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Ridiculous Electric Bill

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  • #16
    Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

    Originally posted by maliemalamalama View Post
    By the way, I have access to my meter, but I'm not sure how you would know what your usage is if you don't...
    If you have access to your meter, I would just turn everything off at the circuit breaker box, then one-by-one, turn on each circuit individually to determine how much power each one is sucking up.


    BTW, it's just my wife and me, and our electric bill is about $220/mo from Nov 2010 - Mar 2011, and $270/mo ever since (we've been running the AC a lot more since March). This is roughly a $40/mo jump from the same months the previous year.
    Last edited by zff; July 18, 2011, 11:41 AM.

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    • #17
      Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

      Did ya read the news article in the Star Advertiser today about using ceiling fans instead of AC's because:

      "According to Hawaiian Electric Co., using ceiling fans instead of an air conditioner can save local consumers more than $70 a month. That's because ceiling fans don't use any more electricity than a normal ceiling outlet. HECO also points out that EnergyStar-rated ceiling fan and lights are more efficient and can earn taxpayers a rebate."

      Since when do outlets let along "ceiling outlets" consume electricity. And quite honestly a typical ceiling fan uses anywhere from 75 to 95 watts of power (48 to 52") then add on the light itself (7-1/2 watts if using those CFL's x 4 if using a multi bulb fixture)

      Tomalee Waage, manager at The Fan Shop in Waimalu says, "The cheaper fans in the big-box stores might not explain on the package whether they're humidity-resistant. A specialty shop such as Pacific Ceiling Fans, which has been in business since 1981, has people on staff who can explain such things." I guess Hunter is considered by The Fan Shop to be a cheap fan. And I guess The Fan Shop may not have fans in the budgets of most homeowners because they don't stock cheap City Mill Casablanca fans only expensive humidity rated ceiling fans.

      The only thing I got from Waage is that unless you want the best, shop everywhere else. That can be good, however most can't afford the best and Waage shot himself and The Fan Shop in the foot suggesting The Fan Shop carries only expensive stuff. Why bother going there if you think spending a hundred dollars is already expensive at Home Depot. If you cannot afford that, forget The Fan Shop.

      Either way using ceiling fans generate a lot of power consumption on a daily basis. Better I think to grab a book and go to Starbucks and chill out at their expense.
      Last edited by craigwatanabe; July 18, 2011, 06:49 PM.
      Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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      • #18
        Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

        Originally posted by joshuatree View Post
        Actually, I lived in a condo where I couldn't get access to my meter as all the meters for the units were in a common locked closet accessible only by the bldg mgr. So it can be an issue for some.
        I live in a condo as well, so I don't have access to my meter. My electric bill used to be included in my rent, but about four years ago, it changed, and I had to pay for electricity. I also noticed that the vast majority of rental advertisement for rentals in my building (from that time forward) also included electricity. I guess electricity had become a major expense. My electric bill is a copy of what the condo association sends to the condo owners.

        By the way, last month's electric bill was my highest ever, but it wasn't as exorbitant as MaileMalamalama's bill was. However, I have been hearing lots of stories of high electric bills. I don't think MaileMalamalama is alone.

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        • #19
          Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

          Originally posted by Honoruru View Post
          I live in a condo as well, so I don't have access to my meter. My electric bill used to be included in my rent, but about four years ago, it changed, and I had to pay for electricity. I also noticed that the vast majority of rental advertisement for rentals in my building (from that time forward) also included electricity. I guess electricity had become a major expense. My electric bill is a copy of what the condo association sends to the condo owners.

          By the way, last month's electric bill was my highest ever, but it wasn't as exorbitant as MaileMalamalama's bill was. However, I have been hearing lots of stories of high electric bills. I don't think MaileMalamalama is alone.
          You should have access to your meter if you are paying it yourself. Or is it submetered?
          Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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          • #20
            Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

            Originally posted by joshuatree View Post
            I agree at ~600W an hour, it's probably not the smaller devices. However, having a power meter is a great way for anyone to do a little detective work to get an idea of what portions of power consumption go where. Then it can be a process of elimination. The TED device you listed still requires removing an electric panel and I would relegate that to someone who is a professional to be on the side of caution.
            Yes, the small power meter is good for individual appliances. Telling you how much your entertainment system, cable box and/or computer is using. But it won't help you on a "whole house" basis. And you can't monitor the big users like the stove, water heater or A/C.

            Yes, opening up the electrical panel isn't for the novice. Thanks for pointing that out. But at least TED, and things like it will give a "whole house" picture.

            There is this device that doesn't require an electriction, but the range may be too limited for some large buildings.


