Surprising Electricity Bill Increase

[funlovinkid]

I've been living in a studio condo in Jomtien Beach for two years now, and during that time, my electrical bill has ranged from 1100 to 2600 Baht/month.  Suddenly, last month, it jumped noticeably to 2900 Baht, and this month (May) it's now 3900 Baht.  I've lived in different locations in Thailand for over 12 years, either in a 1-bedroom or studio condo, and I've never seen a bill this high.  And I'm paying directly to the government (PEA), so there's no middleman taking a cut.

 

Nothing has changed in my condo: the A/C unit is still the same, I use it (and everything else) pretty much the same as before.  What I find particularly troubling is that the usage on my bill has skyrocketed from an average of 580 units over the previous 6 months to 892 units as of the May bill.  So, it's not that the rates have changed, but the usage has increased around 50%.

 

I'm well aware that we're into the hot season now, and that my AC unit is probably working harder now than it was in December, but this has been true every summer for the past 12 years, and the bills have never been this high.

 

Just for kicks, I thought I would check to see if anyone has illegally piggybacked onto my electrical lines, so I switched off the main breaker in my condo to see if the meter still showed usage, but it was stopped dead - so it looks like that's not the case.

 

I mentioned my concern to the agent from whom I rented the room, as she manages something like 100 rooms and tenants in Jomtien, and she said that quite a number of people have complained to her about the same thing.  I will explore this with her in more detail next week.  But I can't imagine any change that would impact the actual usage measured in different condo units, unless the electricity authority (PEA in this case) did something like roll out a new software update to the customer meters that would measure usage differently.  Although I've seen some meters that are entirely digital (which might be susceptible to such a change), my particular meter has a mechanical rotating wheel, which suggests to me that it's an analog meter, rather than digital - but I have no idea if there are also any computer components in this meter that accept software updates which might explain this change.  I know we're in the age of smart meters now, but I don't know if mine is entirely dumb, or just partially smart.  ????

 

I'm grasping at straws here, but I thought I would throw this out to see if anyone else in the Pattaya area has noticed a sudden increase in their billed electrical usage.

 

 

[utalkin2me]

My bill went to a new high in the same time frame. 

 

The units going up is peculiar. I would tend to blame it on the ac working harder. I would have it cleaned and serviced right after your new month rolls over and see if that was it. AC is really the only thing that could make that much of a difference unless you got some pot plants growing inside ????

[Isaanbiker]

OP, we had a couple of weeks with temperatures that made your units work very hard. Besides, you might need a cleanup, some new fluid.

 

Don't worry; you're not alone. My salary ten years ago was 2,600 baht higher than it is now. And things were dirt cheap ten years ago not only electricity.

 

[dabhand]

A number of recent topics on this subject. Here's one:

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1101993-electric-bill-oddities/

 

Am also in Pattaya and the unit consumption has been increasing for me as well.

Feb - 1286

Mar - 1487

Apr - 1638

May - 1975

 

So, really glad that the weather has just turned. I have kept records for the last 6 years and yes, this is not out of the ordinary at this time of year.

 

[johng]

There was a slight decrease in the fuel tariff subsidy last month

Also get your aircon cleaned and checked for coolant loss...its been very hot this year.

[lopburi3]

It has been hot both day and night for the last month and my usage is the highest in more than 10 years here in Bangkok.  2209 units ending today.  It is not just AC but refrigerators/water coolers/ice makers also use a lot of electric when rooms are as hot as this year (and I have 6 of them running).

[bluejets]

13 hours ago, funlovinkid said:

Just for kicks, I thought I would check to see if anyone has illegally piggybacked onto my electrical lines, so I switched off the main breaker in my condo to see if the meter still showed usage, but it was stopped dead - so it looks like that's not the case.

I'd go with the other responses however, just a side note.

Your conclusion depends on just where any "piggyback" connection is made so does not really prove anything by turning off the main switch. 

As far as I am aware, most metering in Thailand is done before the main switch which is fine but if the "tap" was on the load side, nothing solved.

[jimmyyy]

Well assuming there is no funny business going on.  Get your air conditioner cleaned by a professional HVAC guy.  A dirty air con can be pulling a bunch of juice. For the 1000 or so baht it will cost to clean its worth the effort. 

[longball53098]

If the piggyback is done on the input side of the meter then the meter would not increase the KWHs. So no increase in invoice. Anything on the output side of the meter will show an increase in KWHs

[BritManToo]

13 hours ago, funlovinkid said:

Just for kicks, I thought I would check to see if anyone has illegally piggybacked onto my electrical lines, so I switched off the main breaker in my condo to see if the meter still showed usage, but it was stopped dead - so it looks like that's not the case.

They've drilled through the wall into the back of one of your sockets.

 

[longball53098]

1 minute ago, jimmyyy said:

Well assuming there is no funny business going on.  Get your air conditioner cleaned by a professional HVAC guy.  A dirty air con can be pulling a bunch of juice. For the 1000 or so baht it will cost to clean its worth the effort. 

Definitely if AC has not been cleaned both inside unit and outside unit the efficiency of the AC is in question. Don't use the AC for a couple hours and read the meter before and after and then switch on the AC and read meter again for the time and compare how much the AC increases the usage. 

[shaurene]

I have 3 A/C in my house in Khon Kaen and I get them cleaned on average 2 times a year. 1,000 baht each, well worth it.

[lopburi3]

7 minutes ago, shaurene said:

I have 3 A/C in my house in Khon Kaen and I get them cleaned on average 2 times a year. 1,000 baht each, well worth it.

Agree cleaning is important but that seems a high price - in Bangkok pay 700 baht and believe most reports are of paying that amount or less.  

