Should I turn the power to my combi boiler off? (Have searched)
dr_winston
Posts: 6 Forumite
in Energy
Hi, basically my flatmates have been arguing over this since we moved in six months ago. One says that the boiler should only be turned on when we need hot water (shower/ bath/ washing up) and for heating (in winter, obviously it's not needed now).
Whereas the other says to just leave the hot water function on and all the time for when we need it as.
So does leaving the hot water, and therefore the power to the boiler, on waste electricity and gas? and would only turning it on save us much?
Cheers ; )
Whereas the other says to just leave the hot water function on and all the time for when we need it as.
So does leaving the hot water, and therefore the power to the boiler, on waste electricity and gas? and would only turning it on save us much?
Cheers ; )
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Comments
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dr_winston wrote: »So does leaving the hot water, and therefore the power to the boiler, on waste electricity and gas?0
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dr_winston wrote: »Hi, basically my flatmates have been arguing over this since we moved in six months ago. One says that the boiler should only be turned on when we need hot water (shower/ bath/ washing up) and for heating (in winter, obviously it's not needed now).
Whereas the other says to just leave the hot water function on and all the time for when we need it as.
So does leaving the hot water, and therefore the power to the boiler, on waste electricity and gas? and would only turning it on save us much?
Cheers ; )
With a combi boiler, when there is a request for hot water i.e. by someone turning on a hot tap, water is heated by the combi boiler which then flows through to the relevant tap.
You won't save much by turning the electricity suppy off when the boiler is not needed.0 -
The miniscule amount you will save is far outweighed by not getting into a freezing cold shower and having to run through the flat stark naked and dripping wet to turn the boiler on0
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Also if you keep turning it on & off at the mains it is only a question of time before you blow the main PCB which will cost hundreds of £s to replace. Your few pence a day electricity saving will look rather pitiful then!0
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As you have flatmates (there are at least three of you) then it is certainly not worthwhile. For a single person it can make sense to switch it off - a comb-boiler can easily cost as much for electricity as it does for gas and make up one-third of the electricity bill.0
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However!!!
Do read the manual, and ensure there is not a reservoir of water, kept hot with electricity. This can use significant amounts of power, and can usually be switched off somehow without turning off the boiler.0 -
As you have flatmates (there are at least three of you) then it is certainly not worthwhile. For a single person it can make sense to switch it off - a comb-boiler can easily cost as much for electricity as it does for gas and make up one-third of the electricity bill.
EDIT: Heh, my earlier estimate was bang on. 4.6 W, so under £5 per year.0 -
Oh yeah? Might use my power meter to see how much mine uses.
EDIT: Heh, my earlier estimate was bang on. 4.6 W, so under £5 per year.
What type of power meter did you use to get that result in 3 minutes?
Boilers are normally hard wired i.e. not plugged in via a 13A socket.
I've just looked at my boiler (which is not a combi boiler) and there is no access to the power cable at all (without removing any covers)
There's an on/off switch on the wall, and presumably the cable travels from that, behind the wall, to the back of the boiler.0 -
Oh yeah? Might use my power meter to see how much mine uses.
EDIT: Heh, my earlier estimate was bang on. 4.6 W, so under £5 per year.0 -
Well done. Shrug. Your boiler (claims) to only use 0.77 kWh per week. My one uses more than 6 kWh. Either I have a carp boiler or your instaneous reading is misleading. Even if your reading is reliable not everyone will have a boiler that efficient. As I said it is only significant for single people - more than one person using hot water (and paying the bill) it makes little sense to switch it off. But more than 300 kWh per year is easily one third or one quarter of an annual bill for a single person.
Something wrong there? Are you measuring the electricity used in winter and therefore the power consumed by the pump for central heating?
When in hot water only mode the only power is to keep the boiler in standby - negligible. Won't matter if a single person or 10 people in the house.0
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