electricity bill doubled! why?!

[auxelf]

Hi there,

I have just received my quarterly electricity bill and the electricity units I have used were actually double of my usage in a similar period last year. This is very puzzling as the electrical appliances in the house remained the same and I have not been using them excessively.

Yesterday, when I tried to install a shaver socket into my bathroom, using a power cable extended from the room next door, the earth wire caused the tester screwdriver to light up, which suggest it’s actually “live”!

Does this mean that there is a short circuit somewhere? Could this have caused my electricity bill to double?

Thanks for your help!

 

[bathjobby]

Does this mean that there is a short circuit somewhere?

No, it means you have a leakage to earth. Either caused by some incorrect wiring, bad connection or faulty wiring or equipment.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Or the cpc is disconnected, and there's an induced voltage floating on it. Check it with an analogue voltmeter.

Or call an electrician - either of the possible causes needs investigation.

 

[andy]

the earth wire caused the tester screwdriver to light up, which suggest it’s actually “live”!

those screwdrivers are only useful for 1 thing: a screwdriver.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Usually not even that - they make them out of mazak or something...

 

[big-all]

heeellloo aux elf and welcome

another thing you have to take into concideration is wether there has been any estimated bills in this period!!!!!

they may have underestimated last year[unusual]
or overestimated if youve only got estimates up to this bill

they tend to over estimate each quarter progressivly by adout 20% so after 4 estimated quarters you do there job and read the meter

only to be conciderd in conection to the good advice given above

 

[Steve]

Hi there,

I have just received my quarterly electricity bill and the electricity units I have used were actually double of my usage in a similar period last year. This is very puzzling as the electrical appliances in the house remained the same and I have not been using them excessively.

Yesterday, when I tried to install a shaver socket into my bathroom, using a power cable extended from the room next door, the earth wire caused the tester screwdriver to light up, which suggest it’s actually “live”!

Does this mean that there is a short circuit somewhere? Could this have caused my electricity bill to double?

Thanks for your help!

One very simple thing you can do is unplug everything, turn all the lights off, shower off, cooker off (at cooker switch), make sure anything that is in standby is unplugged etc, so electricity consumption should be zero.

Now, look at the electric meter disc / light. If it shows no signs of life, then you know the electricity you are using is merely through your appliances, and you have no "leakage" anywhere.

 

[mrcrow]

that last post reminded me of the meter test i did....in scotland..
the thing was turning with everything off..
the electricity board said if it was so much percent within a test run they would charge me to renew it
they paid

 

[Lectrician]

I was sure I posded a reply....gone?

 

[securespark]

I think you did, too...

You didn't mention the forbidden "M" word did you?