A method for determining a base load profile of a household electrical network , which network is connected to a supply network and has a plurality of load connections , by means of a measuring device connected to one of the load connections , wherein the base load profile is similar in cyclically recurring time windows (W r ), comprising the steps: (a) initialising a memory of the measuring device with a sequence of measurement times (t k ) distributed over a time window (W r ) and with a respective reference conductance value (S k ) for each measurement time (t k ); (b) feeding a measurement signal (A) of a signal generator of the measuring device into the load connection at a measurement time (t k ) of the sequence and capturing a signal response (E) at the load connection in an evaluation unit of the measuring device ; (c) determining a conductance value (G k ) of the load connection , which value appertains to said measurement time (t k ), from the captured signal response (E) in the evaluation unit ; (d) reading out the reference conductance value (S k ) appertaining to said measurement time (t k ) from the memory and comparing the determined conductance value (G k ) with the read out reference conductance value (S k ) and, when the determined conductance value (G k ) is below this reference conductance value (S k ), replacing this reference conductance value (S k ) in the memory by the determined conductance value (G k ); (e) repeating the steps (b) to (d) for a respective further measurement time (t k+1 ) of the sequence; and (f) repeating the steps (b) to (e) for at least one further sequence of measurement times (t k ) distributed in the same manner over a further time window (W r+1 ), in order to obtain, in the memory , a sequence of reference conductance values (S k ) representing the base load profile of the household electrical network , wherein, in step (d), the read out reference conductance value (S k ) is increased and replaced in the memory by the increased reference conductance value, when, during comparing, the determined conductance value (G k ) is not below the read out reference conductance value (S k ). (a) initialising a memory of the measuring device with a sequence of measurement times (t k ) distributed over a time window (W r ) and with a respective reference conductance value (S k ) for each measurement time (t k ); (b) feeding a measurement signal (A) of a signal generator of the measuring device into the load connection at a measurement time (t k ) of the sequence and capturing a signal response (E) at the load connection in an evaluation unit of the measuring device ; (c) determining a conductance value (G k ) of the load connection , which value appertains to said measurement time (t k ), from the captured signal response (E) in the evaluation unit ; (d) reading out the reference conductance value (S k ) appertaining to said measurement time (t k ) from the memory and comparing the determined conductance value (G k ) with the read out reference conductance value (S k ) and, when the determined conductance value (G k ) is below this reference conductance value (S k ), replacing this reference conductance value (S k ) in the memory by the determined conductance value (G k ); (e) repeating the steps (b) to (d) for a respective further measurement time (t k+1 ) of the sequence; and (f) repeating the steps (b) to (e) for at least one further sequence of measurement times (t k ) distributed in the same manner over a further time window (W r+1 ), in order to obtain, in the memory , a sequence of reference conductance values (S k ) representing the base load profile of the household electrical network , <EOS>