Energy Monitor Stats

[Toms306]

Morning all,

So I'm kinda bored today lol, and just wondered what your house electricity 'idle' is and how it compares to mine if you have an energy monitior. Also, what's the highest you've seen?

Idle - 30 Watts

Max so far - 5,600 Watts (oven, hob and washing machine on together lol)

On a side note, anyone know if it's possible to measure two lives in with one monitor? I have a separate intake cable for off peak heating and the monitor clampmeter is only big enough for one cable so its either one or the other atm lol.

Tom

[Eeyore]

Ive got no idea... we dont monitor anything. Just turn off things after use.

[Toms306]

It's surprising how much things use though, even things you don't think about that are always on... Smoke alarm 2watts, oven clock 3watts, etc!

And of course just 1watt constantly works out to about 9kWh over a year... About a pound per watt at idle...

[Eeyore]

It's surprising how much things use though, even things you don't think about that are always on...  Smoke alarm 2watts, oven clock 3watts, etc!

And of course just 1watt constantly works out to about 9kWh over a year...  About a pound per watt at idle...

how have you worked out what your smoke alarm is using? Ours are all battery powered.

[bigcheez2k3]

I don't pay the bill but I've been interested how much we do use. I just turn stuff off when I'm finished.

Missus is useless at doing that, despite me explaining it would be cheaper for her and her housemates if they turned lights off and actually used energy saving ones.

[Toms306]

It's surprising how much things use though, even things you don't think about that are always on...  Smoke alarm 2watts, oven clock 3watts, etc!

And of course just 1watt constantly works out to about 9kWh over a year...  About a pound per watt at idle...

how have you worked out what your smoke alarm is using? Ours are all battery powered.

It's a hard wired smoke alarm, probably has to be for insurance in rented places, like having fire extinguisers etc.

I don't pay the bill but I've been interested how much we do use. I just turn stuff off when I'm finished.

Missus is useless at doing that, despite me explaining it would be cheaper for her and her housemates if they turned lights off and actually used energy saving ones.

Energy saving bulbs ftw tbh, 60 watts of light from just 11 watts of power is pretty cool imo. I got some at just 75p in a clearance bin as well as had conventional ones left here when I moved in. I've been trying to find an energy saving tube for the kitchen though, it seems they don't make them though I know tubes are slightly more efficient anyway.

Probably the biggest thing I found out since using the energy monitor is that the TV uses almost the same power whether displaying a bright moving picture or not. So listening to the radio via freeview was using around 50watts instead of the ~5watts the DAB stereo uses! Small DAB radio in the kitchen only uses 1watt even!

I do also turn off PC, Xbox and laptop and phone chargers at the plug when not in use, only tend to use them on the off peak electric as well which works out roughly half price of the normal rate.

[r3k1355]

You're a proper pikey git mate, but good on you anyways.

I can't ever be arsed to turn things off at the wall, can't get to the plugs behind the telly anyway.

[cully]

ive got one of those smart energy monitors but the feckin thing is Dumb as the battery's are flat!

[toseland]

have you worked out how much power the energy moniter uses to moniter the energy in your house?


those tubes are equally as nasty if they are turned on and off.. the starter in them draws a huge amount of leccy so it really is better to turn them on and leave them rather than on and off..

we have osram LED downlighters at 2watts a peice, instead of the 240g halogens, GU10 in the kitchen, (its downstairs and dark normally) they are simply replacemetns for the original bulbs.. i have gone from 450watts when on, to 18... for what is argueably the same amount of light (little darker than the incandescent but i can and will at some point get some slightly higher rated bulbs for things like work surface illumination,.

[Midnightclub]

Another +1 for LED bulbs, they are the shizz.

[r3k1355]

Yea careful what you buy tho, we just fitted 5 LED GU10's into the bathroom.

Me not thinking went for 'day light' colour, and when I first turned them on (during the day) they looked awesome.
Really sharp white light, looked really cool and modern.

Come darkness it then became apparent they're f*cking bright as hell and make the rest of the place look like a dungeon in comparison 

Might have to look into a dimmer switch or something, spose it was only 20 quid so could just stick some other ones in.

[Dum-Dum]

How much are the meters?

