house electric bill

DEAR_JOHN's Avatar
Get a wood ladder, rubber boots and welding gloves.
Pull the wires going in the top of the meter box and connect them to the ones below.


What could go wrong? Originally Posted by Slitlikr

Well, first of all when the smart meter loses power, an alert will be sent and your house will be visited by a meter tester and installer.



They will see where the meter was being bypassed. They will take pictures and fully document what they found, then the documentation will be sent in and notarized.


Then you will be rebilled for the cost of the electricity you stole, and if the calculations are over $10,000 you can be charged with a class C felony. Yes felony, not misdemeanor.


So, yea........thinks can go wrong quickly.


For the record, Center Point takes electricity theft very seriously.
DEAR_JOHN's Avatar
Might try a window unit for the rooms most used Originally Posted by ZantannaParella

Exactly. Good way to save money. Keep that central unit on 82 during the night, while the window unit in the main bedroom is humming away. The $250 or so for the window unit will pay for itself withing 2-3 months. We've done this for many years.
boardman's Avatar
If you know how to invest in the right upgrades & keep up your maintenance....


Yeah. it's an older bill but still Originally Posted by Dorian Gray

That's a bill for February usage. My February bill looks like that too.
My July bill was around $225. I keep my air on 68. I used to use the program to raise the thermostat during the day but when it's as hot as it's been recently it takes forever for it to catch up. I can't sleep hot.


Radiant barriers, plenty of attic and wall insulation and attic ventilation along with good windows are all good investments.
Check the doors. More leakage occurs around a poorly sealed door. New weatherstripping is easy to install. If you aren't all that handy go to your local hardware(not a big box) and ask them to show you how.



Anything that is plugged in and operating generates heat.

I've switched to all LED bulbs where possible and while the diode itself doesn't generate heat I've noticed that the circuitry in the base of the bulb does. It's still less than an incandescent bulb and of course the power draw is less.
I have a plasma TV and that fucker puts off some heat. My amplifier for my sound system does too. I have a quality convection toaster oven that I use more than my big oven. It heats up less space, takes less time to get to temp and cools down quicker. All those little things add up.



I heard this morning that wholesale electric prices jumped 36000% yesterday due to sudden increased demand and lack of standby generating capabilities. Of course, that's a short term spike that the power companies have to pay for excess but there are some companies like Griddy, or something like that, who are selling at direct wholesale prices to the consumer. I wonder how that spike affected consumer pricing yesterday...
Well, first of all when the smart meter loses power, an alert will be sent and your house will be visited by a meter tester and installer.



They will see where the meter was being bypassed. They will take pictures and fully document what they found, then the documentation will be sent in and notarized.


Then you will be rebilled for the cost of the electricity you stole, and if the calculations are over $10,000 you can be charged with a class C felony. Yes felony, not misdemeanor.


So, yea........thinks can go wrong quickly.


For the record, Center Point takes electricity theft very seriously. Originally Posted by DEAR_JOHN
First of all. I'm about 99.9% sure he was being a smart azzzz
DEAR_JOHN's Avatar
First of all. I'm about 99.9% sure he was being a smart azzzz Originally Posted by ZantannaParella

Yep, however that .1% is a pure ass kicker.
DEAR_JOHN's Avatar
How to determine your current kWH using a timer and calculator.


For smart meters with a kh of 1.0. First of all, turn on your air conditioner to give the meter some good load. You will see black blocks moving from left to right (each block is a pulse) , which is what you will time with your timer.


Say you count the pulses and come up with 10 pulses @ 20 seconds.


Here is the formula........3.6 x 10/20 = 1.8 kWH So at that steady of a load you are using 1.8 kWH per hour.


No, let's use a larger kWH load. 12 pulses @ 6.8 seconds.


Same formula as 3.6 is an absolute while the number of pulses and seconds are variables.


3.6 x 12/6.8 = 6.35 kWH.


Hope this helps.
Russ38's Avatar
Yep, however that .1% is a pure ass kicker. Originally Posted by DEAR_JOHN
Hey DJ.....you ever use a modified hand crank megger to go fishing? Loads of fun as long as you don’t get caught.....
This should work.

Originally Posted by DEAR_JOHN

Serious incall.


Hey DJ.....you ever use a modified hand crank megger to go fishing? Loads of fun as long as you don’t get caught..... Originally Posted by Russ38

Thats funny right there
DEAR_JOHN's Avatar
Hey DJ.....you ever use a modified hand crank megger to go fishing? Loads of fun as long as you don’t get caught..... Originally Posted by Russ38

Had access. but never did.


I did have an apprentice hold the leads one time while I cranked just a little bit.........crapped his pants, and I got a day off without pay.
Russ38's Avatar

I did have an apprentice hold the leads one time while I cranked just a little bit.........crapped his pants, and I got a day off without pay. Originally Posted by DEAR_JOHN
That type of hazing used to be mandatory training....now HR frowns on it like it’s a big deal.....so sad.....
VitaMan's Avatar
ABED - adult bi-electric disorder


- a consumer who travels south in the summer and north in the winter, so they can pay the highest electric bills


Often mis-diagnosed as snowbird incorrectus
Dorian Gray's Avatar
That's a bill for February usage. My February bill looks like that too.
My July bill was around $225. I keep my air on 68. I used to use the program to raise the thermostat during the day but when it's as hot as it's been recently it takes forever for it to catch up. I can't sleep hot. Originally Posted by boardman
Still, my bill is hardly ever over $55/month.


When at all possible.... gas appliances
Russ38's Avatar
ABED - adult bi-electric disorder


- a consumer who travels south in the summer and north in the winter, so they can pay the highest electric bills


Often mis-diagnosed as snowbird incorrectus Originally Posted by VitaMan
My bill rarely runs over 200 a month and I run the AC at 70 24/7....only time I even thinck about it is if the power goes out....then thanck Tebow I have a generator and transfer switch.....