Korean Job Discussion Forums

sojourner1

I turned my boiler on in late October and set it to 35 degrees Celsius where it heats up to 35 each night around 3AM and then cuts off the rest of the day. My billing cycle runs 19th through 18th of each month.

I get an electric bill that matches my meter for my main breaker that ran 16,000 and went up to around 60,000 in the past 2 months. I had assumed the extra in that bill was for the minimal heat I turned on and late last night while the boiler and ondul was powered, I cut off the main breaker to find it shut it all down which indicates it's all on the same meter. I not only received my regular bills, but I also received a separate bill with a different, but absent meter number last month and this month. The new separate electric bill was for 60,000 won for October 19th through November 18th and then a whopping 297,500 for November 19th through December 18th. WTF? I can't locate this other meter nor can my co-teacher and it is logical that my electric boiler runs on the same meter as my lights.

Fast forward to yesterday, I get a whopper of a bill for 297,500 won after having it set on only 35 since a week before Halloween and taking luke warm showers each evening. WTF? I'm assuming these 2 bills are mine, because I left last months in the box since the end of November to see if the neighbors would remove it. There is also no KWH usage reading on the new bills with the mysterious meter number that doesn't match anything in my 3 unit villa house. There are only 3 electric meters present and accounted for with matching numbers. Same for gas.

While my boiler is not gas powered, I also have 2 separate gas bills for the past month on the same meter charging me a total of 4X more than normal this month. My gas went from 15,000 to 60,000. I'm very sure there is no gas line feeding my boiler. WTF?

Funny thing is I regularly check the mail box and see all the incoming mail and know my neighbors never received these big separate electric and gas bills. WTF???

It's appearing to be that the new bill that started coming is simply a Winter scam someone in the electric and gas companies is operating as it appears to be a fictitious meter, but still coming from the electric company all official looking, but nonsense. Am I being taken advantage of? Is someone gunning for a fat year end bonus? I think so. I will pursue an argument and investigation into this nonsense until no end. This is BS.

Any of you ever have this problem? If so, what come of it?

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

35 degrees!?!?

We keep ours at 22 to 23.

But what does that have to do with electricity?

sojourner1 · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:51 pm Post subject:

tefain · Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Location: Not too far out there

Sounds like that huge monitor is wiping you out Very Happy

Just kidding.
Seriously, think about how much electricity would need to be used to heat an apt. to 35C in December! I know you shut it down after, but still... I'd say the bill is legit, though if you're lucky it may not be. Rates do tend to rise in December and January. I would investigate, but I really doubt any argument would serve you well in this case. Sucks to pay bills, but at least you're keeping warm.

Milwaukiedave · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong

OMG, that is really high. I hope you get to the bottom of it and find out why it is so much. Maybe someone is growing pot plants in your building. LOL *kidding*

marlow · Joined: 06 Feb 2005

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Costs of electric bills go up exponentially once you reach a certain amount. The idea is to penalize people who waste it.

As for the heat, you'd be much better off keeping it at 22 to 23 consistently. It's costing you more to heat the house way up after it cools again.

Jeff's Cigarettes · Joined: 27 Mar 2007

^Agreed. Hell, I haven't paid that much in the last two years total.

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

35? Why in the hell do you need to turn it so high? You were just asking for it? High bill? Yeah. No one's cheating you...

victorology · Joined: 10 Sep 2007

I assume 35 refers to room temperature because heating the water to 35 degrees C wouldn't do any good for heating your room.

marlow · Joined: 06 Feb 2005

sojourner1 · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 3:03 am Post subject:

No, my room temp is running 65 to 70, sometimes a chilly 60. We're talking boiler temp the minute it reaches it's max set temp which is 35 and then the whole thing shuts down and cools down. Evenings are the coolest air and water temp.

Because it only reaches that temp for a few minutes each morning and then goes back down the 20's the rest of the day as it cools and down to as low as 18 depending on how cold it is on the back porch where the boiler is. My accountant who helped me learn how to set the temp over 2 months ago set it on 60 C and I turned it down 2 days later to 35 knowing that would be a waste as well as being too warm. After turning it down around October 20th, I never actually have 35 degree water to use nor a hot 35 degree air temp. Right now, I have a luke warm 23. It says 23 on the control panel, but the water is barely warm that I just washed dishes with a few minutes ago. Every evening, I never get a hot shower nor dish water, just luke warm and a slightly warm floor. I actually get chilly with the 35 degree boiler and ondol setting most evenings, but I'm used to being a bit frugal with my energy. I have the boiler and ondol control both at 35. You know it's powering when it lights up and you can trip each little red breaker button which happens around 1AM to 3AM.

Again, I searched the whole perimeter of the house and there's nothing indicating a second meter. Why would you have a separate meter for the boiler? And then I don't actually have really hot water nor much heat. How in the world could I be wasting when I'm being frugal and going without? Are my Korean neighbors taking cold showers and using no heat in the Winter? Something is definitely not right in my situation.

poet13 · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:14 am Post subject:

I think you need to go back to the company and ask them to explain it. Make them show you the meter. Make them prove you owe that money. It might just be an error.

sojourner1 · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:16 am Post subject:

denverdeath · Joined: 21 May 2005 Location: Boo-sahn

It all depends on what kind of set-up you have and where you are living. I'm in a newer place, that's supposedly in a bit more affluent area than our last place was, and they seem to be raping us with regard to apartment complex fees and SK do-shi gas. Our total bills amounted to more than 300,000 won for December, including the complex fee(which includes electricity), gas(which includes ondol, hot water, and cooking when we're not using the electric range), and phone/internet. Most months are not much less than 200,000. And, it's not like we're being overly wasteful either. I guess that we're supposed to live in poverty, freezing our asses off, even if we can afford a bit nicer of a place. The utility companies here definitely rape people, especially if they're living in a fairly new place or a more expensive place. I guess you get what you pay for and then have to pay some more on top of what you're already trying to pay off, regardless of reported income. Still better than Canada though.