kwH usage for all of last year was never more than 500. Starting in January 2011, HECO showed usage went up slightly. In February, it spiked at almost 900 even though Feb is the shortest month of the year, and we weren't even home for 10 days that month.

I should have thought of this sooner. Let's crunch some numbers. You say your "base" is 500kwh but Feb was 900. That's 400Kwh unexplained. There's ~720 hours in a month. So to get 400KWH, we'd need a 555W appliance running 24/7. (Or a 1,100W appliance running 12/7, etc).

That's high enough I think we can eliminate most appliances like the PC, cable box, etc. I'd still focus on the hot water usage. If a hot water pipe in the slab sprung a leak, you might never notice the moisture - only the high electric bill and higher then normal water bill. The idea of "leaking" electricity seems remote. Not impossible, but it seems unlikely that the hot has shorted to something that conductive. However, a fault in the water heater can cause it to run at low power. I know you said you have a timer on it, but it depends on if the timer controls both wires or only one.

If you can locate your water and electric meters, you can monitor them for usage and see if you can narrow it down. They might be a bit tricky to read, but I'm sure if you google, you can find out how to do it.