Energy Usage Help - 60kwh per day!

[T6ChrisO]

Hi guys, hoping there's somebody in the know on the forum who could shed a little light (so to speak) on how the cottage we rent is using so much elec each day.

2/3 bed cottage, fully electric (no gas)
Hot water via 210L 3kw Direct water cylinder (runs during the night at off-peak)
Elec panel heaters
Work from home during the day so a bit of lighting, and power a laptop and monitor

Off peak (12am - 7am) we are using typically 21kw per day
Peak we are using typically 40kw per day

This puts us near 1800kwh per month which some houses use in a year! The monthly bill is coming in around £450-£500 per month which we just can't afford and currently £1800 in debt on the account

OVO are saying the smart meter is working fine and must be correct.

Please someone help how I can figure this out

 

[DaveD]

Hi guys, hoping there's somebody in the know on the forum who could shed a little light (so to speak) on how the cottage we rent is using so much elec each day.

2/3 bed cottage, fully electric (no gas)
Hot water via 210L 3kw Direct water cylinder (runs during the night at off-peak)
Elec panel heaters
Work from home during the day so a bit of lighting, and power a laptop and monitor

Off peak (12am - 7am) we are using typically 21kw per day
Peak we are using typically 40kw per day

This puts us near 1800kwh per month which some houses use in a year! The monthly bill is coming in around £450-£500 per month which we just can't afford and currently £1800 in debt on the account

OVO are saying the smart meter is working fine and must be correct.

Please someone help how I can figure this out

If you haven't already, I'd start by carrying out a "creep test" - switch EVERYTHING off, or ideally throw the breaker(s) on the distribution board. (your fridge / freezer will be fine for half an hour if you leave them closed).
Take a photo of the meter. Wait half an hour.
You should see zero electricity used. If you see electricity used you've got a problem with the meter.

 

[t0mb0]

Short answer is it’s going on heating. You’re heating the hot water and the house with purely resistive heating (assuming those panels you mention are simple electric heaters) by the sound of it. The bill will go down substantially during the summer but that 210l water cylinder is probably 10kWh on its own to heat.

 

[t0mb0]

In order to heat a house efficiently using only electricity, you need some form of heat pump, either radiators/underfloor using an air to water heatpump or air to air AC style units.

 

[T6ChrisO]

If you haven't already, I'd start by carrying out a "creep test" - switch EVERYTHING off, or ideally throw the breaker(s) on the distribution board. (your fridge / freezer will be fine for half an hour if you leave them closed).
Take a photo of the meter. Wait half an hour.
You should see zero electricity used. If you see electricity used you've got a problem with the meter.

Will give it a go (at a convenient time ha ha)

 

[T6ChrisO]

Short answer is it’s going on heating. You’re heating the hot water and the house with purely resistive heating (assuming those panels you mention are simple electric heaters) by the sound of it. The bill will go down substantially during the summer but that 210l water cylinder is probably 10kWh on its own to heat.

I think they are just basic simple heaters yeah. Just got more info on the water cylinder, its two coils so its actually 6kw per hour that its going to use. Timer was set 12:30am 6:30am by the electrician BUT it should shut off once temp reaches 'x' degrees so hopefully its not been running for 6 hours each time.

July 2024 between 12am and 7 am we used 66kw in the month
Fed 2025 between 12amm and 7am we used 637kw in the month (this is with our panel heaters off during this time).

Something just isnt adding up......

 

[t0mb0]

I think they are just basic simple heaters yeah. Just got more info on the water cylinder, its two coils so its actually 6kw per hour that its going to use. Timer was set 12:30am 6:30am by the electrician BUT it should shut off once temp reaches 'x' degrees so hopefully its not been running for 6 hours each time.

July 2024 between 12am and 7 am we used 66kw in the month
Fed 2025 between 12amm and 7am we used 637kw in the month (this is with our panel heaters off during this time).

Something just isnt adding up......

Can you clarify your number and units? Using 637kW in the month doesn’t really mean anything because kW is a measure of power, not energy. By kW there, do you actually mean kWh? And is that an average per day, a single day, or a sum over the month but only between the specified hours?

 

[T6Plumber]

If you have two immersions for the cylinder, the lower one out of the two should be wired to an off peak timer and the one above it is wired to a separate spur, purely a boost to switch on in the event you run out during the day & need a bit extra to see you through.

Check the fuse spur for the top immersion isn’t on.

 

[T6ChrisO]

Can you clarify your number and units? Using 637kW in the month doesn’t really mean anything because kW is a measure of power, not energy. By kW there, do you actually mean kWh? And is that an average per day, a single day, or a sum over the month but only between the specified hours?

Sorry yea its kwh

For example, Feb-Mar monthly usage
Off peak 637kwh
Peak 1190kwh

 

[T6ChrisO]

If you have two immersions for the cylinder, the lower one out of the two should be wired to an off peak timer and the one above it is wired to a separate spur, purely a boost to switch on in the event you run out during the day & need a bit extra to see you through.

Check the fuse spur for the top immersion isn’t on.

Thank you, will double check this

 

[t0mb0]

Sorry yea its kwh

For example, Feb-Mar monthly usage
Off peak 637kwh
Peak 1190kwh

Thanks, and how many days does that period cover?

 

[T6ChrisO]

Thanks, and how many days does that period cover?

20th Feb - 19th March so 27/28 days

 

[T6ChrisO]

If you have two immersions for the cylinder, the lower one out of the two should be wired to an off peak timer and the one above it is wired to a separate spur, purely a boost to switch on in the event you run out during the day & need a bit extra to see you through.

Check the fuse spur for the top immersion isn’t on.

 

[t0mb0]

20th Feb - 19th March so 27/28 days

Thanks, and were the panel heaters on consistently over this period?

 

[T6ChrisO]

Thanks, and were the panel heaters on consistently over this period?

No, we try to use them quite sparingly now since we noticed the bills getting out of hand. Mrs is always cold which doesnt help. Pretty much on from 5pm onwards but only in the Kitchen and Lounge, the others are turned off. Bedroom heater on for 2 hours in evening

 

[T6Plumber]

View attachment 280166

You’ve got a dual control timer there so that’s all good & as it should be mate.

 

[T6Plumber]

You’ve got a dual control timer there so that’s all good & as it should be mate.

That said, it looks like the controller comes with 3 x preset schedules; Economy 7, Economy 20:20 & Economy 10.

Worth double checking that whoever fitted it has set it up to come on & off for the correct off peak tariff schedules via the instructions that are sat on top of it.

 

[t0mb0]

No, we try to use them quite sparingly now since we noticed the bills getting out of hand. Mrs is always cold which doesnt help. Pretty much on from 5pm onwards but only in the Kitchen and Lounge, the others are turned off. Bedroom heater on for 2 hours in evening

Ok, thanks. If you have any further information on the panels, that would help narrow it down. e.g. number of panels, number of hours on per day and kW rating if possible. Just looking at your peak numbers, it is perfectly possible for panel heaters to use the kind of kWh numbers you’re talking about.

 

[T6ChrisO]

That said, it looks like the controller comes with 3 x preset schedules; Economy 7, Economy 20:20 & Economy 10.

Worth double checking that whoever fitted it has set it up to come on & off for the correct off peak tariff schedules via the instructions that are sat on top of it.

We are on an economy 7 tariff and the controller is correct, switching it on-off between 12:30am and 6:30am

 

[T6Plumber]

We are on an economy 7 tariff and the controller is correct, switching it on-off between 12:30am and 6:30am

Discount the hot water from being a main cause of the high consumption in that case then mate.