[JoeBronxLA]

I posted an earlier post titled "Plug Load Controller" and received many fine answers, all revealing that I had not posed the PROPER QUESTION. I have checked ALL the appliances and equipment in my REWIRED home for the source of my now HIGH electricity bills. All are functioning properly and drawing their labeled amount of juice. When I shared with a neighbor he said he'd experienced the same gradual rise in bills that seemed exhorbitant and had checked old bills and the power company for clues before hearing about a DEVICE called a PLUG LOAD CONTROLLER. For a home my size it was recommended he by two plug in units and plug them at opposite ends NOT OPERATING!!! Be plugged in was enough to draw power. I have NO GEEK genes...none! So I have NO IDEA HOW THIS PLUG LOAD CONTROLLER

works! Not a clue! Hence my bothering you magically powered forum brothers and sisters to explain THIS DEVICE so I can decide to drive my Edsel to Home Depot to join this PLUG LOAD CONTROLLER CLUB! Many Thanks to you all! I greatly appreciate your willingness to share your wisdom with me! Thanks!

 

[joed]

All that does is turn off certain devices on a timer.

 

[XSleeper]

Sounds like what you should be asking about is a power (energy) monitor.

 

[Nealtw]

Or post a picture?

 

[Missouri Bound]

If you are concerned about managing your homes energy usage you can install, or have one installed, an energy monitor. There are a few available which can communicate through wifi to your phone, tablet or PC. Many can give you a great idea of what device is using how much electricity.
But your utility company may also have information online that can help you figure out when these loads occur. My power company, down here in Arkansas has daily graphs of power usage. You may be able to find that info from your power provider.
But the monitoring system will give you real time information when you turn on a light, turn up the HVAC or run the dryer or water heater.
The options are pretty overwhelming....you just have to know what you want to find out.

 

[lenaitch]

I Googled plug load controllers it seems like they are either timer or occupancy sensor based to control when a receptacle is powered, in an effort to reduce 'phantom' (idle) power draw. On a commercial scale the difference would be significant but I doubt phantom power in a home amounts to much more than a couple of bucks a month.


If you have or can get detailed billing from your utility, you should be able to narrow down when your consumption increased and possibly even when during the day it has ; changed.


A long shot but did you have your meter changed? They have a multiplier factor in their metering and the incorrect factor might be used to calculate your bills.


A year or two ago, a friend had a similar thing happen. Electrician found nothing, long drawn out battles with the utility, appeals to his Member of Parliament, blah, blah, blah. The only thing he discovered was he had changed to equalized billing. All was fine until he went on holidays in winter and had to rely on electric baseboards instead of wood. That high consumption month altered his equal billing rate for every subsequent month. The only anomaly was he should have received a credit at the end of the billing cycle. He did not and gave up trying to find out why. He went back to monthly billing, bills dropped significantly and he called it a win.