On Jan 19, 11:12*am, Steve IA wrote:
ransley wrote:

...

Get a clamp on amp meter that goes to 0,01 amp, not found a stores but
electric supply houses, a 35$ Greenlee is good. Clamp on each circut
on your panel to check consumption and compare it to what is plugged
in by their watt ratings, then check with everything off, then
unplugged. You might find a direct short to ground.

Can two extension cords, plugged together and covered with ice and snow
cause a direct short without breaking the circuit breaker?

Thanks
Steve

I would think it possible, so can bad switches, outlets, and
apliances, wiring, etc. I was told of someone that almost died when he
removed the ground strap off his water meter, the short was so bad
they later figured it was costing them 20$ a month , at 1980s rates,
for years. I had a bad outlet I found. Motors, compressors that are
near end of life can consume alot more, My frige defrost clock timer
broke costing me about 50$ more one month. I have also had the meter
reader guy several times in one year misread my meter by 10-200$. Ive
made it a point of knowing when he comes and checking it within 5
minutes of his reading. Do your own audit, the K-A-W meter is great,
you can even get a data logger or a unit that goes on the exterior
meter that will data log so you can see all usage.