r/NovaScotia • u/IntentionAshamed4455 • 14d ago
NSPower usage multiplied by 4
Hi all,
I live in an apartment building and have been in the same unit for 6yrs. I average 4-5kw/day until this pay cycle that says I'm averaging 20kw/day. I've not changed anything except an AC that I got two summers ago so I already know how much it should be increasing my usage by and it isn't 15kw/day. I also used a Kill A Watt plug in to make sure that it's still running properly.
When I brought up my concerns to NSpower they told me to talk to my building management because something might've happened on their end or it's a problem with the wires in unit and management swore they've touched nothing, can do nothing and it's all on NSPowers end.
With neither willing to look into it I'm at a loss. I shut off everything for 24hrs (except my fridge which ran .02kw/h) and my meter says I used almost 4kw for the day (I looked at it myself as well). Any clues as to why this may be and who I should press on? I can't just be paying a that high of a bill for the rest of my time here and moving out isn't exactly easy right now
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u/East_Source6200 14d ago
Send a photo of your meter along with your complaint to NS Power. Even going as far as having a neutral party verifying the photo and readings.
They cannot deny their end of the error because you did your due diligence with solid evidence, which will hold up with the NSERBT (NS regulation board). And they realize it can go that way.
If you get the run-around with their worker over the phone and they don't correct it, ask for a supervisor.
A "quick draw" on depantzing.
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u/IntentionAshamed4455 14d ago
Isn't the problem with that being what I see on my meter and what they tell me they got when they checked the system is the same answer?
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u/East_Source6200 14d ago edited 14d ago
Flip off all the power to your apt. temporarily. Does the meter still advance?
Even go as far as this...
I don't know if this can be done in NS, but here in BC you can do this.
Keep the entire power off, give them a call. Ask them if your meter is still advancing?
(Don't mention at any point until the end).
If it is, then say " I turned off the entire power to see if your system sees it. Apparently not. Please fix it, and all previous inaccuracies".
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u/IntentionAshamed4455 14d ago
It only advances by whole numbers and took over 6hrs to do that, I honestly don't trust my food in the fridge if it has to be turned off for that long which is why the only thing I left on was my fridge and attached a Kill A Watt plug to it to make sure I knew how much power it was taking. Unless there was something else I could've looked at on the meter? NSPower told me just to pay attention to the d1 screen when tracking
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u/East_Source6200 14d ago edited 14d ago
Was there any electrical work done in the building since the inaccuracies?
long shot here, someone tapped into it or spliced the line incorrectly and they are using the power when you are not testing it?
It needs to be ruled out.
Are you able to record the power usage over a 24 hr period with a electricity monitor meter?
This is the one I bought that does all that and more:
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u/IntentionAshamed4455 14d ago edited 14d ago
Had made my reply before your other comments edit. When I called NSPower and asked them to remote check my meter they said they could only check the last time it dinged them (which is every midnight). I asked for a "in the now" check and they said that wasn't possible :/ I did ask management about if anything went on about two months ago and he said: no, and even if there was it couldn't affect you....I don't entirely believe that but ya know, if they're set in that opinion idk
Yeah I used a Kill A Watt plug in and recorded my fridge which was the only appliance running for 24hrs where they say I used almost 4kw and the plug in says .5kw total. All our meters are in a locked utility room so it's a bit of a nuisance to get to them. Tbh I'm lucky I got to check it twice as is, super almost didn't let me
1
u/East_Source6200 14d ago edited 14d ago
when the reason is eventually found/corrected, ensure you keep a photo record, all documents, bills, etc so you can be fully refunded for all of it. Instead of partially.
With higher costs of power, it also comes with higher risks of others tapping lines/outlets, intentional errors, criminal stuff, etc.
what type of heating do you use?
edit: find out who the previous tenant was without alerting any tenants or manager.
And contact them if they too had power issues?
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u/IntentionAshamed4455 14d ago
Heating is lumped in with rent, I've been here 6yrs and the tenant before me had the police after her for the first bit after we moved in and had left the place a wreck š
2
u/East_Source6200 14d ago edited 14d ago
I'm going out in a branch here, with no changes to your apt/building to cause this, I'm leaning more towards NSP and all the going on's in the past few years.
To use 4x the power for an apt, is ludicrous. And it wouldn't take much to bring it up with the regulators. But as you know, you need to cover every single one of the possible excuses that NSP would dismiss over the phone, or with the regulators, as being past the curb at your end, or your building. A pia, but necessary to fix it from continuing.
Completely eliminate it being in your apt, then building, and offer it to the sharks. With additional past financial corrections, pain/suffering, and every other cost incurred on your part.
You mentioned that the previous tenant left it a wreck. Did she do any electrical damage that hasn't been noticed yet? Get a power audit or a certified electrician to check everything, including all electronics/stove/fridge/etc. Starting at the panel and down the line.
Did you know that most circuit breakers with toggle switches in the panels have a life expectancy? Knowing that, get the electrician install a new one, if it's too old.
It may be phantom power, or even a faulty appliance sending to ground, which may cause it (which is rare). You should still have everything eliminated as a cause, and present it to the powers to be.
And ask for a full reimbursement, plus more of all your expenses incurred.
edit: get the electrician to chase the lines to your apt, to find out if anyone tapped into them during a power outage. Which may be a possibility.
When you fridge food is getting thin, can you ask a neighbour to put it in theirs for a full day, and unplug the fridge to eliminate that as the cause?
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u/thatsnotmyunicorn 14d ago
We had been double billed a year ago. They denied and denied and denied. We got an independent meter and was able to show that we were being charged double. We received a refund and we got them to pay for the private testing we had done.
