[PenultimateManStanding]

Living in an apartment in San Diego I have no need for heat or A/C. I run a fridge and a computer. My utility bills are about $20/mo. For that reason, I usually pay it every 2 to 3 months. For the reason that the bill is so low they've given me no flak about my payment philosophy. I last paid in February and went to pay over the weekend to cover March, April and May expecting to pay about 60 to $70. So I opened the bill and it was $310.78. My first thought was that they were going to demand a deposit because they didn't like my payment habits. But as I studied the bill I saw that wasn't the case. The meter readings said I had about 350% increase in usage suddenly for 3 months in a row. I called them and waded through the 'press 1 for blah blah, press 2 for blah blah' for a while until I got a customer service guy. He was very good, no complaints there. He pulled up my records and saw that something strange had happened. He said to call back after the next meter reading (this Wednesday) and they would investigate. I'm wondering how this dramatic usage situation could come about. Any ideas, experience?

[kpeavey]

I was an apartment manager for 4 years. Gives me a little bit of experience.

The meter on apartment 5 was on the blink, tenants got a bill for $6 a month. when he moved out, another tenant who knew of the faulty meter took the apartment. Since her electric bill went from 100/ month to $6/month, FPL came by and discovered the problem, put in a new meter and that was that.

2 years ago a tree fell on my house, ripped the wires off (still in litigation with the ins company). I still have a light bill, $6/month, even though I get my electricity from a neighbor. Gotta pay that customer fee or i may have to remove the extension cord. After a couple of months, I got a bill for $64. Huh? The meter has not moved in months. What had happened was the meter reader made an incorrect reading or some numbers were typed incorrectly into a computer somewhere. They sent someone out to read the meter again, bill was fixed.

The next problem I would think possible is someone has tapped into your electricity. Through a wall, at the meter box, or somewhere in the wiring where it can be accessed. If this is the case it is a matter for law enforcement. The power company should be able to figure it out.

[roccman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', ' ')I'm wondering how this dramatic usage situation could come about. Any ideas, experience?

[dunewalker]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('roccman', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', ' ')I'm wondering how this dramatic usage situation could come about. Any ideas, experience?

[Twilight]

Can you check the meter yourself, is it accessible, or do you rely on the utility's printout? The three possibilities have already been mentioned here - billing error, meter fault or power theft. If a visual check is possible, you might be able to eliminate the first possibility.

[dunewalker]

When I used to live on the grid, I resented the local meter reader traipsing up to my nice secluded cabin to read the meter, so I called the office & they said I could read the meter myself, fill out the card & mail it in. Once a year they would send a reader around just to keep me honest.

[RedStateGreen]

Someone's tapping into your power lines. It happens.

I remember right before we lost our first house, when our water and everything was turned off, my dad used to sneak over to the neighbors' and fill up water bottles in the middle of the night so we had water the next day. I bet their water bill went up that month.

[dinopello]

Did you recently install 'grow lights' in your bathroom?

[eastbay]

Try shutting off everything in your apartment. Everything. Just for a few minutes. Then go peek at the dials on your meter and see how fast they're spinning. Try it during peak use when your neighbors are more likely to be home.

Might work.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dinopello', 'D')id you recently install 'grow lights' in your bathroom?

[PenultimateManStanding]

So I got a representative from SDG&E out to my place today, and no I didn't have poppies growing, that was just a joke. But a sudden 400% rise in my energy bill is no joke. The lady looked at my fridge and said it could not account for it. She said they have a lot of old meters and recommended I get it inspected. I'll keep you posted if this subject interests you.

btw, I turned off the main breaker to my apartment and the meter stopped running which means no one is tapping into to my power connection.

[Kingcoal]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'S')o I got a representative from SDG&E out to my place today, and no I didn't have poppies growing, that was just a joke. But a sudden 400% rise in my energy bill is no joke. The lady looked at my fridge and said it could not account for it. She said they have a lot of old meters and recommended I get it inspected. I'll keep you posted if this subject interests you.

btw, I turned off the main breaker to my apartment and the meter stopped running which means no one is tapping into to my power connection.

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'S')o I got a representative from SDG&E out to my place today, and no I didn't have poppies growing, that was just a joke. But a sudden 400% rise in my energy bill is no joke. The lady looked at my fridge and said it could not account for it. She said they have a lot of old meters and recommended I get it inspected. I'll keep you posted if this subject interests you.

btw, I turned off the main breaker to my apartment and the meter stopped running which means no one is tapping into to my power connection.

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MD', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'S')o I got a representative from SDG&E out to my place today, and no I didn't have poppies growing, that was just a joke. But a sudden 400% rise in my energy bill is no joke. The lady looked at my fridge and said it could not account for it. She said they have a lot of old meters and recommended I get it inspected. I'll keep you posted if this subject interests you.

btw, I turned off the main breaker to my apartment and the meter stopped running which means no one is tapping into to my power connection.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MD', '
')
btw, I turned off the main breaker to my apartment and the meter stopped running which means no one is tapping into to my power connection.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MD', 'v')erage kwh hour load and back-figure your expected bill.

By the way: electric power meters don't generally fail to higher readings.

[RedStateGreen]

You could always cut off your power and see who else complains ...

[PenultimateManStanding]

My old meter, which was built in 1970, was tested yesterday. It was some quick test which showed that the meter was fine. But the tech guy installed a new meter which now shows that I have used just 6 kwh in 24 hours. That works out on a monthly basis to be the same as last January before the monthly usage supposedly jumped 400% Because the test showed that the old meter was "fine" which it obviously wasn't I stand to lose $250. I talked with a sympathetic customer rep who had an identical situation with his water meter. He's going to try to get further testing done of the old meter. Maybe I'll get credited that $250 and maybe I won't, but at least the problem is gone.

[PenultimateManStanding]

Have fun golem.

The customer rep guy called me back to let me know that the old meter is "gone". Plus he said that the meter tech guy said they don't have any life span ratings for the meters. I find it interesting that they brought the new meter out and the meter guy said before he even tested the old one that he would put in the new one. Then the meter test read 'just fine' and they replaced it anyways. Sounds like a little cost effectiveness analysis. They've got millions of superannuated meters.