21k electricity bill, 2br

[vento]

Hello Everyone

I recently moved into a 90sqm 2br in BKK.

i got a 21k bill this month. and i wasnt even home quite a few days during the month (turned it off)

my last condo topped at 11k/month during the warmest time of year, and unit was same size, but didnt have direct sun though

Now i understand it also could be the water heater using some of this power, but i guess the main issue here is the aircon

on the outside part of the aircon system, it states

74000 btu

21600 W

18600 kcal/h

i get more or less direct sunlight in the first hours of the day and have big floor to cieling windows

setting is usually low fan, 27 degree, auto and to be honest, beeing from a cold country and without a user manual or anything,

im kind of lost. for example is auto mode better than just low fan setting. Why would i even have a combination of degree and auto if low fan setting is just running all the time.. makes no sense to me

Off couse from now i will try the most simple things like turn it off more often etc etc

When on auto, i usually have 24-25 degree setting

Buttom line... is 21k/month normal at this time of year? or is it just because of overusage from my side? Any expert tips available for me?

[PoorSucker]

Have you cleaned the aircon, inside and outside unit.

[Crossy]

How many units are on your bill?

Per-unit price?

One assumes that's a multi-split or air distribution unit that's cooling the whole place (being rather large for a single-split unit).

Running that unit 24/7 on national power rates (4 Baht per unit) and a 30% duty cycle (reasonable as it's a bit oversized) would indeed net you a bill of about 21,000 Baht.

[vento]

No it hasnt been cleaned (will be done next week), but wasnt aware that it could affect also

We pay national prices. i will try get bill and check how many units we used

[impulse]

While I can't pass judgment on your bill, keep in mind some other factors when you compare to your old place-

Do the people around you keep their places cool, or is the heat from their places conducting through the walls into yours?

Feel the walls where you get direct sunlight and see if they're conducting a lot of heat when you first get home.

Do either one of them have window tint to make a difference?

Are you on the top floor? (I am, and my A/C bill suffers for it- I was astounded at how hot my ceiling was when I changed a lightbulb)

How old are your A/C units, and how well maintained?

If you turn off everything in your apartment, does your power meter still turn like a 78rpm record? (I once paid the electric bills for my unit and a bunch of common appliances until I figured that one out.)

Best of luck getting it down.

[bobo42]

I would personally check your meter to see if other things are hooked into your unit's power. Turn off everything in your place, and flip the main breaker for your unit to the off position. Check to see if the electric meter is still ticking-away.

I have a small house that is around 100 sqm, and I have 4 AC units that total about the same BTUs as yours. My house is extremely poorly insulated. I run the AC all day every day (though at night I only run one 12k BTU unit in the bedroom), set at around 26-27C. My bill for the hot season is usually around 8k/month.

21k seems crazy high. Though maybe me being able to reduce down to one room for 8-10 hours every day makes all the difference. But somehow I don't think so, I'm only able to do that at night, when I'm not fighting the sun anyway, and it doesn't account for the extreme difference in cost.

I think either somebody is feeding off of your meter, or there is something wrong/inefficient with that AC unit.

[ezzra]

I would immediately ask the electric department to test the meter by installing a parallel

one to the excising one, but immediately and be firm about it...

[stickylies]

seems dodgy to me.

[lahgon29]

I would personally check your meter to see if other things are hooked into your unit's power. Turn off everything in your place, and flip the main breaker for your unit to the off position. Check to see if the electric meter is still ticking-away.

I have a small house that is around 100 sqm, and I have 4 AC units that total about the same BTUs as yours. My house is extremely poorly insulated. I run the AC all day every day (though at night I only run one 12k BTU unit in the bedroom), set at around 26-27C. My bill for the hot season is usually around 8k/month.

21k seems crazy high. Though maybe me being able to reduce down to one room for 8-10 hours every day makes all the difference. But somehow I don't think so, I'm only able to do that at night, when I'm not fighting the sun anyway, and it doesn't account for the extreme difference in cost.

I think either somebody is feeding off of your meter, or there is something wrong/inefficient with that AC unit.

I agree with Bobo...Something wrong here..I have 2 of 12btu ones running. 1 all night in BR and one averaging 5 hours most days in TV room..3 or 4 fans going constantly..Last month was 1500 Baht. My mate 2 houses up has a 24btu going pretty well every arvo for 6 hours and his BR...His last one was 2400..I don't know how I could get to 21000..

Get your meter and aircon tested, or see If someone Is stealing your power..

