Are you wasting over £700 a year on electricity? We were - not any more.

1carminestocky

Morn wrote: »

Grrr, I have just brought one now. Damn me and my addiction to gadgets!! At least I can chalk this one up to ecological concerns.

As long as you are determined to reduce your leccy consumption, this gadget should save you (in its first year) way more than you paid for it.

Cardew

Oblivion wrote: »

Be careful how you interpret these results. A washing machine that draws pre-heated water from your immersion tank will give a result that at face value seems very much cheaper than a washing machine that draws all its water from the main water supply and has to heat it all up from cold.

But which is really the cheaper ... it all depends on the efficiency of your immersion tank and whether this results in cheaper water heating than your washing machine's heating coils provide.

Dave.

Virtually all washing machines sold now are cold fill I believe.

Half the problem with hot fill was that they filled initially with the cold water in the hot water pipes, and if you had a long pipe run to your HW tank, the machine was full before the Hot water 'came through' and you were left with the HW sitting in the pipe.

Anyway cold fill washing machines are far more economical than most people think.(they use very little water these days) My 6/7 year old Bosch for 30C/40C/60C uses 0.4kWh/0.6kWh/0.9kWh for the full cycle according to the handbook, and a power meter I have indicates those figures are about right..

Even the 90C wash apparently uses 1.9kWh.

Edit.
Just seen this in another thread for a cold fill machine:

Today, I did another 30 degree wash and it was lower than any of the readings

1st 30 degree wash = 0.254kw....3p
2nd 30 degree wash = 0.297kw....4p
3rd 30 degree wash = 0.229kw....3p

40 degree wash = 0.241....3p

Morn

1carminestocky wrote: »

As long as you are determined to reduce your leccy consumption, this gadget should save you (in its first year) way more than you paid for it.

That's what I wanted to hear, I am taking over the costings of running a flat with my girlfriend in November and I really do not want to pay any more than I have to for the annoying necessity's.

1carminestocky

Morn wrote: »

That's what I wanted to hear, I am taking over the costings of running a flat with my girlfriend in November and I really do not want to pay any more than I have to for the annoying necessity's.

And that's what I like to hear also. My desire to pay less is not particularly about money saving exclusively (although saving money is always a good thing IMO), my motivation is that I genuinely resent paying the energy companies even a penny more than I should be. It's a powerful incentive, strong dislike ( won't say hatred because that's a strong word, lol). If you have this attitude, a wireless energy monitor should prove absiolutely invaluable and a very cost-effective purchase.

bristolleedsfan

Morn wrote: »

That's what I wanted to hear, I am taking over the costings of running a flat with my girlfriend in November and I really do not want to pay any more than I have to for the annoying necessity's.

Do people really need a gadget to tell them which appliances are using electric unneccesarily. Isnt it both just common sense and a safety measure to just unplug appliances when not in use.

1carminestocky

bristolleedsfan wrote: »

Do people really need a gadget to tell them which appliances are using electric unneccesarily. Isnt it both just common sense and a safety measure to just unplug appliances when not in use.

Of course it is! But common sense aint very common, BLF I've said this before, until you've used one of these it's hard to understand how effective they can be. Their 'in yer face-ness' is their major advantage. Humans tend to adopt the 'out of sight, out of mind' approach to life, these simply don't allow that attitude. Seriously, the main detractors for these gadgets seem to be people who haven't used one (and people who live alone, have no kids and are VERY efficient at remembering to turn stuff off). You see VERY few users slagging them. Suck it and see (they are going to be very cheap on ebay soon! )

Magentasue

bristolleedsfan wrote: »

Do people really need a gadget to tell them which appliances are using electric unneccesarily. Isnt it both just common sense and a safety measure to just unplug appliances when not in use.

Of course. But could I get that message through to the rest of my family? No. I can tell by looking at the gadget when our usage is too high. When things like the washing machine, vacuum cleaner etc are being used, it's obviously going to be high. When I'm sitting here in the evening and I see a reading of a kwh or more, I send one of the kids round the house turning off the lights that have been left on etc and it drops to 'normal'.

It has started to change their habits - they put a lamp on instead of the main light when they're watching TV, they switch off at the wall without being asked etc.

Since the gadget, we've cut our average daily use by a couple of kwh a day. It will soon have paid for itself.

Morn

bristolleedsfan wrote: »

Do people really need a gadget to tell them which appliances are using electric unneccesarily. Isnt it both just common sense and a safety measure to just unplug appliances when not in use.

I think you have a point here, I am working on the belt and braces approach. All un-necessary items are switched off anyway so I am sure that I am being economical, but I like to confirm to myself that I am doing the best I can and this gadget will do that for me.

The energy companies are rich enough, I certainly do not want to be making them richer.

drc

If you are with Southern Electric, there is a tariff called 'Better Plan' where you can get one of the energy consumption gadgets for free (the guy I spoke to told me they are worth £45 in the shops). You also get £25 cash back after a year if you have reduced your energy.

rachyroo2008

My gas & Electric bill for a quater was £200, it had to change with these recent price increases, So i went round the house replacing all light bulbs with energy saving bulbs, Turned every appliance off that i physically could (including Sky, Computer) Everything at the switch, Oven when not in use, wash machine too....My partner thought i was mad and that we wouldnt save anything, anyway bill is in and is £100! I am amazed ive saved over half my bill! Im sure i can do better for the next quater, or even match it as heating will be on soon... eeeekkkk!
Im buying the new computer eco button, Our pc is on most the time. Morning at 7.30am till 10 at night. every day. I run a business, and am in and out all day long! This gadget fits to your usb, Every time you go away from your pc, You press the eco button, and the computer goes to a special standby mode... Like sleep. When you want the screen back you just hit the button again! Its around £10.00! Not only does it have those functions but it also tells you how much electricity units you have saved and also in money terms as well! Genius.... every little helps!