Electricity

Started by Salbag777, March 19, 2019, 11:55:39 AM

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Salbag777

Can someone help me on the capacity. I changed ours from 5.75 to 3.45, but it appears from the bills that our average is 6kw. Am I reading the bill right? And do I need to up the tariff? Is it costing me more because I regularly go over the 3.45? Thanks

spitfire58

Hi Salbag,
Can`t say we have ever had the problem (yet 🤞) of ours tripping out but from what I have read on various comments it can be a problem if you reduce your potencia too much. If you are on 3.45kw & average usage is 6kw I am surprised you are not also having this issue

Archer

Salbag. I'm not sure you understand 'Potencia' correctly. This is the maximum that you are contractually allowed to draw at any one time. It has nothing to do with your metered monthly usage. This will still be the same, unless you change your usage habits.
What will change is the 'standing charge'. This should have gone down. Check this bill against the last.
Sorry if I have misunderstood your query, but this concept catches a lot of people. As Spitfire mentions, just be careful you do not lower your potencia too much, or your smart meter will trip out.

Salbag777

No it`s never tripped out! We don`t use that much really,

matahari

Quote from: Archer on March 19, 2019, 18:02:29 PM
Salbag. I'm not sure you understand 'Potencia' correctly. This is the maximum that you are contractually allowed to draw at any one time. It has nothing to do with your metered monthly usage. This will still be the same, unless you change your usage habits.
What will change is the 'standing charge'. This should have gone down. Check this bill against the last.
Sorry if I have misunderstood your query, but this concept catches a lot of people. As Spitfire mentions, just be careful you do not lower your potencia too much, or your smart meter will trip out.
What exactly do you mean 'at any one time'? Do you mean if everything was on at the same time for instance?

spitfire58

Quote from: matahari on March 20, 2019, 09:13:14 AM
Quote from: Archer on March 19, 2019, 18:02:29 PM
Salbag. I'm not sure you understand 'Potencia' correctly. This is the maximum that you are contractually allowed to draw at any one time. It has nothing to do with your metered monthly usage. This will still be the same, unless you change your usage habits.
What will change is the 'standing charge'. This should have gone down. Check this bill against the last.
Sorry if I have misunderstood your query, but this concept catches a lot of people. As Spitfire mentions, just be careful you do not lower your potencia too much, or your smart meter will trip out.
What exactly do you mean 'at any one time'? Do you mean if everything was on at the same time for instance?

I think that is exactly what is meant. For example. If you are on the lowest potencia (3.45 I think it is) & you have a kettle, your boiler, a washing machine, a hairdryer & say a hoover on at the same time. You add the values of the power these use & that tells you your (at that time usage) if it is well above 3.45 & I think it would be then you stand a chance of tripping out

Archer

#6
Salbag. Your original question wasn't about tripping out, but seemed to imply that by lowering your potencia your bill may go up! That won't happen.
Pull your 2 bills out, and compare your monthly standing charges BEFORE and AFTER you adjusted the potencia. It should be lower after lowering it.

Use as much electric as you wish....only don't switch everything on at the same time! As Spitfire explained.

There is a margin that allows you to draw more power for a short duration (or current, as Endesa measure it - P=I x V). But smart meters trip out and reset automatically after a short time.

There is a very useful calculator on Endesa website to help you choose your Potencia.


Salbag777