USA Combi Boiler Electricity usage

[robj20]

Since having the combi fitted my electricity usage has shot up.
Gone from an average of 163kwh a month to 340.
So even though gas usage is down a lot, electric going up means its costing us more.

Excuse my rough maths but i have the boiler on for approximately 52 hours a week, so if it was indeed running fully for those 52 hours thats about 210 hours a month. The boiler power usage says 137w.
So 28.8kwh a month i think would be the max, but its gone up 158kwh last month.

 

[Last Plumber]

I can't see it being Boiler. They only use a small amount of electricity.

Big users are things like, Electric showers, kettles, immersion heaters etc

 

[robj20]

It was installed exactly 1 month ago, coincides perfectly with the doubling of power usage.
If it was something left on it would be about 220w if i worked it out right. So way beyond a light left on or something. Been no increase in any other usage that i can see.

How can i work out what is using it?

I was thinking something like this?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/geo-Minim-...862&sr=8-3&keywords=electricity+usage+monitor

At the moment its an extra £20 a month in electric so would pay for its self if it helps me track down the usage.

 

[Harvest Fields]

What system did you have before theboiler was fitted? I.e. Economy 7/storage heaters?? Might not make a difference but will help to figure it out

 

[Last Plumber]

You can only use a process of elimination. You could for example take an hourly meter reading with and without heating working. Or buy a clamp on ammeter to tell you how much electricity you're using and switch things on and off. Thing is, it's possibly a number of things on at the same time.

 

[robj20]

What system did you have before theboiler was fitted? I.e. Economy 7/storage heaters?? Might not make a difference but will help to figure it out

An old heat only boiler, with external pump. Very old boiler no electronics in it at all.

 

[Harvest Fields]

An old heat only boiler, with external pump. Very old boiler no electronics in it at all.

Was that just powering the heating or hot water as well? There shouldn't be much of a difference really if it was doing heating and hot water. They would both have a constant 240v supply.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Just a thought but, you have not ran out of contract with your electricity supplier and they have put the prices up have you?

 

[robj20]

Was that just powering the heating or hot water as well? There shouldn't be much of a difference really if it was doing heating and hot water. They would both have a constant 240v supply.

Just heating, hot water was gravity so no electricity usage.

 

[Last Plumber]

Your new Boiler will use more electricity. It will have a motor for the burner fan amongst other things. It will also use a pump over run. However, I cannot see you noticing a major difference on your electric bill.

 

[robj20]

Is a clamp meter a better bet rather than the one i posted above.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Auto-Rangi...electricity+clamp&refinements=p_96:6690067031

 

[Last Plumber]

Just a thought but, you have not ran out of contract with your electricity supplier and they have put the prices up have you?

Good call!

 

[robj20]

Just a thought but, you have not ran out of contract with your electricity supplier and they have put the prices up have you?

Nope. That wouldn't increase usage anyway just the price.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Your gravity hot water would have still been ran through the boiler and have used electricity other wise it would not have got hot

 

[Last Plumber]

Is a clamp meter a better bet rather than the one i posted above.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Auto-Ranging-Multimeter-Temperature-Resistance-Capacitance/dp/B073J5T588/ref=sr_1_4?dd=InYpwx0WGKV2JKDOpMrh-w,,&ie=UTF8&qid=1507534371&sr=8-4&keywords=electricity+clamp&refinements=p_96:6690067031

Either. I use them at work so need one similar to the last one you posted but the one you posted first is probably better for a home owner wanting to analyse power usage.

 

[gmartine]

Run a bath/shower, make a note of the meter readings for a minute.

 

[robj20]

Either. I use them at work so need one similar to the last one you posted but the one you posted first is probably better for a home owner wanting to analyse power usage.

Thanks it will be easier to read can carry it around as i unplug things i suppose.

 

[robj20]

Your gravity hot water would have still been ran through the boiler and have used electricity other wise it would not have got hot

It was a very old boiler, even a permanently on pilot light. Guess the only electric was to turn the gas valve.

 

[Last Plumber]

It was a very old boiler, even a permanently on pilot light. Guess the only electric was to turn the gas valve.

It would be on DHW only yes. Plus pump on CH but they are only an Amp (ish) if that.

 

[Ric2013]

The meter you originally posted IS a clamp-on meter, according to the questions and answers. It just doesn't show the clamp in the pictures and it's a bit nicer to look at. Beware that my experience of these is that they don't account for power factor. In layman's terms, this means old fashioned fluorescent fittings will appear to use twice the amount of electricity they are actually using. The most accurate meter you will find is probably the one belonging to the electricity supplier on your mains.

 

[Chuck]

Since having the combi fitted my electricity usage has shot up.
Gone from an average of 163kwh a month to 340.

A possible (and fairly likely) explanation is that last month's meter reading was either incorrect or a low-balled estimate.

Take daily readings for a few days.

 

[robj20]

Got the clamp monitor, issue how do I know which wire is the live. They're both unmarked.

Took a reading since yesterday as well 9kwh. So still on the high side and not a dodgy reading.

 

[sammathias]

Get a smart meter installed. Bypass all this estimating jargan!

 

[Last Plumber]

No Orange or Blue ring? I'm presuming here we are talking abut the tails to your meter?

 

[robj20]

No Orange or Blue ring? I'm presuming here we are talking abut the tails to your meter?

Yes just two identical grey wires. The monitor seems to read off both of them.

Get a smart meter installed. Bypass all this estimating jargan!

My supplier doesn't do them yet.

 

[Chuck]

Yes just two identical grey wires. The monitor seems to read off both of them.

That's because the meter detects the net current flowing through the area defined by clamp. It should be the same in both live and neutral.

 

[Chuck]

Did you (or your wife) rely on waste heat from the old boiler, e.g. an aways on towel rail, to help dry washing? If so you may find that you are needing to do more tumble drying, etc. now.

Did you actually fit a 'combi', i.e. no hot water cylinder, or do you mean 'condenser'? If you still have a HW cylinder the electric immersion heater has probably been left on. It should normally be off unless the boiler is out of service.

 

[robj20]

Yes definitely a combi.

I really can't think of anything that has changed, don't head always been done in the dryer or outside but not for a few months now. It's a great pump dryer so doesn't use that much anyway about 400w when it's on.
I need to wait for a quiet time so I can check each circuit I will turn each mcb on in turn see if I find anything.

 

[Last Plumber]

Yes just two identical grey wires. The monitor seems to read off both of them.

As Chuck said, Either will tell you.