Everyone involved gives me a little more information. Real men don't communicate.

My sister, co-owner, just told me that Xmas day, hot water was running down the street two blocks away. Repaired same day!

Now don't you think that owner would have mentioned that.

Yet that doesn't explain January bill that's higher, still.

Or does it?
My sister also complained of an "unrelated" matter. The park is using 50,000 gallons/Mo. of water more than this time last year.

With that, and plumber repairing top element only yesterday.

The answer has to be that hot water is still leaking somewhere!

And that previous to yesterday water heater was using more than the rated wattage due to broken element.

Phones ringing........................................................
It's the plumber.

That pretty much confirms it.
Still luke warm water after new elements, thermostats, and breaker.
Has to be a water leak..........

 

Once upon a time, I tried shutting off the main breaker and looking at the meter. The wheel was still turning. Customer Disservice told me it's supposed to be that way. I broke the seals on the meter (one on the outside and one on the inside) and complained about low voltage problems. After the local manager questioned the size of my gonads and threatened to have me arrested for stealing electricity, he changed the meter and my bill went down 8% (averaged over the next year). Still, they did not send me a refund for the 8% they had been stealing from me for the previous 10 years. The new electronic meters are a lot harder to verify when they are wrong. Anyway, the point is, sometimes you have to try something sneaky to get the electric company to do anything at all instead of ignoring the obvious problem that is staring them in the face.

I am not telling you to do anything unlawful. I'm just telling you that the electric company will go to great lengths to make you out to be the bad guy when they wouldn't correct an obvious problem, as long as it's in their favor.

 

If all else fails, I'll connect a known dummy load direct to meter for a few hours.

Going back at 10AM to see why water heater is still not working, when it is drawing 14 amps.

Only answer can be, hot water leak.

I made up a clear plastic hose tonight. I'll connect to drain on bottom.
This will show water level in tank.

I'll then shut supply valve and vent tank thru pop=off valve.
Level will hold if no leaks.
All plumbing is lower than tank.

Won't show a pressure leak, but I expect a large leak. >.5 GPM

ps.

Guess I'll have to depend on siphon as outlet is at top of tank. hmm
That may not work.......................
Have to come up with another idea.......................

Ok, pressure gauge at drain valve.
Should hold pressure after turning off supply.............

 

I don't have any suggestions, but I'll be waiting to hear the results.

 

The numbers line up, assuming the water temp is Luke warm, that corresponds to about 30k gallons a month.

 

You should be able to hear the water flowing throughout the inlet pipe if the hot water tank is leaking. Is there no way to turn off the water flow to the hot water tank inlet and see if the water temp continues to rise like a pressure cooker?

 

Also, you said that the power feed from the meter to the house was underground. Could there be a short in the cable (sort from live to the dirt ground would be high resistance during a drought summer but your wet winter and road salt could goose that current flow quite a bit. I would walk the power line feed path and look for a warm spot.

Also, I would look to see if the line voltage at the hit water heater is really 230 volts.

 

You should be able to hear the water flowing throughout the inlet pipe if the hot water tank is leaking. Is there no way to turn off the water flow to the hot water tank inlet and see if the water temp continues to rise like a pressure cooker?

That's my plan today.

I'll put a pressure gauge on the drain valve and turn off the supply.

As this isn't my first rodeo, I'm expecting things to get stranger. Like no leak. Or a new heating element that goes "open" when ever I leave.

 

That's my plan today.

I'll put a pressure gauge on the drain valve and turn off the supply.

As this isn't my first rodeo, I'm expecting things to get stranger. Like no leak. Or a new heating element that goes "open" when ever I leave.

I've experienced a 3 phase immersion heater, with equal and appropriate current draw on all 3 phases, measured by clamp meter, not heating at all. Put my hand in the tank and grabbed the element, nothing. Went into "blindly start replacing things until it starts working" mode and it turns out that one of the SSRs that switches one of the legs was bad. I still can't wrap my head around that one.

