We are staying on the side of family right now. We arrived a couple months ago. First month electric bill went up a little... from $120 to $160. This last month from $160 to $800!!!!Trying to figure out what the heck happened. It has been colder but we only run a 1500 watt electric heater (it has been running 24/7 since we got here). We did put heat tape on the water lines (40 feet of tape total). That is it.Obviously this is strange and according to family all our fault. We are being told to turn off the heater, stop running laundry and basically being cut off.We were planning on rolling on in a week anyways BUT we really want to try to find the culprit. (and yes we will be paying the $680 difference)Can it be the:1. heat tape2. Space heater3. well pump (we draw straight off of it)Something else?

My first guess would be the well pump. My parents' electrical bill skyrocketed like that and it was the pump. Even though you're leaving in a week, you might try filling your fresh water tank and running off that instead of directly from the pump. You will most likely find the electrical costs drop significantly.

Are you sure that they were actual readings and not estimated?

what is the KWh charge for power?if the heater never shut off for the entire month that is 1,116 KWh which I suspect may be about $200 but I find it hard to believe it never shut down.are you continuously running water through the camper? I doubt if the well had a major impact added muchdid the weather change a lot? how much does there bill normally go up with the change?

We once had an experience where the sump pump in the septic tank was running continuously because the outlet pipe to the field froze up.

Mfan wrote:Are you sure that they were actual readings and not estimated?Yes actual readings and being in California they then got hit with all these extra "high user" fees that further ran up the bill.

Huge Electricity Bill - Help | Good Sam Community

toedtoes
Explorer III
Jan 25, 2016
My first guess would be the well pump. My parents' electrical bill skyrocketed like that and it was the pump. Even though you're leaving in a week, you might try filling your fresh water tank and running off that instead of directly from the pump. You will most likely find the electrical costs drop significantly.
Mfan
Explorer
Jan 25, 2016
Are you sure that they were actual readings and not estimated?
llr
Explorer
Jan 25, 2016
what is the KWh charge for power?

if the heater never shut off for the entire month that is 1,116 KWh which I suspect may be about $200 but I find it hard to believe it never shut down.

are you continuously running water through the camper? I doubt if the well had a major impact added much

did the weather change a lot? how much does there bill normally go up with the change?
Harvard
Explorer
Jan 25, 2016
We once had an experience where the sump pump in the septic tank was running continuously because the outlet pipe to the field froze up.
tsetsaf
Explorer III
Jan 25, 2016
Mfan wrote:
Are you sure that they were actual readings and not estimated?

Yes actual readings and being in California they then got hit with all these extra "high user" fees that further ran up the bill.
tsetsaf
Explorer III
Jan 25, 2016
llr wrote:
what is the KWh charge for power?

if the heater never shut off for the entire month that is 1,116 KWh which I suspect may be about $200 but I find it hard to believe it never shut down.

are you continuously running water through the camper? I doubt if the well had a major impact added much

did the weather change a lot? how much does there bill normally go up with the change?

- Yeah I figure the heater added at most $300
- No. But wife does run 2-3 loads of laundry through the Splendide
- Weather did get cold but not significantly colder than that first monthly period
mgirardo
Explorer
Jan 25, 2016
I would call the electric company. At the end of our summer seasonal stay, we did not transfer the electric back to the campground owner. There was a good chance we might come back before the campground closed (which we did). The first bill after we left was $208. We were there for only 3 days of that billing cycle. Our previous bill was about $100.

I checked the meter and compared it with the bill and it was accurate. I called the electric company anyway to bring it to their attention. Over the phone they were of little help, but they said they'd file a dispute. A few weeks later, I got a final bill which had a $150 credit (included the 2 weeks use when we went back). Obviously they found some discrepancy.

It can't hurt to call.

-Michael
phillyg
Explorer II
Jan 25, 2016
If their bill was below $200/mo and the only thing that changed was you hooking up, it's probably the space heater and heat tape. Do you have an electric/propane water heater? If it's on electric and you're doing laundry, that might also pull a lot of power. Your furnace also uses a lot of power even though it's only 12v
gbopp
Explorer
Jan 25, 2016
It will be interesting to see how much the bill changes after you leave.

If running a 1500 watt heater, heat tape and well pump raise the bill that much, I can't imagine what a house with electric heat and a well would pay.
Homer1
Explorer
Jan 25, 2016
There is something seriously wrong some where. I would have the electric company have a look. Those dudes know all the in and outs. People live in RV's all the time you know they are not paying those kind of rates.

Forum Discussion

Huge Electricity Bill - Help

About RV Tips & Tricks

Related Content

Huge trip

Huge Hellwig Disappointment!

7.3 repair bill ouch

Huge four-axle toy-hauler

onan repair bill question