[Black arab]

Yes ,up here in isaan pretty much the same our bill was 2900bht this month an increade of 1000bht!!

[BritManToo]

17 minutes ago, shaurene said:

I have 3 A/C in my house in Khon Kaen and I get them cleaned on average 2 times a year. 1,000 baht each, well worth it.

I pull the filters out myself and clean them, costs 5 minutes of my time.

[lopburi3]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

I pull the filters out myself and clean them, costs 5 minutes of my time.

We are not talking filters - the transfer fins in both inside and outside units should be pressure washed with detergent to remove grime and allow good heat transfer.  

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

We are not talking filters - the transfer fins in both inside and outside units should be pressure washed with detergent to remove grime and allow good heat transfer.  

Well, all I can say is 5-6 years later, it works as well as it did the day installed.

And the money I've saved on cleaning and maintenance will buy me a new one when it finally breaks.

 

Haven't had my fridge or freezer cleaned either and they both still work 6 years later.

Something nobody has ever been able to tell me, why does my air-con need yearly maintenance (beyond air filter cleaning) and my fridge and freezer not? Compressor and gas is the same, is it not?

[KittenKong]

14 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Agree cleaning is important but that seems a high price - in Bangkok pay 700 baht and believe most reports are of paying that amount or less.  

The going rate in Pattaya is 400-500B.

 

6 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I pull the filters out myself and clean them, costs 5 minutes of my time.

That is not a proper clean. A proper clean involves partially dismantling the indoor unit, removing the cage fan and drip tray etc, cleaning the whole thing with a water jet, and also cleaning the outdoor unit and the down pipe. It takes a couple of people the best part of an hour to do and depending on the brand of aircon and on how much it is used it may need to be done up to two or three times a year.

 

Cleaning filters takes about two minutes as you point out and I do that myself also, every couple of weeks.

[WALOCK2015]

1 hour ago, longball53098 said:

Definitely if AC has not been cleaned both inside unit and outside unit the efficiency of the AC is in question. Don't use the AC for a couple hours and read the meter before and after and then switch on the AC and read meter again for the time and compare how much the AC increases the usage. 

worth a try 

[Sticky Wicket]

Mine was 12k in April, I almost sh!t the bed. Had a few relatives over and 2 extra rooms with a/c on but it was almost double my usual bill.

April last year was about 6.5k

[KittenKong]

11 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Something nobody has ever been able to tell me, why does my air-con need yearly maintenance (beyond air filter cleaning) and my fridge and freezer not? Compressor and gas is the same, is it not?

Your fridge and freezer do not blow lots of air around, so mould and dirt have nowhere to accumulate.

 

You would not believe the amount of black crap that comes out of the average aircon when it is cleaned. And that's just the inside. The outside units can also get completely clogged up with black dirt.

 

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

The going rate in Pattaya is 400-500B.

 

That is not a proper clean. A proper clean involves partially dismantling the indoor unit, removing the cage fan and drip tray etc, cleaning the whole thing with a water jet, and also cleaning the outdoor unit and the down pipe. It takes a couple of people the best part of an hour to do and depending on the brand of aircon and on how much it is used it may need to be done up to two or three times a year.

 

Cleaning filters takes about two minutes as you point out and I do that myself also, every couple of weeks.

You still haven't explained why my fridge and freezer still work without needing the same 'proper clean'.

Sounds like superstition to me, the outer aircon compressor is exactly the same as the fridge compressor.

Yet is heavily featured in the 'proper clean'.

[RBOP]

The hotter the weather the harder your aircon, fridge etc works = increased electricity consumption = higher bill. 

 

This past April and May have been unusually hotter than normal.

[KittenKong]

 

and the outside

 

 

[English Engineer]

As  an aside well worth considering installing a solar system if you live in a house. I have a large house with swimming pool and use air con most of the day. Our bill for the month was 300B.

[Henricus]

29 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I pull the filters out myself and clean them, costs 5 minutes of my time.

It`s not only the filters you need to clean everything inside 

[cracker1]

I think instead of switching off the main breaker, as you did, it would be better to leave it on and turn each individual power consumption item in your unit off. Then you will know if there is any leakage outside your unit ?

[Dania2019]

Try to get a new meter. We godt that for water, and the use went down to half. We have house 200m2 and power in high season use not over 4.500 B  for four person

[ravip]

36 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Well, all I can say is 5-6 years later, it works as well as it did the day installed.

And the money I've saved on cleaning and maintenance will buy me a new one when it finally breaks.

 

Haven't had my fridge or freezer cleaned either and they both still work 6 years later.

Something nobody has ever been able to tell me, why does my air-con need yearly maintenance (beyond air filter cleaning) and my fridge and freezer not? Compressor and gas is the same, is it not?

why does my air-con need yearly maintenance (beyond air filter cleaning) and my fridge and freezer not? Compressor and gas is the same, is it not?

Unlike in the fridge and freezer, the AC Evaporator/Condenser coils are exposed to the elements. When pressure washed, you really can see the amount of dirt that comes out (depends how dusty your environment is too). Sometimes, you really can feel an improvement of air flow after a pressure wash of the internal unit.

 

[johng]

35 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Well, all I can say is 5-6 years later, it works as well as it did the day installed.

Well you must live somewhere "very very clean"  like in a microchip fabrication plant ????

 

23 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

You still haven't explained why my fridge and freezer still work without needing the same 'proper clean'.

Your fridge  doesn't have a big fan on exposed  "radiator fins"  that collect grime.. it also doesn't filter the air

it just cools the small internal amount trapped inside...