Electricity Leakage

[orion]

Hi all,

There are 30 lamp posts in a residential estate where I live; all with up to 15 watt economy light bulbs. The total KWh consumption therefore should be 450 watts per hour. Yet the meter measurements show that the consumption is nearly 1150 watt hours or 1.15 KWh. The meter was checked and found to be rather accurate. Therefore there must be a leakage of electricity somewhere. Cables leading to lamp posts are buried in the ground. Could anyone advise where the most likely leakage points could be ? The leakage increases when the ground is wet due to rain and reduces when the rain stops and and there is no rain for a few days.

Orion

 

[bugsy]

I suggest you disconect supplies to the control gear / lamps split the circuit annd test it

 

[gaffer]

Are you sure you havent got a surface water pump connected to the landlords supply somewhere explaining the increased useage during rain fall.

 

[pushrod]

Are you using a power meter that is measuring current and voltage?

With low energy compact fluorescent bulbs the calcs aren't quite so simple because the current and voltage will not be in phase. More current will be flowing than you would expect - plus the actual voltage to the installation may well be in excess of 240V instead of the expected 230V.

 

[ian.settle1]

Hi all,

There are 30 lamp posts in a residential estate where I live; all with up to 15 watt economy light bulbs. The total KWh consumption therefore should be 450 watts per hour. Yet the meter measurements show that the consumption is nearly 1150 watt hours or 1.15 KWh. The meter was checked and found to be rather accurate. Therefore there must be a leakage of electricity somewhere. Cables leading to lamp posts are buried in the ground. Could anyone advise where the most likely leakage points could be ? The leakage increases when the ground is wet due to rain and reduces when the rain stops and and there is no rain for a few days.

Orion

Sure no gypos have tapped into it?

 

[Darkwood]

Clamp your load when all lamps are on take the measurement then go to the midpoint and disconnect half the lighting if possible then clamp again if the load is below half approx half less fault leakage current then the leaking is in the second half if load is above half and seems to still be higher then actual load then fault is in first half.
Once you know which half repeat above on suspect half working out if fault current has gone compared to load connected and you should effectively find the fault within 3 to 4 attemps.

 

[m4tty]

sure no gypos have tapped into it?:d:d

+ 1 :d