So now I have a solar PV system how do I make the most of it???

Doc_N

nigelpm wrote: »

I'm no expert but surely the additional electricity and wear getting the freezer back to its lower temperature negates any savings. The switching on and off as you can is irrelevant as you say.

nigelpm wrote: »

Surely most important would be to buy a more efficient freezer and keep it fairly full up or not have one at all

The point of this is to reduce the energy consumption at night, when the solar panels aren't producing, and switch it to the daytime, when they are (depending on the weather, of course).

The best option is to have an efficient freezer AND do this little switching trick, surely?

nigelpm

Yes I can see that. Trouble is you have to weigh up the costs you can't see such as

Additional load on freezer getting back to temp
Risk of thawing food
Timer failure


How much Energy does a freezer consume when it's at its right temperature anyway?

The_Green_Hornet

nigelpm wrote: »

Yes I can see that. Trouble is you have to weigh up the costs you can't see such as

Additional load on freezer getting back to temp
Risk of thawing food
Timer failure


How much Energy does a freezer consume when it's at its right temperature anyway?

According to Which?, between £20 and £67 per year.

Freezer Energy Costs

nigelpm

Could be some value if at the higher end of that then otherwise the phrase weeing and wind come to mind

silverwhistle

It's a new A+ freezer and, as I mentioned, kept full, if necessary with bottles of water. If I go away on holiday I'll unplug the timeswitch.

As I initially noted, the freezer came on this morning and didn't appear to be working any harder than a normal switching cycle, although one would presume it stayed on a little longer than normal.

I have to have a freezer as my fridge is an under-worktop one with no real space for an ice-box, and one does need ice for one's G&T...

Drat, I've now got the urge on this glorious sunny evening to go and pour myself one..:D

nigelpm

So what do you reckon your annual saving is going to be if it is switched off for 6 hours most days?

£5/£10?

silverwhistle

Don't know. It's part of a general, incrememental push to get my energy use and costs down, and minimise what I have to pay to the big corporations. Other people can keep being profligate if they like; my SSE shares are doing me very nicely, thank you!:D Although I do simple things like switch off powerstrips etc, I'm not obsessed enough to spend time (like some on here) calculating and updating spreadsheets daily.

orrery

nigelpm wrote: »

So what do you reckon your annual saving is going to be if it is switched off for 6 hours most days?

£5/£10?

Plug the freezer in via a power meter plug and try both for 24 hours each and let us know!

If you haven't got a power meter plug, they are very useful for finding out what is going on.

nigelpm

I reckon you are looking at £30 a year so a grand benefit of :

30*6/24 = £7.50.

nigelpm

orrery wrote: »

Plug the freezer in via a power meter plug and try both for 24 hours each and let us know!

If you haven't got a power meter plug, they are very useful for finding out what is going on.

Well I've got a power meter and I find it useful ;-)

Best saving I had was switching computer kit off at the wall after usage - was draining 50w from memory.

Now that is a worthwhile saving for no risk or extra effort.