metering some electricity

my electric bill is way too high & I need to know where its going. One line of 230 & 115 runs to the shop & barn. Is there a meter I can buy that will install in this line & tell me how much electric goes out over it?

Just use your service meter. Turn off all breakers and read your meter, then turn on just your shop or barn for a few hours and get another reading. THat would give an idea what's using more.

Submersible well pumps will sometimes be the cause. Out of sight, out of mind. I've seen the pressure switch contacts weld shut and the pump run 24/7.
Fortunately the pump was a shallow well unit placed in a medium depth well. Even when run dead headed it peaked out at only 70-75 psi. So no pipework failed.
Women and kids tend to plug in electric heaters, turn them on full blast then forget about them for weeks.
How high is your electrical bill?

If you turn off all the main breakers, and the meter keeps turning forward - the power company is screwing you. If it turns backwards, they'll probably send the SWAT team to your place because they're the ones getting screwed.

If you're uncomfortable around electricity, call an electrician.

Get a clamp-on multimeter. Anywhere from $10 to several hundred $$$.

Remove the cover on your panel(s), and clamp the meter on each circuit to get a reading. You need to clamp it to individual wires - clamping around a pair (such as a cord to an appliance) will cancel out the reading and it won't be accurate. (I'm sure there's more to it than that; others on this board will be able to elaborate further.)

They also make a device called a Kill-a-Watt (or similar name) that you can plug in inline with an appliance to tell you what it's drawing.

A couple things to check. Is your well operating properly? How many stock tank heaters do you have plugged in. Block/tank heaters on tractors/equipment? refrigerators/freezers?

If you are on a member owned electric co-op they
usually will loan you a meter that you can plug
into various circuits to determine usage. I had a
similar problem and the co-op gladly loaned me a
meter.

Contact your electric supplier. They usually will
loan you meters so you can monitor circuits to
determine usage. I had a similar problem and the co-op I am on sent out a tech and meter no charge

Not to rub salt in a wound but our highest electric bill this last winter was $17.00 YES...


We were not getting bills so the wife called and they don't send a bill for that month if it is under $20.00.

We have a 1200 sq ft house and 34 x 24 garage that is finished and heated. Our heat is gas and our stove and dryer are as well. We started turning the computer "OFF" when were done with it and unplugging unused cell phone chargers.

I also installed in all our lights the new style light bulbs. The garage has normal 10's that are on all the time it seems.

How were doing this i don't know but we havn't spent $60.00 total this winter on the electric bills.

I also last year had the interupter removed from the house. It is supposed to save you money on your electric in the summer by allowing them to turn your air off for up to 20 mins a hour.

"Save me money" then why is there a charge for the service , it is on the bills. They also prorate the bills for this. I noticed that it was prorated on a 6 month average. It started March 1st threw September 1st , "problem" we have snow in March and sometimes April here in Michigan.

A good friend of mine does heating and cooling for a living and was the one who said to get rid of it.

My electric bills in the summer were between $100.00 and $180.00 a month to run the central air. With the interupter removed our worst bill was $64.00 "WOW".

Edison fought with me on the removal of the meter, they wanted it left there. I gave them seven days to remove it or i would, well you know how a statement like that goes over "tuff $hit".

I can't say your going to get the results we did but the power company wants to make money to.

You are not required to have the interupter it is by choice "it will save you money" so they say.

What i have written here tonight is as accurate as i can type it, these results are very true.

Oh by the way they read our meters every month as well around here, so you can compare the readings with the bill.

Surprisingly mine shot up when I started running a vaporizer constantly to fight the dry winter air one year. I didn't think it would make such a difference. I quit that quick.

$253 for one month. In middle Tenn. where TVA tells us our electric is dirt cheap but I know West Virginia (Allegheny Power) is a lot cheaper.

Electrical bill has been in the $490.00's the past three winter months. Wood is used for suppliment heat with an airtight fan forced fireplace.
2 or 3 block heaters, two heat lamps for a couple dozen chickens, water line heat trace,9 yard lights, every light left on in the house by the children, electric baseboards in the garage, electric 60 gallon water heater that the kids run cold daily, electric stove, electric clothes dryer, electric well pump, two freezers and an electric furnace.

Howdy
No one else has said it , but I don't beleive it.
Unless you are Amish!!. What are you able to see in the garage with those 10 watt bulbs? If you are on the level , please tell me how to save $150.00 a month on my electric bill.
Bob S.