I couple of years ago, we got a high (x2) electric power bill. A search found a small under desk resistance 120 volt , maybe 1000 watts heater, the thermostat stuck "on". Assuming your power meter has a rotating visual disc, with everything you can shut off easily, and no motors, heaters, etc. "on", the disc should revolving slowly, say around less than 1 revolution per second, not 10 per second. Richard Prosser wrote: > Hmm. > I've been getting high power bills over the last 2 months. I wonder if > I'm getting a similar problem (cylinder is ~20years old). Could just > be the cold weather. > > I'm guessing the "airblocks" were a mixture of hydrogen & oxygen from > the water breakdown. If I get the same, maybe I'll try applying a > match! Or maybe not - might blow my taps off. > > RP > > 2009/8/7 Jinx : > >>> Can I presume that a GF(C)I (or whatever you call them there-- >>> Residual Current Device?) is not fitted to the water heater? >>> >> Only a resettable 16A circuit breaker in the fuse box >> >> >>> If the insulation is damaged, the 'hot' wire will conduct electricity >>> to the ground on your hot water heater. It will bubble like crazy >>> >> The electrician did ask if power bills had been unusually high lately >> >> So any defect in the insulation will make a hot spot that spreads >> as metal is eaten >> >> Eventually, I suppose then, enough of the wire conducts to trip the >> circuit breaker. AIUI water is a poor conductor compared with >> wire. So if the portion of the element closest to the active terminal >> (where the potential difference is greatest and where the corrosion >> starts) was more electrically insulated from the water this might delay >> corrosion >> >> Also, for a few days before the element finally opened, I'd noticed >> what I thought were air locks in the hot water pipe. The HW taps >> sputtered before good flow. I presume that this was due to the >> bubbling you mention. If this is gaseous steam inside the tank it >> might be a pressure or condensation effect at the taps >> >> >> Thanks for all comments/explanations >> >> -- >> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive >> View/change your membership options at >> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist >> >> -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist