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Not enough power on our electricity supply ALBATERA

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2024 3:33pm
5 replies3 members subscribed
kazmal57

Posts: 11

Location: Albatera

Joined: 7 May 2023

Hi, we live in Albatera, Las Lomas. We have a major problem with the electricity supply. We stayed with Iberdrola from the previous owners, but our supply only has the power to run half the house. For example, Using the washing machine and air conditioner simultaneously,  trips, so everything goes off as the power is only 3.4 KW. We have been told we need at least 7KW to run this house. My neighbour applied for more power from Iberdrola but it took her over a year to get it!  Is there another supplier that can supply us with more power or is Iberdrola the main supplier?  We keep hitting hurdles and nobody seems to help with advise.  

marcliff

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2024 4:05pm

marcliff

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 2605

3226 helpful points

Location: Rojales

Joined: 5 Jan 2023

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2024 4:05pm

Hmm, have you tried Iberdrola? Most modern houses need 5.75Kw and Iberdrola will require a boletin (certificate) from a qualified electrician to say your wiring can handle the extra. I had it done in our flat which had 3.3Kw and upped it to 5.75kw which is what I have in my house now and never have a problem with tripping and this is in a 3 bed, 2 bathroom property running 

Iberdrola gave me a list of electricians and one came out a couple of days later, told me the plug sockets the builder had installed were rubbish but the wiring was fine. Cost about 150 euro for inspection and boletin but was upgraded to 5.75Kw within the week. 

The list of electricians included many of the Brits electricians who work around this area. 

You can calculate how much power you need and contact Iberdrola from this site. Iberdrola

Flyingduck81

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2024 4:14pm

Flyingduck81

Helpful member

Posts: 369

340 helpful points

Location: Albatera

Joined: 28 Dec 2017

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2024 4:14pm

We are with the Cooperativa in Albatera 

Cooperativa Eléctrica Benéfica Albaterense - Google Maps

They will send someone to check your electrics to see if they are capable of running on a higher potencia and will increase if ok to do so.
I don't know how long it will take but we are also running on just 3.4 and survive quite happily because increasing means a higher standing charge and higher usage charges.
That said, we have a bottled gas central heating system on a combi boiler so we don't use electric to heat water. We also only have one air con unit in the bedroom which goes on and off all night in the hottest weather., the rest of the rooms have ceiling fans although we do have 2 portable air con units for when we have guests.
We do all our clothes washing at the weekend or overnight on low rates. We have a swimming pool pump which runs at night, a huge chest freezer and an American side by side fridge freezer. We rarely use the tumble dryer but if we do, we do it when the washing machine is not running, or another big user like the oven.
We've been here 7 years and after the first week we've never tripped out and it really doesn't take a lot of getting used to once you realise what combinations can and can't be used together.
We also have smoke alarms as we run appliances at night.
If you are heating water by electric (especially if it is an old heater caked with limescale) and running several air con units to cool or heat at the same time then you may well need to increase but it might be worth asking if you can do it in stages.

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PedroB

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2024 6:39pm

PedroB

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Posts: 539

456 helpful points

Location: Salinas

Joined: 27 Mar 2021

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2024 6:39pm

marcliff wrote on Sat Oct 26, 2024 4:05pm:

Hmm, have you tried Iberdrola? Most modern houses need 5.75Kw and Iberdrola will require a boletin (certificate) from a qualified electrician to say your wiring can handle the extra. I had it done in our flat which had 3.3Kw and upped it to 5.75kw which is what I have in my house now and never ha...

...ve a problem with tripping and this is in a 3 bed, 2 bathroom property running 

Iberdrola gave me a list of electricians and one came out a couple of days later, told me the plug sockets the builder had installed were rubbish but the wiring was fine. Cost about 150 euro for inspection and boletin but was upgraded to 5.75Kw within the week. 

The list of electricians included many of the Brits electricians who work around this area. 

You can calculate how much power you need and contact Iberdrola from this site. Iberdrola

Marcliff’s reply is correct but you may not need to get the electrician. It could be that the previous owners have reduced in incoming amount of power to reduce the standard charges. This is what had happened when I purchased my house. It had been empty for a while due to the previous owner having to return to the UK. Whilst they were away and putting it up for sale they reduced the incoming supply to 1KW (the minimum I believe) to reduce there costs. I went to the Iberdrola desk in a carrefour store and they increased it again no problem within 2 days.  It cost 76euro and an increase in my monthly standing charge. I didn't need to show any boletin (certificate) from an approved electrician as they could see on the system that it was originally higher. I increased it to 4KW and haven't had any issues since. You just need to work out what amount works for you depending on the amount of appliances you would potentialaly run at 1 time.

Worth checking out first. 

kazmal57

Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2024 8:33pm

kazmal57

Original Poster

Posts: 11

Location: Albatera

Joined: 7 May 2023

Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2024 8:33pm

Flyingduck81 wrote on Sat Oct 26, 2024 4:14pm:

We are with the Cooperativa in Albatera 

Cooperativa Eléctrica Benéfica Albaterense - Google Maps

They will send someone to check your electrics to see if they are capable of running on a higher potencia and will increase if ok to do so.
I don't know how long it will take but we are also running on just 3.4 and survive quite happily because increasing means a higher standing charge and higher usage charges.
That said, we have a bottled gas central heating system on a combi boiler so we don't use electric to heat water. We also only have one air con unit in the bedroom which goes on and off all night in the hottest weather., the rest of the rooms have ceiling fans although we do have 2 portable air con units for when we have guests.
We do all our clothes washing at the weekend or overnight on low rates. We have a swimming pool pump which runs at night, a huge chest freezer and an American side by side fridge freezer. We rarely use the tumble dryer but if we do, we do it when the washing machine is not running, or another big user like the oven.
We've been here 7 years and after the first week we've never tripped out and it really doesn't take a lot of getting used to once you realise what combinations can and can't be used together.
We also have smoke alarms as we run appliances at night.
If you are heating water by electric (especially if it is an old heater caked with limescale) and running several air con units to cool or heat at the same time then you may well need to increase but it might be worth asking if you can do it in stages.

Thank you for your informative answer. Excuse my ignorance, but is the Cooperativa an electric supplier to Albatera? If so, could we move over to them, and have them up the ante on our supply? We have installed solar panels, which hopefully should bring the bills down anyway.  .

Flyingduck81

Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2024 12:18pm

Flyingduck81

Helpful member

Posts: 369

340 helpful points

Location: Albatera

Joined: 28 Dec 2017

Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2024 12:18pm

kazmal57 wrote on Sun Oct 27, 2024 8:33pm:

Thank you for your informative answer. Excuse my ignorance, but is the Cooperativa an electric supplier to Albatera? If so, could we move over to them, and have them up the ante on our supply? We have installed solar panels, which hopefully should bring the bills down anyway.  .

Yes, click on the link to show where they are, there is parking on rough ground opposite. They don't speak English but are happy to use phones to translate but I would hang on, if you have solar that should go a long way to solving your problem. I don't know much about solar but if you have the batteries and you still keep tripping out is there something else wrong? 

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