            Originally posted by joshuatree View Post
            Some other thoughts would be an electric water heater where maybe the thermostat is no longer operating correctly. Same goes with the refrigerator. Maybe the central air if that is involved as well?
            Possibilities.

            Originally posted by craigwatanabe View Post
            And quite honestly a typical ceiling fan uses anywhere from 75 to 95 watts of power (48 to 52") then add on the light itself (7-1/2 watts if using those CFL's x 4 if using a multi bulb fixture)
            I did a random search at the Hunter website and find 66W for a 52". But at 95W (not doubt running at full blast) that's still a lot less then even a small A/C unit.


            Originally posted by Honoruru View Post
            My electric bill used to be included in my rent, but about four years ago, it changed, and I had to pay for electricity. I also noticed that the vast majority of rental advertisement for rentals in my building (from that time forward) also included electricity. I guess electricity had become a major expense. My electric bill is a copy of what the condo association sends to the condo owners.
            Originally posted by craigwatanabe View Post
            You should have access to your meter if you are paying it yourself. Or is it submetered?
            Sounds like sub-metering was installed around 4 years ago.

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            • #21
              Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

              On the subject of refrigerators, I had a problem awhile back. The unit is designed such that when the freezer does the defrosting thing, the water is dumped down the back wall of the refrigerator compartment below it.

              The drain at the bottom of the refrigerator "slimed up" (ick). I had a pool of water down there. It was causing water to drip everywhere. Once I cleaned that out, things went back to normal. I'm sure that was taking up some extra electricity, but I didn't have any measuring devices in place.

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              • #22
                Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

                Originally posted by GeckoGeek View Post
                Sounds like sub-metering was installed around 4 years ago.

                You can request to have a remote reader installed on your meter.
                Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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                • #23
                  Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

                  http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/b...126048273.html

                  Held up without a gun.

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                  • #24
                    Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

                    Originally posted by Walkoff Balk View Post
                    Held up without a gun.
                    That's better then what the Board of Water is going to do to us.

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                    • #25
                      Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

                      My brother,who lives in Paradise Park had to go to the Kaiser Hospital for a month of intensive chemotherapy.During that time almost no power was being used at his home.Upon getting home the electricity bill was just the same as usual.His wife did some research and found out that the meter reader was not even checking the meter.Polite complaints to the proper authorities resulted in a partial refund.

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                      • #26
                        Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

                        Originally posted by lensperson View Post
                        meter reader was not even checking the meter
                        The question is how long had the meter reader not been checking? If he only missed a month, it would have been corrected the next month when the meter was read. If it had been going on for a longer period of time, then I'd be more concerned that the meter reader had been simply making up numbers rather then doing his/her job.
                        Last edited by GeckoGeek; July 23, 2011, 10:34 AM.

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                        • #27
                          Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

                          The rates HAVE been increasing. HECO's bills include usage info for the past year. I submit a few details within a certain range:

                          Date kwh cost Rate/kwh
                          7-14-10 1022 261.53 0.2559001956947162426614481409002
                          9-14-10 851 223.90 0.26310223266745005875440658049354
                          2-10-11 864 235.30 0.27233796296296296296296296296296
                          5-11-11 823 250.82 0.30476306196840826245443499392467
                          7-14-11 821 268.20 0.32667478684531059683313032886724

                          Think they need more garbage in Kapolei? I recommend Mufi. His bulk should be good for a 5-cent reduction per kwh.
                          Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!
                          ~ ~
                          Kaʻonohiʻulaʻokahōkūmiomioʻehiku
                          Spreading the virus of ALOHA.
                          Oh Chu. If only you could have seen what I've seen, with your eyes.

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                          • #28
                            Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

                            The meter reading was routinely skipped in rural areas for several months at a time for many households.No wonder that the bills go up.

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                            • #29
                              Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

                              Originally posted by lensperson View Post
                              The meter reading was routinely skipped in rural areas for several months at a time for many households.No wonder that the bills go up.
                              when you say Paradise Park do you mean HPP in Keaau? I believe there is one meter reader on that route and that reader get's sick from time to time. When that happens, HELCO does an estimation of your reading which is allowable by the PUC. But in your case the estimation was in error. Like Gecko Geek implied, the next month there should have been a correction or at least a technician would have come out to inspect what happened.
                              Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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                              • #30
                                Re: Ridiculous Electric Bill

                                sorry for delay in response.
                                The Big Island is ,indeed, a very large island.
                                The meter readers have a very challenging assignment and sometimes things go astray or a family crisis erupts.
                                Forgiveness is a passive asset.

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