[toseland]

most electric companies have some either as a deal under some government scheme or sell them for sub £40

i had one from british gas with a load of energy saving bulbs for postage cost (£6 i beleive)

[Niall]

If you have any fluorescent tubes then it's best to leave them on for a bit rather than switching them on and off often. The starters use a lot of power but once they have started, they can drop down to really low power usage. A 3.6v battery will run one for 3 hours or more....
Also, you need to let them tubes warm up (about 20 mins). If they aren't allowed to warm up, you'll kill them so quickly!

I'm assuming you're on economy 7 if you have two lives? If so you'd need a separate meter for L2 which I just wouldn't bother with. Tbh I see them gauges like a MPG gauge. What difference does it make? You're using a certain amount of fuel to do what you're doing. If you don't use that fuel then you can't do that so it doesn't matter really what the readings are

[C2K]

Personally, I try to live frugally. I don't need or want a meter to tell me my usage as it makes you develop odd habits. As long as my bills fall where I expect them to be, so be it.

I only checked the HDi mpg once a tank when i stuck it in the calculator (if that). The golf tells me every journey, every tank, 2000 mile rolling average.... I try not to look and just drive.

[Toms306]

You're a proper pikey git mate, but good on you anyways.

I can't ever be arsed to turn things off at the wall, can't get to the plugs behind the telly anyway.

Lol, its not difficult tbh, with the 'entertainment' stuff its all on one tower bar the TV so I just turn it on as and when required. Also have it on a timer so I can leave chargers plugged in but they'll only charge on cheap rate unless I over-ride it.

ive got one of those smart energy monitors but the feckin thing is Dumb as the battery's are flat!

I wanted a smart meter when they had to change mine but doesn't work on E10.

have you worked out how much power the energy moniter uses to moniter the energy in your house?


those tubes are equally as nasty if they are turned on and off.. the starter in them draws a huge amount of leccy so it really is better to turn them on and leave them rather than on and off..

we have osram LED downlighters at 2watts a peice, instead of the 240g halogens, GU10 in the kitchen, (its downstairs and dark normally) they are simply replacemetns for the original bulbs.. i have gone from 450watts when on, to 18... for what is argueably the same amount of light (little darker than the incandescent but i can and will at some point get some slightly higher rated bulbs for things like work surface illumination,.

Yeah I have, 2 watts for the meter itself lol.

I'm not allowed to change any electrics so I've gotta put up with the tube really, but I don't often use it and when I do its only for <15 mins. If it was my own place I'd change to LED downlighters.

How much are the meters?

My parents weren't using this one so I'm 'borrowing' it. Think it was probably free anyway though, it's Eon branded.

If you have any fluorescent tubes then it's best to leave them on for a bit rather than switching them on and off often. The starters use a lot of power but once they have started, they can drop down to really low power usage. A 3.6v battery will run one for 3 hours or more....
Also, you need to let them tubes warm up (about 20 mins). If they aren't allowed to warm up, you'll kill them so quickly!

I'm assuming you're on economy 7 if you have two lives? If so you'd need a separate meter for L2 which I just wouldn't bother with. Tbh I see them gauges like a MPG gauge. What difference does it make? You're using a certain amount of fuel to do what you're doing. If you don't use that fuel then you can't do that so it doesn't matter really what the readings are

Yeah I know the theory with tubes, but it's just not feasible. I try not to use it tbh but when I do its for like 10-15 mins before bed. S'pose it'll be on more in winter though - if the tube survives that long lol.

I'm on Economy 10 but same principle. I wont bother with the second live then. I know roughly how much that uses anyway, obviously no heaters on atm so it's just the immersion heater which is on for about an hour a day.

If petrol was half price at certain times of the day surely you'd hoon then, and be more careful with it at full price? As I said in the other thread, I don't sit in silence waiting for the off-peak, but if I can put the wash on an hour later, or do dinner an hour earlier for half price that's a huge saving over a year. I also find it interesting, same with MPG readings, it's not that I'm trying to make it as good as possible or anything, though of course saving money (oh and the planet ) is always good, just kinda interests me - I like statistics.

Personally, I try to live frugally. I don't need or want a meter to tell me my usage as it makes you develop odd habits. As long as my bills fall where I expect them to be, so be it.

I only checked the HDi mpg once a tank when i stuck it in the calculator (if that). The golf tells me every journey, every tank, 2000 mile rolling average.... I try not to look and just drive.

That's one thing I really miss from the Golf! It must be a VAG specific thing having each trip separate as well as the overall, not had that in any other car lol.

I have plenty of odd habits anyway.

[Kezzieboy]

MG6 does data per journey

[Toms306]

Wonder where they got the idea from...