Low Electricity Usage - How?

Premier_2

So 3 computers in total.

When I measured mine, the desktop consumes about 130-200W (includes monitor & 2 small speakers) and a laptop about 60-70W each (when also charging battery).

Running the laptops off batteries doesn't save you any electricity - it has to be used to charge up the batteries in the first instance and you'll lose some in the charging process.

Any other electrical appliances you have about the house but "are turned off at the wall"?
e.g. Telephone, hi-fi, microwave, sky/freeview box, video/dvd recorder, wireless router, etc?

TITEASCRAMP

Premier wrote: »

So 3 computers in total.

When I measured mine, the desktop consumes about 130-200W (includes monitor & 2 small speakers) and a laptop about 60-70W each (when also charging battery).

Running the laptops off batteries doesn't save you any electricity - it has to be used to charge up the batteries in the first instance and you'll lose some in the charging process.

Any other electrical appliances you have about the house but "are turned off at the wall"?
e.g. Telephone, hi-fi, microwave, etc?

I dont use the pc. The laptop is only fully charged once a day.
I cant think of any other electrical appliance apart from router.
The mircowave is off at wall, phone doesnt have a charger and i dont have a hifi.

Magentasue

We have a medium sized TV and four laptops. Son1 would like a plasma screen all singing and dancing TV but I don't like them and don't want to pay to run it. He is persisting and I'm resisting. We use 10-13 kwh and I think that's OK for a family of six. There's usually someone at home in the day and the kids all have gadgets and want the TV on. I never have the TV on during the day but, of course, I have my own toys - the tumble drier being one. I'm sure most of these low users are small families who are out a lot or who don't have a lot of gadgets - we'll never live like that while we have the offspring here. Usage is relative - it's like food shopping. Although people's budgets can be cut by changing consumption habits, a family of six will never be able to go as low as a single person household could.

Premier_2

There must be more electrical appliances somewhere.

Vacuum cleaner?

Based on what you've posted, the old fridge freezer wouldn't use 3kWh per day even if it has twin compressors (modern ones only have a single)
Lets assume you have 5 lights on for 5 hours per day (that's a lot) = 0.5kWh
Perhaps pump to run boiler uses another 0.5kWh (5 hours x 100W)

To use 7kWh per day (even when the washing machine is not in use) means that the TV&amp must be using 500W which seems alot to me unless you like it really loud. Get an energy meter from Lidl for £6.99 and measure it.

Or there are some other uses you've not accounted for.


Edit: Just seen that you suggest that even when the TV is used for just 30mins in a day, you use 7 units - your tv certainly doesn't use 6000W. There must be other usage you are not accounting for.

KimYeovil

(Don't mean to rub things in, but why are those of us who use less than 3 units per day not allowed to participate in your poll?)

TITEASCRAMP

Premier wrote: »

There must be more electrical appliances somewhere.

Vacuum cleaner?

Based on what you've posted, the old fridge freezer wouldn't use 3kWh per day even if it has twin compressors (modern ones only have a single)
Lets assume you have 5 lights on for 5 hours per day (that's a lot) = 0.5kWh
Perhaps pump to run boiler uses another 0.5kWh (5 hours x 100W)

To use 7kWh per day (even when the washing machine is not in use) means that the TV&amp must be using 500W which seems alot to me unless you like it really loud. Get an energy meter from Lidl for £6.99 and measure it.

Or there are some other uses you've not accounted for.


Edit: Just seen that you suggest that even when the TV is used for just 30mins in a day, you use 7 units - your tv certainly doesn't use 6000W. There must be other usage you are not accounting for.

The amp is 600w I dont know what the tv is. Im sure the fridgefreezer is using about 2.75kwh a day. (I worked this from us going away for a few days)
Yes we do have a vacuum cleaner 1800w
No more electrical appliances though than what i have listed.

TITEASCRAMP

KimYeovil wrote: »

(Don't mean to rub things in, but why are those of us who use less than 3 units per day not allowed to participate in your poll?)

Ok I didnt think it was possible. Please tell us how you manage it

[Deleted User]

4.1 kwh per day and a laptop on all day plus a pc for several hours. Wind up radios and 36" lcd tv

washing machine at 30 degrees
changed dect phone for os plug in
no bedside clocks any more

get a power meter and you will soon find out where the money is going

TITEASCRAMP

I thnk its got to be the fridge freezer and plasma.

Magentasue

TITEASCRAMP wrote: »

I think its got to be the fridge freezer and plasma.

According to this site:

http://www.sust-it.net/energy_saving.php?id=69&electricity=30

plasma TVs use between 200 and 400 watts an hour.