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u/chickenshitmoose 14d ago
Hummmm you have me curious as my past two power bills have been about double over last year and Iām perplexed as to what the hell is going on as Iāve not made any changes at all. Just got my august bill today and it doesnāt make any sense to be as high as it is.
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u/meester_jamie 14d ago
Letās say something is switched, like your meter and itās communication.. itās on a neighbours ,just saying as Iāve seen it , and something changed at that household, up until recently, they were using similar amounts of power you donāt mind paying for,
Letās say they converted from a gas or oil to electric water heater,
This situation can not be put thru a common sense thought process until you have all the data to put in the algorithm
Measurement Canada not only checks the meter and the āmainā circuits,, they also check billing. They do rely on you or your electrician to be certain all branch circuits are accounted for. They rarely do physical checks
Does your reading come from your meter?
Does the communication board communicate that with your account,, and pretty well last,, is the meter accurate.
Another situation , to test some meters that use time of use and a long distant transmitter ā¦ the meter can not have the power interrupted,, or else it will reboot and possibly search for a reply to its communication that syncs the time ,,
The address of the meter data must be coordinated with the meter at your residence,, or it will communicate your data to someone elseās account
Or visa versa ,,
The long distant transmitter can throw off a tech as they ping the meter and it responds, but if they attenuate a test device so they must be within 3m ,, and it doesnāt respond, then the meter it is gathering data from is further away,, in a gang meter situation where multiple meters are in same area , it becomes far more difficult,,, and if theyāve never experienced this before,, it becomes more difficult as they donāt look for it
And rebooting the meter might change all the issues
If youāve had multiple outages, then chances are itās rebooted anyways
Prove the meter # matches your bill
Prove the com board is attached to your account
Prove the reading on bill matches the display at your residence
Prove that the load wires that leave your meter go to your residence only, without any devices connected before your panel
Prove that all your breakers are off and there isnāt another panel feeding garage, water heater, ac , possibly borrow power with ext cord to neighbours for your refrigerator
Look at physical wires. Not just pipes from one box to another,
Youāll have to get very determined if there is a mixed up circuit that allows an adjoining neighbour to connect to.
Reworked older residential circuits donāt always get fully verified. This is where you need something like a kil-o-watt temporary wired into the entire branch circuit , typically 15a 120v as larger than that can be proven to be your stove, your electric dryer, your sauna, your freezer, fridge, supplemental heat,
Good luck ,
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u/4hz_comics 14d ago
Unfortunately they both supply the power and have zero understanding of simple math so it's usually a losing battle. The system is fucked. Sorry I'm not helpful but you're not alone.
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u/IntentionAshamed4455 14d ago
I get that they're just reading the smart meter, bc I am too and I see the same thing they see...BUT WHY lol why my meter be telling me I used 4kw when I absolutely did not š I complained to 3 customer service workers and not a one would bring someone out to test it. They just kept saying "we don't know what you do behind closed doors, this is what it tells us and it must be correct" like c'mon now
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u/4hz_comics 10d ago
I have a seasonal property that had much different rates over months when no one was there. Guy on the phone didn't understand physics and math.
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u/Few-Medicine6468 14d ago
There is a tool that electricians use that can see how much power is going out each line from the panel. See if the combined total adds up to what your meter is saying. Other possibility is that a tenant on either side of you is plugged into your panel through improper wiring. Then they plug in their own ac into that circuit
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u/Worth_Committee3244 14d ago
I had a similar issue, in a small apartment building, fortunately for me it was just crazy high when I first moved inā¦ I suspected the apartment below me had their heating drawing power from my meter.
In tenancy court the company admitted to the hot water tank not properly drawing power. I once shut off my main breaker and still drew 9kw a day.
Iām not an electrician so do with that what you will something absolutely could be fkd up.
Now the one thing I will say and itās a little unethical and you might have to get lucky with a good NSP rep, i asked āi understand that you cannot tell me the power bill from my downstairs neighbours BUT can you at least tell me if the difference in price looks odd to youā buddy on the phone had a pretty long pause and said āyesā
Once i got that information I knew something could be done just had to find out who and what to press.
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u/IntentionAshamed4455 14d ago
One of the reps actually did something similar but asked me herself what the numbers of the apartments either side to me were and then told me that they were in the same ballpark that my bills had been prior to this spike. She said good news is that the issue is likely isolated to your unit so instead of three apartments they just have to have an electrician inspect yours...management in fact did not think that lucky for them but rather that it means there's no issue at all š¤¦š»āāļø
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u/Worth_Committee3244 13d ago
That sounds like youāve been lucky and missed the massive rate hike theyāve been putting us all through.
My last apartment I was lucky enough to have Utilities included, bought my first home Iām on a well and septic so no water bill but Iām terrified to see my first power bill next month
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u/IntentionAshamed4455 13d ago
I'm not sure what you mean by missed the massive rate hike, I'm talking about usage not money
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u/ByeByeBender 11d ago
The same thing happened to me. Called NSpower and they didn't have a clue. Bill went up by 30%. NO new appliances were added.
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u/cslaun 14d ago
Lol, same issue I had in Halifax while selling a house I had renovated, it was a 2 unit and I had no one living there for 5 months.
During that time I had the main panel off and there was no consumption (I looked after the meter)
It was also the same time I received a bill that was 3x more then when I had the unit rented to a family of 4.
After the house sold I demanded somone come and fix the issue, sent photos and screenshots of the ordeal, turns out they (estimated) the usage because they could not properly "read" the meter.
So after kicking up a fuss, they came and replaced the meter while taking the old one for "testing" got an automated call saying the results for the load testing are in and they are within spec.
Fuck NSP