Is there something wrong with my electricity meter?

Supreme_2

SwanJon wrote: »

If you are only home in the eveings, why do you need two computers on for 12 hours a day?
I could see a logic for 1 pc on 24 hours....

I will be changing this too
I will also turn things off fully, as my PC takes virtually as much power in standby, as my laptop does when its running!

I am going to see if i can find some 11w CFL G10 bulbs today (i think that's what i need?).

Supreme_2

ixwood wrote: »

Or you using the kit incorrectly!

Sounds like you were heating water during the day? That'd be very expensive. Why 4 am? You want it to be the last bit of the E7 period, so less time to cool down. So try on for an hour at 6-7 (Assuming you e7 is 12-7).

As for the lights. 15 50W bulbs is madness. You can either take some of the bulbs out, or get a lamp and fit a low energy bulb (with remote control plug maybe).

Yes i know. It's my fault really!

I am going to be even more paranoid about turning things off when not in use now :rotfl:

Here are my aims:
- Personal kit (eg. tv/computers/etc...) under 2units/day
- Lights, under 1unit/day
- Fridge + misc - 1.5unit/day
- Oven/water heating... under 4.5units/day

I am going to guess my current usage is something like:
- 3units
- 6units
- 9units

So it will be quite a change! and would save me approx 50%. I am hoping this is actually achievable without too much outlay.

ailuro2

We have halogen lamps in our kitchen diner - but 'only' 7 of them. The replacement low watt ones are not up to my standard yet for the colour I want - they were very 'blue' toned last time I looked.

what we did instead of replacing the bulbs was buy a £5 bedside type lamp from Asda, put in a spare 5W low energy bulb and leave it on in the kitchen pretty much all evening - as we will be in and out of the kitchen to put things in bin, feed cat etc. but it uses as much leccy in the first minute as a standard bulb, so it's cheaper to leave it on, iyswim.And definitely cheaper than using the 350W overhead lights just to go feed the cat.;)
Because it sits on a windowsill it lights up the drive a bit too, so no need to have the outdoor spotlights on (although they are on infra red so don't stay on for long).

I also try to cook extra food from a packet in the oven these days then zap the leftovers.- anything that produces heat will soon wipe out any savings made by changing to energy saving bulbs if used for too long.

Supreme_2

The problem is i have a 4x5m room to light, and it needs to be lit quite well. What i was going to do is get 5x g10 cfl lights. But is there a better way?

ixwood

I'd use a lamp or 2 with low energy bulbs in, Or remove 75% of the spotlight bulbs.

GiraffePC

Supreme wrote: »

The problem is i have a 4x5m room to light, and it needs to be lit quite well. What i was going to do is get 5x g10 cfl lights. But is there a better way?

If you can afford them, /good/ LED lamps: =<5W, 30-50kh life and no mercury. An old GF has them in her kitchen and is very pleased with them.

stevehead

GiraffePC wrote: »

If you can afford them, /good/ LED lamps: =<5W, 30-50kh life and no mercury. An old GF has them in her kitchen and is very pleased with them.

Get Cree Xlamp 3Watt LED Spotlights in Warm White; add 33% more Lamps and you'll be well lit both in lumens (brightness) and light quality (spectrum).

There's a lot of crappy and expensive LED's out there, and fake Cree's too. A real Cree won't dissapoint.

Supreme_2

I made a mistake with my lights, some of them are actually 10w, not 50w!

However, i still think i have been using approx 2.7units a day with them.

I now have 6x 7w, and with 4x 10w this will be about 0.6 units a day, which is a bit different...

Magentasue

Supreme wrote: »

I now have 6x 7w, and with 4x 10w this will be about 0.6 units a day, which is a bit different...

Just out of interest, how long will it take you to break even if you reckon on saving about 25p a day? My brother was thinking about replacing halogen bulbs but said it's not cost effective.

Supreme_2

In my living room/kitchen where i spend most of my time when home i have 12x 50w halogen bulbs. I only use 6 of them, but for 7hrs a day, over a full month this would equate to roughly £8.50 of electricity. I have replaced these with 7w energy savers now, and they aren't as bright (35w equiv), but for the same period of time these would cost £1.25 in electricity. They cost me about £14.50, so would pay for themselves in 2 months.