Help and Advice With Electrical Company

jester420

New member
Jun 21, 2007
22
0
0
Hello DR1 Community
My fiance and I rent the first floor of a two story house in Urb. Villa Marbon/ Villa Mella SD. Her first month there the Electricity bill was RD$215.00 I had a 1.5k inverter/charger installed as the electricity is out most of the day and on most of the night. The second month the bill was RD$108.00 I'm thinking this is wonderful!!! Looks like the inverter cut the cost. Well this (3rd) month the bill arrives and it's RD$3493.72. Now knowing how frugal my fiance is (Keeps the lights off most of the day) and the fact that there is rarely any electricity during the day. We have 1- small 21" tv 1- laptop 2- ceiling fans 1- stereo 1- microwave which she never uses, 1- small plastic washing machine, which she uses every sunday.1- cell phone charger 1- Large Whirlpool Frigde (Not Hooked up to the Inverter) and NO AIR CONDITIONER. I find this bill to be unbelievable. I told her to speak with someone at Codetel. The person she spoke to simply told her to pay the bill then come back and talk to him and she refused. he then claimed that it was for the last 3 months. So she inquired about the bills she had already paid and he claimed she was misbilled because they believed the house was unoccupied and she told them then the Rats must have been the ones who came and paid the bills. She told them RD$3493.72 was still way too much for her usage even over a 3 month period and demanded they come check their meter and wiring. They scheduled a meter reading for Next tuesday. and then we will see. The preivious tenant had more electronics as they were running a video editing business out of the house and had AC. Their bill never exceeded
RD$1000.00 a month. We saw the bills and reciepts before we rented. What recourse do we have if any and has anyone gone through this with Codetel before? Thanks in Advance for any Help
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
5,808
948
113
Codetel is the phone company, not the electric company.

Looks like the inverter cut the cost.
The Inverter will not cut the cost, it will add to the cost.
 

jester420

New member
Jun 21, 2007
22
0
0
Santiago
I stand corrected it is EDE Este that is billing us and she is paying the bill at Codetel.

Jester
 
Feb 7, 2007
8,005
625
113
1) EDEEste billls are not paid at codetel
2) Check your meter and do meter readings every morning
3) No way to have 1000 bill with AC unless a meter is fixed
4) Your bill should be bout 1000 pesos for the consumption you decribed
5) Again, check your meter every morning, end even every couple of hours, to see if there are spikes in consumption
6) If you do not agree to the bill, complain, but you still have to pay the bill
7) Check if somebody hooks up to your leectricity line and charge syour meter with their consumption
8) If nothing else helps, and EdeEste is still abusing you, and you knwo you don;t consume what they bill, FIX the meter!
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Dear Jester420: While I agree that $3000+ is probably too much, your consumption of electricity, when it is coming from edeEste is now MUCH higher. The fridge alone is worth $rd1500 a month and PLEASE remember that an inverter is just a glorified Battery Charger that is sucking up electricity and storing it so you can use it later. It ain't free!!

And remember, also, if you have neighbors, to check if maybe one or two of them are "borrowing" electricity from your lines.

Also, know the electricity rates go way up, and that kilowatt 701 is worth more than RD$2000 alone!!!!

So: Check the system. Check your wires. Read the meter every day.

HB
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
They Charge 108 pesos a month ,"No Matter What"!

I got a bill for 4 months for an apt. that is not in use.(ALMOST :cheeky:) It was 108 pesos a month,just like your bill! They were just charging for the "Connection",and when they actually read the meter, the bigger charge was added. Don't complain! Many pay bills of 10 to 15 thousand a month, or more! But then we live like "Americans", not "Africans"! You know Air Conditioning, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, water pumps, computers !!!

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

AND, "YES",the inverter energy costs about 30 % more than the "StreeT" power. But you get the "Heat"
for free!
 

jester420

New member
Jun 21, 2007
22
0
0
I want to thank you all for the advice. I won't complain in the future. The spike in the bill just set me off.
 

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
429
0
Santiago
I want to thank you all for the advice. I won't complain in the future. The spike in the bill just set me off.

I just payed my bill of RD1600 today which is about average. I have a 2 story house with like 25 to 30 low consumption lightbulbs, with an average of 4 to 6 being on all day long, incl at night. We have a 5kw inverter and a Whirpool refrigerater that is always on, a microwave that we use daily, a large washing machine that gets used at least three times a week, three televisions, two of which that are on constantly, three fans which run all night and some during the day, a shower water heater that is used every day, a pump for the water that is cut on almost everday and a host of electrical equipment for the business.

My current rate is RD3.12 up to 200kw, RD4.71 up to 300kw and RD7.00 for over 300kw. My consumption was 362kw.

If your rates are comparable to mine you have one of two problems:

1. You have a bad ground in the house.
2. Someone is connecting to your line - which is very, very possible given that you are in a common building witrh someone else.

This actually happened to me where I used to rent - the owner was "stealing" power from us until I found out of course. Aslo, I was helping some old lady down at Edenorte today with the same exact problem. All the electrical companies can do is check up until the meter. Therefore, you will need to get an electrician to check the house.

I would be surprised is someone is connecting to your line and gladly allowing you to pay for it - it happens a lot here unfortunately.
 

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
429
0
Santiago
Chip
Know any reputable electricians in the Villa Mella area?

That's in the Santiago area, right?

If so call Halmembarys Inversores at 809-757-9689 and ask for the owner, an electrical engineer and all around nice guy that has charged me Dominican prices. They build and sell inverters but I know he knows what he is doing and maybe he can help you out. If not he can get you in contact with someone reputable. Tell him Abney, the American sent you.