 

I'm expecting things to get stranger. Like no leak. Or a new heating element that goes "open" when ever I leave.

I thought I was the only one who had these kinds of issues.

 

The numbers line up, assuming the water temp is Luke warm, that corresponds to about 30k gallons a month.

My apologies to all for wasting your time.







When I got there this AM the plumber was already crawling under the home.
Against my advice. He's 75 and it's 11 below zero. bbbrrrrr

I read the meter and was doing the math. $210 a month from the 18 hr run.

Cx asked where Bob was. I said,"he's under the house looking for your leak".

Cx said he had a question.

"Would it make a difference if my hot water in the tub was running? I haven't been able to turn it off all winter".

"I keep it locked. Don't want anyone in there"

And so it was.........Guestimated about .5 to .75 GPM warm water...........just happens to be about 30,000 gallons per month.

Could someone move this to the joke thread?.....................................ha ha

 

Seems he would'a noticed his rise in his water bill.

 

Wow... All of that and he has got a faucet leak in a room he doesn't want anyone in. Incredible.

If I was the 75 year old man climbing under the house in the bitter cold I would have charged him triple due to incompetence.

Good thing I'm not a service tech

 

Seems he would'a noticed his rise in his water bill.

My sister has one meter for the whole park.
Yes, she noticed, and is not happy.
After he had a broken pipe Xmas, and didn't report it, she told him to PLEASE report any leaks.
Is a faucet a LEAK?

 

Wow... All of that and he has got a faucet leak in a room he doesn't want anyone in. Incredible.

If I was the 75 year old man climbing under the house in the bitter cold I would have charged him triple due to incompetence.

Good thing I'm not a service tech

The sad thing is, he's a veteran, and a hardship case.

He offered to pay me when he gets his check. I told him to "pay Bob first, I just did the math!"

Bob is not only fixing his plumbing, after hearing his sad story, he went shopping for him. He couldn't afford a soda, so Bob bought him a case.

It's easy to make fun of him, but he just doesn't know. He doesn't seem stupid, he just doesn't know.

 

It's easy to make fun of him, but he just doesn't know. He doesn't seem stupid, he just doesn't know.

$400 for the utility company to keep pipes from freezing and the ignorant poor just get poorer.

 

The sad thing is, he's a veteran, and a hardship case.

He offered to pay me when he gets his check. I told him to "pay Bob first, I just did the math!"

Bob is not only fixing his plumbing, after hearing his sad story, he went shopping for him. He couldn't afford a soda, so Bob bought him a case.

It's easy to make fun of him, but he just doesn't know. He doesn't seem stupid, he just doesn't know.

Ignorant of a faucet leak being a problem? IDK. I'm not making fun of the guy. I just think it's hard to believe unless there's more circumstances that you haven't divulged (ex: mental illness).

Regardless, I'm glad you guys got it figured out and got one of our vets back on track with a new case of coke. Good on ya, mate!

 

Ignorant of a faucet leak being a problem? IDK. I'm not making fun of the guy. I just think it's hard to believe unless there's more circumstances that you haven't divulged (ex: mental illness).

Regardless, I'm glad you guys got it figured out and got one of our vets back on track with a new case of coke. Good on ya, mate!

I agree. I was aware of water and electricity costing money since I was a kid. My paents made sure of it. If he truly didn't know, It almost certainly means he forgot. And if he forgot something like that it probably can be attributed to mental illness. Not making fun, just saying. Anyway, glad its worked out now.

 

I only mentioned making fun, to ease my own conscience.

Is there more to the story? Must be, but I'm not making this up.

This is an adult, my age, living alone, retired military and railroad.

Can carry on a somewhat normal conversation. Overly friendly, won't let you leave without swearing that he did not do or say anything "inhospitable".

A cry for help? I don't know. Last month my friendly disabled neighbor left a note on the door. "Don't come in, I'm dead" And he was.