How many units of Gas are you using daily?

Cardew

Mazio,
I understand your situation, which is atypical.

In fact it can make sense in the summer for some people to shut off their gas boiler and use an immersion heater.

Firstly, a pilot light can use a lot of gas.

Secondly, you are saving(or not spending) gas priced at the tier 1 rate.

That said some companies are trying to combat that tactic by altering the Tier1/Tier2 tariff structure.

NPower have introduced their infamous 'sculpting' and BG have reduced the number of tier 1 units, but charge more for them - so it is the same standing charge.

littleange

ezrollers wrote: »

Thanks m8, I've just read your post aloud to my gf and she was glad that I keep the house between 17-18 C and not 14 C. I'm sure she'll resume moaning in a few days, but for the time being you have just bought me some peace and quiet

Incidentally, Electricity use is around 3-4 kWh per day. Gas rather depends on the weather. Last week it was about 20 kWh per day, week before that 32 kWh per day :eek:

Happy to help hehe. It's colder today here, the temperature in the bedroom/office this morning was 12C so got the little heater on and got it up to 15.5C so far.

derrick

Cardew wrote: »

derrick/espresso

I have read several times that the output of any back boiler is no greater than 16kW; viz

Assuming that this also applies to the Baxi Bermuda 551, it means that the efficiency is in the order of 50% if it can use 30kWh in an hour. That also ties up with other website that talk of back boilers having low efficiency.

However even at 50% and assuming espresso had the latest all seeing, all dancing, condensing boiler giving 90%, it doesn't explain why his consumption in a 4 bed detached is so much lower than a 3 bed semi. There must be other important factors.

Incidentally I share derrick and other's sentiments about keeping old boilers that soldier on for years without repair.

It costs £thousands to adapt and fit a new boiler. They have pitiful guarantees, and seemingly built-in obsolescence where 10 years is considered a reasonable life. Firms like BG with their very expensive boiler cover schemes do not cover the heat exchanger.

The rating plate on the Baxi 551 states; -

Input; - 21.8Kw, (74500 BTUs), 18Kw, (61500 BTUs), 13.8Kw, (47000 BTUs).

Output; - 16.1Kw, (55000 BTUs), 13Kw, (44500 BTUs), 10Kw, (34000 BTUs).

Other posts on this thread that seem to use similar consumptions to me; - 63, 93, 96, 148.

.

littleange

Just tested the pilot light on our old boiler over 20 hours

20 hours 0.522units
24 hours is therefore approx. 0.626units x 11kWh = 6.89kWh a day at 3.77p (Ebico) = 26p a day
Weekly = 48.23kWh = £1.82
Monthly = 213.59kWh = £8.05
Yearly = 2514.85kWh = £94.81

Looks like it's costing me nearly £100 a year without even using any hot water or heating.

Currently only heating the water once most days and paying £15 a month, so not doing too badly:

23 hours of pilot 0.560units x 11kWh = 6.16kWh
1 hour of water heating 0.797 x 11kWh = 8.77kWh
Current daily useage = 14.92kWh x 3.77p = 56p
Weekly = 104.44kWh x 3.77p = £3.94
Monthly = 462.52kWh x 3.77p = £17.44
Year = 5445.8kWh x 3.77p = £205.31

derrick

littleange_com wrote: »

Just tested the pilot light on our old boiler over 20 hours

20 hours 0.522units
24 hours is therefore approx. 0.626units x 11kWh = 6.89kWh a day at 3.77p (Ebico) = 26p a day
Weekly = 48.23kWh = £1.82
Monthly = 213.59kWh = £8.05
Yearly = 2514.85kWh = £94.81

Looks like it's costing me nearly £100 a year without even using any hot water or heating.

Currently only heating the water once most days and paying £15 a month, so not doing too badly:

23 hours of pilot 0.560units x 11kWh = 6.16kWh
1 hour of water heating 0.797 x 11kWh = 8.77kWh
Current daily useage = 14.92kWh x 3.77p = 56p
Weekly = 104.44kWh x 3.77p = £3.94
Monthly = 462.52kWh x 3.77p = £17.44
Year = 5445.8kWh x 3.77p = £205.31

Your pilot light will still be on whilst you have the water heating on, so your pilot is on 24/7.

littleange

derrick wrote: »

Your pilot light will still be on whilst you have the water heating on, so your pilot is on 24/7.

Well that's how much the meter moved when I put the water on for an hour, so I assume that includes the pilot light.

Cardew

littleange_com wrote: »

Looks like it's costing me nearly £100 a year without even using any hot water or heating.

There were several posts on the subject of pilot light costs some while ago, and your consumpion is quite typical.

I had the same consumption(serviced by BG!!) so I turned down the pilot light and halved the cost. (disclaimer - not suggesting that others should do this) My instruction manual was quite clear on how to carry out this procedure.

Incidentally, provided your boiler is inside the house, the heat from the pilot light is not lost as it warms the house(albeit it is not needed in the summer)
Unfortunately my boiler is in an outside boiler room.

derrick

littleange_com wrote: »

Well that's how much the meter moved when I put the water on for an hour, so I assume that includes the pilot light.

Correct, not thinking properly :rolleyes:

espresso

littleange_com wrote: »

Just tested the pilot light on our old boiler over 20 hours

20 hours 0.522units
24 hours is therefore approx. 0.626units x 11kWh = 6.89kWh a day at 3.77p (Ebico) = 26p a day
Weekly = 48.23kWh = £1.82
Monthly = 213.59kWh = £8.05
Yearly = 2514.85kWh = £94.81

Looks like it's costing me nearly £100 a year without even using any hot water or heating.

Pilot light, more like a flame thrower! Ours is costing 39% of your annual cost.

littleange

Cardew wrote: »

There were several posts on the subject of pilot light costs some while ago, and your consumpion is quite typical.

I had the same consumption(serviced by BG!!) so I turned down the pilot light and halved the cost. (disclaimer - not suggesting that others should do this) My instruction manual was quite clear on how to carry out this procedure.

Incidentally, provided your boiler is inside the house, the heat from the pilot light is not lost as it warms the house(albeit it is not needed in the summer)
Unfortunately my boiler is in an outside boiler room.

Ours is underneath the house.