# Electrical Question Please......



## FXI (Jul 3, 2012)

Hey there::

I have a 29' Springdale, '06 that I have parked in my son's back yard and plugged in with only the fridge/pc/fan and sometimes the microwave being used.  No hot water, a/c etc.  My question is ........ my son said he got his bill and it's $250 more than usual.  I'm at a loss as to why it would spike and of course he thinks it's the RV which, could be as I have no electrical inclination at all!!!  This is in SoCal and I know the price is one of the highest in the nation but holy cow - this just seems outrageous.

What do you think?

TYVM & TIA
FXI


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## C Nash (Jul 5, 2012)

No way  you are using 250 dollars hooked to sons power. Might be running his bill up 30, 40 dollars a month.


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## vanole (Jul 6, 2012)

I agree with Nash in that your motorhome would not put another $250 on your sons utility bill.

Your son may live in and area that the utility company estimates his bill for a period of time, then eventually a meter reader comes around and does the Paul Harvey and provides the rest of the story ie. "actually reads the meter".  Here in Va Beach I have a demand controller on my home and that is actually what Dominion Power does.


Jeff


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## H2H1 (Jul 6, 2012)

Like Nash and Jeff has stated, I leave my 36' class A  plugged into power 24/7 and my power bill never gets up over 235. My home has 2 air conditions and it is total electric and it about 3000 sf. So I think the spike is your son's power company.


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## Clay L (Jul 6, 2012)

The most we ever use is about 350 kWhs of electricity per month. Even at the very high $0.20 per kWh rate we pay at one RV park we stay in that only amounts to $70 per month. We do not use AC at that time of year though.

You might want to see what he pays per kWh and see how many kWh you would have to use to equal $250.


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## FXI (Jul 9, 2012)

TY all very much!  I was at a loss to say the least.  Since I don't know much about electricity I really didn't want to say anything yet til I looked into it more.  I have someone coming to check into it too but I just can't see where this rig has pulled that much energy.  No A/C, no hot water unless someone is in needing to shower but that would only be for an hour or so and the microwave here and there blah blah blah.  Nothing really taxing except for the computer that's usually on 24/7 for the kids etc.  They do have a new baby so I have a feeling that's part of what's happened but....... I pulled the plug for a month before the baby was born and they said their bill at that point was just over $50.  Will see about the actual usage and if it has indeed gone way up when plugged back in.  It's in southern california which I know is on the expensive side but dang that would be ridiculous!!  Just don't want any bad feelings.  I'm sure you understand    Again TYVM and will let you know if it ends up being "something" strange - praying it isn't!!!

FXI


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## H2H1 (Jul 9, 2012)

hey FXI I forgot to add the pool which is 220v 24/7 during the summer


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## LEN (Jul 9, 2012)

See if you can look at the bills(monthly) on line. Signs that it is the yearly catchup bill will be the same bill monthly, then the hit or the meter reading will vary but the bill will not. Also stand by the electric meter and pull the pug on the RV then back in. For a $250 increase there would have to be some serious power usage. and the wheel in the meter would slow to a crawl then spin like a yoyo.

LEN


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## FXI (Jul 10, 2012)

Thanks guys this is making me feel better.  I know myself we had a ~2500sq' house in Canada that was totally run on electricity and even in the dead of winter our bills were around $275- $300 and that was with 2 40gal water tanks and 4 bedrooms!!  This just is inconceivable to me but for now I'll wait til the "expert" comes to take a look at the set-up.  Although ---- I am going to find their meter and watch it with the rig plugged in/out and see how much of a difference it makes.  I hope it's a meter I can read and it's not a smart meter or some such thing that I can't lol........

Thanks again!
FXI


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## FXI (Jul 15, 2012)

Well, I can't seem to make heads nor tails of their electric meter.  It's a digital one and it does have a kWh reading which didn't seem to change for quite some time and a date reading.  Then some other readings like level etc which don't know what any of those mean.  So, that unfortunately didn't help me to see if the meter would be running faster/slower when the plug is in/out.  Bummer!!


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## akjimny (Jul 15, 2012)

I've been following these posts and I can't see where anyone asked the electric company to explain why the large increase in the bill.  Might be a simple explanation.  Just sayin'....


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## FXI (Jul 15, 2012)

akjimny;78528 said:
			
		

> I've been following these posts and I can't see where anyone asked the electric company to explain why the large increase in the bill.  Might be a simple explanation.  Just sayin'....



Oh yeah I should have mentioned that!  They did call SDGE and all SDGE said was that there was a "spike" ...........  Pretty much thanks for nothing hahaha.  They said they can't determine "what" the increase is from.  I guess that makes sense?!?!


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## 5_fulltimer (Jul 16, 2012)

FXI
I have one of the RV Comfort Systems add-on electric heating systems and I ran my 38 foot Carri-lite 5th wheel (with 5 slides) in Seattle this winter. At one point this winter it got down to 4 degrees and running my CheapHeat system I only paid $115.00 and we all electric Washer Dryer, Electric Hot water, Electric frying pan, and CheapHeat system with NO GAS. 
I donâ€™t know what your electric rates are but there is no way you could have used that much power.
FYI you buy there system online now


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## FXI (Jul 18, 2012)

Thanks 5_Fulltimer!  I checked into that site.  Looks like a nice set-up.  Also was just told that d-i-l's mom and dad had a family member's motorhome hooked up and had the owner's using it for a couple of weeks and the electric bill went up about $100.  These guys actually "used" the RV while they were there too!  I think I'll have to wait til I can talk to my son and see if I can see their actual "kWh usage" because I have a feeling the "cost" of usage is really high in SoCal.   I just heard on the radio that the price of electricity is going up in California in the next month or so too.  Time to get off the grid lol.......


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## LEN (Jul 19, 2012)

Johnny the SPAMMER  ---    I see you learned to copy and paste


LEN


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## vanole (Jul 20, 2012)

Len,

Looks like that "according to me" guy lifted his canned meat product from my post earlier in this thread.

Jeff


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## FXI (Aug 10, 2012)

~$50 a month seems to be what the increase "really" is.  I got ahold of the bill and actually looked at it.  Definitely makes me feel better although............ seems like the daughter-in-law isn't too happy.  Oh well, guess that's another kettle of fish to deal with!  :distracted:  Thanks again for the input.  Not sure why all of a sudden there's a huge fuss - hormones maybe?????


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## C Nash (Aug 13, 2012)

Paw-in-law may have over stayed his welcome LOL


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## FXI (Aug 16, 2012)

Hahaha maybe!!!  Problem is we sort of have a "bipolar" situation and when we're gone we get calls, txts, emails every day asking to come and help out with the kids.  So, we come and after a couple days things "change".  Think there's going to be a little more time between visits :indecisiveness:  Life is too short!!  We also had a little talk with her folks and I guess they've all lived with this sooooooo...........  ain't gonna change anytime soon.


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## akjimny (Aug 16, 2012)

Nice thing about living in an RV - you can pack up and leave when it gets annoying.


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## H2H1 (Aug 16, 2012)

Jim That is the best thing about be mobil, just pick up and go somewhere else. not a problem.


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## roy692 (Jan 9, 2013)

It is easy to see if you are the one drawing all the power. Look and see how much power is being used when you are pluged in, then just unplug the RV and see how much the meter slows down. If there is a great difference then you know if is your RV causing the problem. One of the reasons could be a short in your rig. If you have a short you are just putting power into  the ground through your jacks.


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