Why does electric use increase in winter

[Ashful]

Personally I rely on a clamp-on amp meter but I thought 746 would give Doc something to start with.
I just went through replacing the sub. pump on our 500 ft. well so I'm well acquainted now with pump curves and efficiencies. I looked into going with a variable speed pump but decided against it. We did all the (hard) work ourselves and I did spend a fair amount of time sizing and spec'ing out the pump and motor based on actual needs rather than rules of thumb.

You pulled a submersible pump from 500 feet yourself? I am impressed. I’ve done them, but never any nearly that deep! I hope you had some buddies to tag-team that bad boy, and lots of lawn space to lay out the pipe.

Yeah, clamp-on ammeter is the only way to go, on these things. Like stoves, every install is different.

 

[Highbeam]

Even 200’ of pipe, full of water, is heavy. Lots of guys to help.

 

[Marshy]

Even 200’ of pipe, full of water, is heavy. Lots of guys to help.

I've done 400'. Not a fun day. Would be worse if it was winter.

 

[jetsam]

I am on track to use approximately 2076 KWH this month! I used 1936 KWH last month.

This is making no sense at all! This month I have intentionally used less electric then last month. We have lived in an almost dark house. And we have not used any fans. I even have the fan between my floors for heat movement turned off and just letting the heat from the wood stove naturally go upstairs.

Also I unplugged everything in the shop, all my power tool chargers, everything. Except the deep freezer.

Nothing I am checking is showing enough electric use to matter. By my calculations I should be running less then 1000 KWH

What the heck!

If the freezer is very low on coolant and running 24x7, 1000w x 720 hours = 720kwh.

Do you have one of those kill-a-watt things? They're great to check load over time right at the outlet.

 

[Highbeam]

I left the kill-a-watt on my freezer and found the running watts closer to 100 watts and it ran less than 50% of the time. Only if the defrost heater is stuck on would you ever see 1000 Watts!

 

[jetsam]

I left the kill-a-watt on my freezer and found the running watts closer to 100 watts and it ran less than 50% of the time. Only if the defrost heater is stuck on would you ever see 1000 Watts!

Maybe it's a big ass freezer from 1950! Those old compressors had high draws, and often no duty cycle/thermal protection.

 

[Doc C]

Maybe it's a big ass freezer from 1950! Those old compressors had high draws, and often no duty cycle/thermal protection.

LOL. It's a new freezer. Probably 2 years old. I tested it last winter with the kill-a-watt and it was fine. Can't remember the numbers

 

[Highbeam]

LOL. It's a new freezer. Probably 2 years old. I tested it last winter with the kill-a-watt and it was fine. Can't remember the numbers

I was surprised how cheaply modern (20years or less) refrigeration equipment runs.

 

[jetsam]

Maybe it's a 2 year old freezer that the neighbor has spliced into to power his garage full of refrigerators!

Say, do you live near Ashful?

 

[Ashful]

Maybe it's a 2 year old freezer that the neighbor has spliced into to power his garage full of refrigerators!

Say, do you live near Ashful?

Shh... you're going to blow my free ride.

 

[Dobish]

for a low price, you could have someone install it!

 

[jetsam]

They want $1353.59 when I look at it.

If you click on the installation link, it says that the service you're buying is meter pan replacement.

 

[Dobish]

They want $1353.59 when I look at it.

If you click on the installation link, it says that the service you're buying is meter pan replacement.

i know. its nuts that they even have this as an option!

 

[jetsam]

i know. its nuts that they even have this as an option!

My guess is: It's a legitimate service where they subcontract an electrician to replace your meter and meter pan. It's there because an algorithm picked out the phrase "POWER METER" from the item's name, and flagged it as a thing that many people use electricians for based on that. I bet if you look at other kill-a-watt style units that don't have "POWER METER" in the name, they won't have the install option.

 

[lml999]

Do you have a refrigerator in the garage or other unheated space?

 

[Doc C]

Do you have a refrigerator in the garage or other unheated space?

I have a deep freezer in the garage. I tested it with a meter during the winter and at least when I tested it is was within the usage range of what the manufacturer claimed it should be.

 

[Doc C]

I have Avista who is the electric company coming out to test the meter. Hopefully in the next couple days.

 

[Ashful]

I have a deep freezer in the garage. I tested it with a meter during the winter and at least when I tested it is was within the usage range of what the manufacturer claimed it should be.

You may want to test it when it’s super cold, like at dawn on your coldest nights. Freezers, especially newer ones, can get into a situation where the small amount of refrigerant with which they’re charged all pools in the condenser. The result of this is that when the freezer calls for cooling, the compressor runs, but has nothing to compress, and this eventually results in producing a lot of heat. The heat ends up being transmitted to the evaporator, and causing the inside of your freezer to become hotter than the outside. I’ve seen this happen on two of my own refrigerators, back when I used to let my garage get cold.

Older refrigerators do better, with this particular problem, as they’re typically charged with a larger volume of refrigerant.

 

[Doc C]

You may want to test it when it’s super cold, like at dawn on your coldest nights. Freezers, especially newer ones, can get into a situation where the small amount of refrigerant with which they’re charged all pools in the condenser. The result of this is that when the freezer calls for cooling, the compressor runs, but has nothing to compress, and this eventually results in producing a lot of heat. The heat ends up being transmitted to the evaporator, and causing the inside of your freezer to become hotter than the outside. I’ve seen this happen on two of my own refrigerators, back when I used to let my garage get cold.

Older refrigerators do better, with this particular problem, as they’re typically charged with a larger volume of refrigerant.

I had a fridge do that on the deck. It got warm and humid inside it.

But wouldn't the food in the freezer thaw out and make me sick if the freezer was doing it?

 

[Ashful]

I had a fridge do that on the deck. It got warm and humid inside it.

But wouldn't the food in the freezer thaw out and make me sick if the freezer was doing it?

One would think, yes... but who knows? We're grasping at straws here, man!

 

[Doc C]

One would think, yes... but who knows? We're grasping at straws here, man!

Grasping at straws is what I have been doing for 2 years! They have been expensive straws!

 

[velvetfoot]

I'm expecting a solution soon.
This thread is dragging on too long!

 

[saewoody]

Thanks for the update, Doc. I’m really curious what the electric company says.


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[maple1]

Did you order a monitor yet?

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Im jumping in late here but something is radically wrong here.
I have more appliances than you and use way less power
I have 3 Refrigerators going ............You have 1
Also a deep freeze
4 Big Sc TVs going .............................You have 1
4 person household ......................... You have 2
50 Gallon WH
3 computers going
Electric bathroom heaters.
Washer going daily
Electric Dryer going daily
I use about 1000 KWH a month sometimes less . Bill runs about $100 a month. Same usage year round.