Reef tank electricity $450?!?!

[Acrofiend]

Sounds about right. My old house was a now 100 year old craftsman, so it was drafty to say the least. If you didn't heat the house with regularity, it was within 5 degrees of ambient temp in about 24 hours. Glancing at your bill, I'm assuming your DWP? I'm Edison as I'm in the county, but not the city of LA (Long Beach).

I just read the line on your bill... 1200 kwh, insaneo. How many people, how big of a house. All electric or some natural gas? My summer months with the central A/C at 74 degrees dosent even come close to cracking half that.

Something's wrong.... Or your entire house is electrically heated and the rain/cold kicked your butt.

Yes DWP. That’s what I don’t understand. Huge difference of KWH compared to months before but my heater has been running often the past month.
3 people, small 2 bedroom house probably built in the 70’s without wall insulation.
We’re using a gas wall heater but I doubt that uses electricity?

 

[Acrofiend]

Also one to think about, the meter didn't read right for a month as they work on a cell signal to send data to the central location for billing. I had that happen a few years ago and about fell out of my chair when I saw the bill untill a call to SCE answered my question.

Well one thing I don’t understand is the month of December-Jan I was at 19577-19798 (220 kWh) then Jan-Feb it jumped up to 48974. How did it jump up to 48974?

 

[Acrofiend]

does your tank have a lid? Makes a huge difference - I had an open top but lost home heat in a cold snap in a small poorly insulated apartment years ago, heater couldn't keep up. Wrapped the tank in blankets and put some plastic over the top and suddenly had no problems.

That sounds like a great solution. I do have an acrylic top I can put over the tank.

 

[Sidsreef]

i just got solar panels. i don't pay anything in electricity. try looking at that option

 

[srobertb]

I have a sister who lives in LA. Rule one of living in LA: never stop talking about living in LA.

Had a friend who sold their 4 story brownstone in upscale Philadelphia for $2m so they could take a promotion in California. They now live 45 minutes away from work in a 3 bedroom and last time I checked there was a blanket for a door.

 

[blaxsun]

Haha, touché. You now get snow as well I see... (like the rest of us). Not to put too much of a finer point on the whole sunset argument, but they don't call our province "The Land of the Living Skys" for no reason...

 

[Acrofiend]

Ok so I’m reading 1200kWh for one month so that should mean 120,000 watts/30 days=4000 watts/day.
4000/24= 166 watts per hour. Sounds about right?

 

[itgoeson]

With the new rates in my state, my Apex says my 180 is $78/month (with the heaters going a lot because we keep the house pretty cool in the winter to save on oil). +1 to something else must be going on…

 

[DCR]

You only used 1200 kWh and paid a total of $450. That is almost $0.40/kwh all in. That generation charge is really killing you whatever it is. Most others outside of CA are probably paying less than half of that. Tough to run anything but a nano in that kind of environment.

 

[edd59]

possibly a defective meter. like mentioned a 200 watt heater running 24/7 wouldnt use near that amount.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

With the new rates in my state, my Apex says my 180 is $78/month (with the heaters going a lot because we keep the house pretty cool in the winter to save on oil). +1 to something else must be going on…

I don't miss paying to fill the oil tank twice a season, that's for sure!!

 

[NCsalt]

My heating bill was up 17 percent this year from last year with same useage.

 

[GlassMunky]

Well one thing I don’t understand is the month of December-Jan I was at 19577-19798 (220 kWh) then Jan-Feb it jumped up to 48974. How did it jump up to 48974?

If there’s a huge discrepancy between the usage from one month to the next it may be an estimated usage charge, and then when they actually read the meter they charge you the real price for what you used over that time.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Yes DWP. That’s what I don’t understand. Huge difference of KWH compared to months before but my heater has been running often the past month.
3 people, small 2 bedroom house probably built in the 70’s without wall insulation.
We’re using a gas wall heater but I doubt that uses electricity?

You need to call DWP, and see if it's a meter fault. Or you gotta check your usage, it ain't the tank for that extreme.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

If there’s a huge discrepancy between the usage from one month to the next it may be an estimated usage charge, and then when they actually read the meter they charge you the real price for what you used over that time.

We don't do that here, only charged for actual use.

 

[GlassMunky]

I would also suggest to try shipping around for better prices per kWh if you’re able to do that where you live. Here in NJ we can choose who supplies our electric and shop based on price.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I would also suggest to try shipping around for better prices per kWh if you’re able to do that where you live. Here in NJ we can choose who supplies our electric and shop based on price.

Can't do that here, lol. Your regionally slotted with your utility.

 

[GlassMunky]

We don't do that here, only charged for actual use.

Ok. Yea here in NJ if they can’t make it out to your house to read the meter they just guess, and then when you get the actual reading it’s a big chunk of cash. Happened to us last summer before we told them we wouldn’t accept any more estimates.

 

[GlassMunky]

Can't do that here, lol. Your regionally slotted with your utility.

dang Cali really does suck in ever possible way lol. We have to use our regional people as the delivering agent of the power but we get to choose where it’s generated. My electric actually comes from full renewable energy in NY instead of here in NJ

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Ok. Yea here in NJ if they can’t make it out to your house to read the meter they just guess, and then when you get the actual reading it’s a big chunk of cash. Happened to us last summer before we told them we wouldn’t accept any more estimates.

All of our meters are digital and are cellular. The signal routinely goes to the central point for reading. We don't have the old school meter readers for electric anymore. Even the water is now 'digital'.