Suspiciously large electricity bill?

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Can someone please explain this behaviour to me (geyser and all plugs off for duration)?

1. Switch stove on at DB.
2. Switch stove on at wall switch.
3. Switch stove on at stove control panel. Red LED lights up on DB LCR. Everything makes sense up to this point.
4. Switch stove off at stove control panel.
5. Switch stove off at wall switch.
6. Switch stove off at DB. Red LED on DB LCR stays on.
7. Leave everything off for an hour. Red LED on DB LCR stays on.
8. Toggle main switch. Red LED on DB LCR stays off until the stove is used again.

Is this normal behaviour, and if so, what does the red LED mean? Because it obviously doesn't mean what I thought it means.
 
Thats a ripple relay, the council send signal to switch your geyser of when they want. I removed mine, if i want my geyser on, Ill have it on, screw them
 
gfmalan said:
Thats a ripple relay, the council send signal to switch your geyser of when they want. I removed mine, if i want my geyser on, Ill have it on, screw them
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I know what it is, thanks. What I would like to know is why its LED lights up when and only when I use the stove.
 
That light just indicat is in operation, you'll find it may flash or have some sort of way showing it receive comms from control room, and then maybe solid when in operation.

When you switch your geyser off, it's basically a second off, (as the relay is connected in serie)
 
How long does red led stay on of you switch off mains switch
If it stay on it could have a small battery or capacitor inside . What full model number of lcr ?
 
Edwe said:
I know what it is, thanks. What I would like to know is why its LED lights up when and only when I use the stove.
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Maybe they wired it that it should disconnect the geyser when the stove is in operation, so for you not to have the stove draw current with the geyser, rather an either or situation
 
thehuman said:
How long does red led stay on of you switch off mains switch
If it stay on it could have a small battery or capacitor inside . What full model number of lcr ?
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It goes off immediately after I toggle the mains. As long as I leave the mains on and don't switch on the stove, it never comes on at all. Once I switch on the stove, even if just for a second, it never goes off again (until I toggle mains), although the geyser still works.

Model is Clipsal S4LC10 220/240V 10A Load Control.
 
gfmalan said:
Maybe they wired it that it should disconnect the geyser when the stove is in operation, so for you not to have the stove draw current with the geyser, rather an either or situation
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This sort of makes sense, I guess. Still doesn't really explain why the light stays on though. Obviously the LCR isn't staying on indefinitely, because the geyser still works.
 
Edwe said:
This sort of makes sense, I guess. Still doesn't really explain why the light stays on though. Obviously the LCR isn't staying on indefinitely, because the geyser still works.
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To answer the question, the red light indicate when the relay is in operation, and with other words disconnect the geyser. There has to be a period where it would release, and allow geyser to boil when needed, bad that it takes more than hour, i would think 30min would be sufficient.

Maybe we can read up on that spesific model
 
Thanks for all the help, people! Just an update: I resolved this with the metering company; turns out I either magically used negative 500kWh over the course of the last week, or the person doing the meter reading screwed it up somehow. They overcharged me by about R1400.
 
Edwe said:
Thanks for all the help, people! Just an update: I resolved this with the metering company; turns out I either magically used negative 500kWh over the course of the last week, or the person doing the meter reading screwed it up somehow. They overcharged me by about R1400.
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What a great relief?!
 
And our situation was different.

After switching every single thing off, and switching the mains off as well (had to vacate our house for the new owner) I noticed that the #^#% electricity meter still is moving very slowly as something is using electricity :mad: But everything's switched off and there's nothing in the house.

Not my problem now, new owner's problem.
 
SauRoNZA said:
If it's not a billing problem have a look at your oven and check that it is turning off properly.

I had an issue where the switch on the oven had failed and left it ever so slightly on, so you don't obviously notice it until the power bill comes.
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Was it a Defy? I have just opened my oven and even though oven is switched off (oven switch, not isolator) it is slightly warm and both top and bottom element were hottish.
 
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AdrianH said:
Was it a Defy? I have just opened my oven and even though oven is switched off (oven switch, not isolator) it is slightly warm and both top and bottom element were hottish.
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Yup, shitty 600 series.

One with the analog rotating knobs.

When I opened it up the contact plate has slipped and was moving with the switch so when “off” it wasn’t really odd but just super low temp.

A bit of glue and sticking it back sorted it out.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Yup, shitty 600 series.

One with the analog rotating knobs.

When I opened it up the contact plate has slipped and was moving with the switch so when “off” it wasn’t really odd but just super low temp.

A bit of glue and sticking it back sorted it out.
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Yeah, I have Defy 600C, will have a look tomorrow.

Thanks
 
AdrianH said:
Yeah, I have Defy 600C, will have a look tomorrow.

Thanks
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Exactly that one!!!

And if you’ve been ****ing up your food and wondering why it’s because the temperature is only remotely accurate if you turn it all the up and then back.

Used a stand alone thermometer forever and a day before realising the switch was just kak.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Exactly that one!!!

And if you’ve been ****ing up your food and wondering why it’s because the temperature is only remotely accurate if you turn it all the up and then back.

Used a stand alone thermometer forever and a day before realising the switch was just kak.
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Opened it up today, some plastic bracket was broken that keeps the dials in position. So fixed that and cleaned up the dials and all is good now. Thanks
 
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