Good luck

[HUAHIN62]

Your AC is massive 74 000 BTU and if that runs 24/7 the account can be correct. Check your meter but I think you should think about the following, fitting reflective blinds to keep out heat and using a smaller mobile AC. At present your system are cooling the whole apartment even if you are sleeping. By using a smaller ac you can cool your bedroom and switch off the main system when sleeping.

[Greenhill]

Did you check your meter when you moved in?? Maybe, you're paying the previous tenant's bill as well?

[Crossy]

Looking at my calculations again, I too suspect a problem, you would need the compressor running 24/7 to run up that bill.

Is the outdoor unit turning on and off once the room is down to temperature?

Is this an air distribution type or a multi-split (separate room units)?

[Stjohnm]

Both wifey & I hate aircon we have a similar sized place in On Nut but we only use fans & open windows to keep cool never had a leccy bill over 1,000 a month.

[Jonmarleesco]

Might be stating the obvious, but I would suggest you have the units serviced - they should be serviced and cleaned regularly. Quite possible the excessive - and it is excessive - bill is down to inefficient operation.

[Thaijack2014]

That is really a lot. I went to visit a friend last week and I saw his electric bill: around 10.000 baht. He has a big house and runs the airco the whole day. Also a big tv-screen, which is on most of the time and two computers...

So, better check if the bill is right or like some suggest, a powerleak. I wouldn't be surprised... please let us know what you found out!

[Thaiready]

I have a 400 sqm home, aircon in 4 bedrooms along with a school with 10 classrooms 4 fans in each room....my bill only runs 15000 a month

Edited May 16, 2014 by Thaiready

[hugocnx]

If this 74000 BTU unit is not of an invertor type, than you have the following problem.

Every time the unit switches on there is an enormous power consumption. This is caused by the starting up of the compressor.

The current flowing at that moment is sky high.

If what you state is right, the unit is 21600 W, which means 98 Amps at 220 V. Now imagine what peak current you may have when the unit starts up.

That unit equals 6 average living room or bedroom units, so is probably a bit overseized, meaning it reaches the desired temperature quickly, shuts down, but switches on again early because your area is a hot spot. Thus meaning, you have many 'on switching 'per hour/day and that's what's costing you.

Most probably every time it switches on you can see the lights in the house dim for a short while.

My advice is to replace that unit by 2 24000 BTU units of the invertor type. Them compressors don't switch of completely when idle.

Direct saving is to turn your room temp down a couple degrees. If the room is dry, you already feel alot more comfortable even at 28 degrees and switch the demon of when you leave the building.

Edited May 16, 2014 by hugocnx

[Rorri]

Possibly the electricity meter is made by the same company as the water meters on Phuket. Believe it or not, people on Phuket have been complaining about high water bills, even though they are not getting any water... big issue at the moment, however, the Governor, not the smartest dude on the block, told the media that the bills are high because the meters keep running even if the water STOPS flowing. True story.

[MantisMan]

Have you thought about using a FAN instead of AC?

My bills for a one bedroom/bathroom with open living room/kitchen was around 1600bt per month.

(Yes, I know, not much to some folks but I was not inside all day).

Bought a fan and got it down to 500 bt.

Yeah me!

[CMCMANGOMAN]

You might try finding an extremely COLD hearted Thai woman (not hard to do) and move her in. Things will be down right icy in no time. Just a thought...

[masuk]

Have you cleaned the aircon, inside and outside unit.

I'm in a 2-story house and downstairs is quite tolerable in the day with fans only. Upstairs, in the usual un-insulated areas, is like a furnace, doors and windows wide open and I keep away until sunset.

About 10pm I turn on the bedroom air con, set at 26C. This runs for about 8 hrs.

I have the usual electrical bits, such as large fridge, energy saving light bulbs, computer, electric jug, shower hot water heater.

My bill for the past 30 days came in on Wednesday - ฿97.00. Can't grumble. Oddly enough, the previous month it was double that, and I had been overseas for 10 days of that billing period.

The only time I've had a bill in the thousands, was when I was in a condo, and there was some sort of mix-up between my meter and the neighbour's, who used the air con rather a lot.

[matseng]

Every time the unit switches on there is an enormous power consumption. This is caused by the starting up of the compressor.

The current flowing at that moment is sky high.

If what you state is right, the unit is 21600 W, which means 98 Amps at 220 V. Now imagine what peak current you may have when the unit starts up.

