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12/19/08, 07:57 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Southwestern NY
Posts: 79
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Electric Bill Doubled from last year... could it be the fence?
We got our electric bill today. from Last year our useage went from a daily average of 14.9 kWh to 46.2kWh. Husband and I talked. The we didn't put outside lights up. We use the same lighting in house ( few more compact flourescent bulbs this year) the only change was back in November we switched from having battery operated energizers on our fences to a new 110 unit. It is the "Parker Mccrory Super Energizer 4 This is Parmak's most powerful 110-volt low impedance fencer for the money. Has rugged zinc-coated steel case with a lifetime warranty against rust. Will shock through wet weeds or brush with over 8,000 volts at 500 Ohm load; charges up to 50 miles of fence. Has built-in performance meter. 1-year warranty. (9.11 joule output)."
Do you think that this charger is making the difference. The cost works out to a difference between 2.44per day to 6.00 per day that we pay for our electric. If so that charger, though it works exceptionally well, will have to go.
Holly
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12/19/08, 08:00 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Southwestern NY
Posts: 79
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I'm still working things out... if it is the charger it will cost us over a thousand dollars a year to power the *bleeping* thing Even the hottub didn't jump the bill up like that...
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12/19/08, 08:11 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Montana
Posts: 1,495
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Hi,
If it was only the fence charger that accounted for the 30KWH per day jump, it would have to be using more than 1000 watts continuously -- I don't think that's very likely at all. I think it says it uses a 1 amp fuse, so that would mean its not pulling any more than 120 watts at the most.
You must have something else that has increased your load a LOT.
It seems like it should be easy to find with that large an increase, but if you can't find it, you might buy a KillAWatt meter -- this will allow you to see how much power anything that plugs into the wall is using.
www.newegg.com usually has them cheap.
Have you added a stock tank heater? they use a lot of power.
Gary
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12/19/08, 08:19 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Ontario
Posts: 12,685
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Something besides a fencer changed!!! Check your refrigerators and freezers or the well pump. Something is drawing serious amps!
__________________
Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup........
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12/19/08, 08:22 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NE Kansas
Posts: 502
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Have you added any refrigeration appliances, or do you have a motor running somewhere that may be stuck on for some reason? How about your electrical lines to your house, are they buried? Electric heater somewhere that is on? Just trying to help think of some reasons for such an increase. Be sure to let us know what it is when you find it.
P.S. I just checked my most recent bill and realized a decrease from 73 to 59 kwh's a day.
Last edited by mdharris68; 12/19/08 at 08:26 PM.
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12/19/08, 08:24 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,662
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Have your rates gone up in the last year? I've heard that electric rates in some places have nearly doubled. That could account for at least part of it.
Kathleen
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12/19/08, 08:26 PM
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Master Of My Domain
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 7,220
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if you have a dual element electric water heater, check to see if you have a bad element.
__________________
this message has probably been edited to correct typos, spelling errors and to improve grammar... 
"All that is gold does not glitter..."
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12/19/08, 08:27 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 531
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I'd call the power company. There may be something wrong with the bill. Did a neighbor build a house or barn within the last year? Maybe someone else is scratching their head saying, "Wow, our bill looks pretty small. Is this right?" I've heard of stranger things happening.
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12/19/08, 08:31 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,856
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check for a hot water leak. or a stuck water heater thermostat like other had said,,, its got to be a big current draw.....if it were the fence charger it would be glowing red with that much amp draw. do you have any underground electric feeds?
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12/19/08, 08:33 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Michigan
Posts: 242
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Could it have been estimated last time? I have that happen to me and they under estimated the month before, then socked it to me!
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12/19/08, 08:40 PM
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Zone 7
Posts: 10,559
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I was sued by a disgruntal tenant that knew I was using power from their meter for a fence charger, the same one as yours. This incident came about after I caught her son stealing copper from me and he was arrested. Long story short. With a notorized statement from a licensed degree'd engineer that communicated with ParMak the charger uses less than a buck a month, actually it was cents per month but I do not remember the exact amount. The magistrate through the case out.
I am with Meloc, is your water heated electrically? If so, you may have an element shorted to ground. Over hot hot water is a good indicator of the problem. Go turn off everything an then look at the meter, is it still turning? If so, turn off the breakers one at a time time until the meter ceases to turn. You can isolate your fault.
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Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!
Last edited by agmantoo; 12/19/08 at 08:44 PM.
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12/19/08, 08:49 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 47
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An under ground power source with a short can play havoc with your power meter. N.Carolina
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12/19/08, 08:50 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Fort Repose
Posts: 899
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Take your bill out and check the meter readings. It may have been misread. Happened to me once.
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12/19/08, 09:57 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 4,443
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I agree, that's too much of a big difference to be the new fence chargers problem. I would check out the service entrance by turning all the breakers off in the house first. If the meter is still running then you have a leak somewhere between the house breaker box and the meter. If the service entrance checks out good then turn each individual breaker on and see if any one of them is running the meter too fast.
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r.h. in oklahoma
Raised a country boy, and will die a country boy. 
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12/19/08, 11:07 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Mountains of Utah
Posts: 1,052
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It ain't the fencer.
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12/20/08, 06:40 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 261
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Do you have central heat? My compressor outside was messing up and I ended up with a hugh electric bill until I replaced it the next month.
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12/20/08, 06:43 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,395
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Call the electric company. This is probably a misread of your meter.
Jena
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...to be a rock and not to roll...
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12/20/08, 07:29 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 222
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it can't be the fencer, the only thing running on the fencer is the pulsator until something grounds it out...and if it is a weed chopper [continous] then nothing is running
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12/20/08, 08:28 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,240
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get some one out and have them put a amp meter on each wire and or have the power company and they usually have a meter they can put in between the meter and socket and make a complete recording of your usage, and if you direct bury wire in the ground you may have a in the ground leak,
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12/20/08, 08:29 AM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 721
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It can be a bad appliance as others have said, but also it can be a bad meter. I usually read my meter several times a week & a few years ago I figured out the meter was bad before the electric co did. I know exactly what I should be using though, because I have fought the meter for about 18 years! Sometimes if they estimate they will do it based on the highest month of the year even if that is July and your reading is now December, so that is a possiblity too if you use AC in the summer. This is why I read my meter often. Good luck!
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Cindy in PA
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