19 replies to this topic

[golden_dase]

Hi folks

I just got my bi-monthly bill and it's only about $190?!?!? I find this extremely weird considering at the old house I used to live in a few months ago, my average Bill was about $400? Also, I now have more tanks, more electronics, inverter heating/cooling for the whole house etc.??

Are electricity charges different depending on suburb? And who the account holder is? Eg: Personal vs. business?

I'm simply baffled.... lol

[Fox]

Got mine, $9.35 in credit

But was only $272.25
Was dreading getting it, but now a HUGE weight lifted. Phewwwwww

[golden_dase]

Yeah, but you know what I'm talking about yeah? Az, you've been to my old house and even to my new one.. I've got more tanks and other stuff that uses electricity now, you agree?
Don't you find it weird that although I have more powered stuff now....my bill is now half of what it used to be?? lol

[Fox]

Check that they havent estimated the bill for you.
I have more things going now too, fish room up & going again.
I was thinking around $400 for us, but no where near it

[golden_dase]

There's no mention of any "estimates" on the bill, just the units used and charges etc...
I'll have to wait for the next bill to see if there really is a big difference between the new place & old place... but, so far so good.. more tanks!! lol

[Kieran]

The bills don't say whether they're estimated or not. All my bills for the last 6 months have been estimated

[nick05]

Not 100% sure but think on the back they give you a meter reading, and you can compare it with your actual meter reading and see if they estimated or accurate.

[ford2]

maybe the meter has been doctored i rented a house a few years ago that someone use to grow drugs in and the power was doctored at the meter and i always had really cheap electricity bills

[golden_dase]

Well, I'm renting the house directly off the home-owner.. and before I moved in, the home-owner lived here... and the home-owner actually built the house about 4 years ago... so not too sure about the "doctered" bit.. lol

Just to give you an idea of my household stuff:

14 fish tanks (10 canister filters, 2 internal powerhead/sponges, 6 airpumps, 14 heaters, 10 T5/T8 lights) everything is on 24/7 except for the lights..
4 computers/1 server (2 are on 24/7)
50" plasma TV (being used about 4hrs a day)
32" LCD TV (used for about 4hrs every weekend by my little cousins when they come over)
home theatre system (amps, dvd etc.. used daily)
2 fridge/freezers
1 washer / 1 dryer (used 1-2 times a week)
Inverter heating/cooling for the whole house
downlights all over the house
and a bunch of other eletrical goods!

So having listed the equipment and usage etc.. $194 per 2 months is low, don't you think?

[Hydonia]

Kev,

Considering I have two tanks, and run "normal" household electricity and mine was 251 for 64 days, I would be worried the esitmated your power and your next bill will hurt a bit more. Mine normally vary around 70 dollars a bill.

Alize

[Mr_docfish]

Are you complaining or partying???

I'll swap my bill with ya mate..... mine busted the $500 mark - now I have a swimming pool, outdoor spa and a big tank with big lights...... and with the new cost hikes, I'm not partying...

But, I am having a good time with my toys....

[danie1]

Yeah mine's $650 every 2 months

kinda sucks a bit,,,,,, I dont find that the tanks make that much of a difference

It the water heaters, aircon and pool filters that seem to be the killa.

meh just do a bit of Overtime for that week lol


Area Kalamunda 6076
5 people

Pretty much exact same stuff As Golden_dase

so yeah that a wicked (good) bill


What the units KW usage on yours

[golden_dase]

Well... the landlord dropped by today to show me something...a bill! Apparently when I moved in and we transferred the account, the names were mixed up.. So they processed the landlord's actual bill in my name and vice versa.. My bill is actually $540......

There goes the idea of having more tanks... might have to get rid of some tanks... missus said so!

[werdna]

I would blame the dryer, house heating/cooling and 2nd fridge before looking at the tanks.
Its quite easy to calculate how much everything costs you, and when I did my tanks they weren't that high.

A clothes dryer draws over 2000w per hour.
Split system anywhere from 1000 - 3600w an hour.

If you add everything up on each tank, they really dont rate that high.

Tell the missus to stop watching sooo much tv! And then (as Az would say) the fight starts.
You will realise how much you rely on the heating while sleeping in the doghouse that night!

Failing that, get rid of all those canisters and power heads, get one big air pump and run sponge filters instead!

Andrew

[Mr_docfish]

Id also blame the reverse cycle aircon....... they are suckers....

[MrOrange]

$500/2 months.. I take it you lot didn't sign up to daysofchange lol.

Buy yourself a $20 power meter from Jaycar and you'll be amazed at what power savings you can find. For instance, I found that while my laptop was in hibernate, the charger was still drawing 17w constantly! Comparatively, the drinks fridge in the shed when idle was drawing 15w. So even something seemingly tiny can be using a fair bit of power.

Of course the big savers are finding ways to dry clothes without the dryer and keeping cool in summer without (or less of) the airconditioner (or in your case a more efficient way to fitler the tanks ).

[golden_dase]

Thanks for the tips..

It's ok. The bill is quite normal for our normal usage. The increase is due to the increase in electricity rates. Good thing is, I told the missus I can claim some of it back when I do my tax..so she's content...for now. lol

[Neakit]

i used to run 2 400w mh for 10hrs a day (had great coral growth) and my bills were around the 450 mark before the rate rise. I did manage to get the power usage down compared to that by turning non essential lights off, tv was off at the front pannel not on the remote, no use of the dryer etc.

[golden_dase]

Yeah, yhe bill is in my business name.
Bill cycle depends on the premises I think? Because it's a home-based business, it's categorized as a home (A1 plan) so therefore it's bi-monthly..