Nah, the extra startup power wouldn't really affect the total cost that much.

Let's say that the unit draws x10 (ten times) the normal power during a two second startup of the motors. Two second is 1/1800 of an hour. So the extra consumption would be 21.6KWH x 10 x (1/1800) = 0.12 KWH extra.

That's next to nothing. At least if the unit is started once an hour. It it's restarted every minute then it would be a different matter.

[davjensteph]

I have recently moved in a 2 bed house,i have 3 brand new air con units each 11.72 BTU..could anyone tell me how much running costs should be for these units..

on all night running at 24degrees...approx.12hrs a night.

thanx.

[razer]

This happened to me in Morocco. I had just moved in to an apartment and got hit with a whopper of an electric bill. A day later the electricity was turned off. What happened was the former renter didn't pay his bills and I couldn't have my electricity turned on until the tab was cleared. You might check with the electric company and they may cut you a break.

[bobo42]

If this 74000 BTU unit is not of an invertor type, than you have the following problem.

Every time the unit switches on there is an enormous power consumption. This is caused by the starting up of the compressor.

The current flowing at that moment is sky high.

If what you state is right, the unit is 21600 W, which means 98 Amps at 220 V. Now imagine what peak current you may have when the unit starts up.

That unit equals 6 average living room or bedroom units, so is probably a bit overseized, meaning it reaches the desired temperature quickly, shuts down, but switches on again early because your area is a hot spot. Thus meaning, you have many 'on switching 'per hour/day and that's what's costing you.

Most probably every time it switches on you can see the lights in the house dim for a short while.

My advice is to replace that unit by 2 24000 BTU units of the invertor type. Them compressors don't switch of completely when idle.

Direct saving is to turn your room temp down a couple degrees. If the room is dry, you already feel alot more comfortable even at 28 degrees and switch the demon of when you leave the building.

I doubt that is the problem here, but just guessing. I have a combined 66k BTU in the 4 units in my house, all are non-inverter types. All four are usually running about 16 hours a day, and the bedroom unit remains on almost 24/7. My house has zero insulation, and zero roof venting, so I am absolutely brute-forcing the heat with electric power (I just consider it part of the rent) and I'm still coming out at "only" 8k/month. I don't think OPs huge bill is because the unit is a non-inverter, or slightly over-sized. Though replacing the unit might fix the problem anyway, since there may just be something wrong with it.

[bobo42]

This happened to me in Morocco. I had just moved in to an apartment and got hit with a whopper of an electric bill. A day later the electricity was turned off. What happened was the former renter didn't pay his bills and I couldn't have my electricity turned on until the tab was cleared. You might check with the electric company and they may cut you a break.

Oh snap - this could totally be the issue. This kind of crap happens in apartments all the time over here. OP might be unknowingly paying a back-bill by the last tenant. That would explain a lot.

[mmail2you]

As one other BM suggested, You should switch all your electricity off to your unit and check the meter is not running as they have been known to piggy back off a meter to other Thai units. Then if nothing get a EGAT to try another meter.

[Loles]

Have you cleaned the aircon, inside and outside unit.

Yes, this is only 400 B but your air will be clean and your e.bill will be less. I do it every half year.

I know this price is not so high, so I can give the airman phone.

[puukao]

I live in the same building and my A/C was FREE this month!!! Thanks OP.

note: the squeaky wheel gets oiled. make noise about it.

[Loles]

I would personally check your meter to see if other things are hooked into your unit's power. Turn off everything in your place, and flip the main breaker for your unit to the off position. Check to see if the electric meter is still ticking-away.

I have a small house that is around 100 sqm, and I have 4 AC units that total about the same BTUs as yours. My house is extremely poorly insulated. I run the AC all day every day (though at night I only run one 12k BTU unit in the bedroom), set at around 26-27C. My bill for the hot season is usually around 8k/month.

21k seems crazy high. Though maybe me being able to reduce down to one room for 8-10 hours every day makes all the difference. But somehow I don't think so, I'm only able to do that at night, when I'm not fighting the sun anyway, and it doesn't account for the extreme difference in cost.

I think either somebody is feeding off of your meter, or there is something wrong/inefficient with that AC unit.

My house is 135 sqm in 2 stories, there are 4 air-cons, (2 big and 2 small) and they are used.

My e.bill was 5K (last) but last year in the same period (were used almost same units) I paid only 4 K.

The air-cons are cleaned every half year.

So can say the e.price is pretty higher than last year.