Why Am I Using So Much?

Carrot007

Yes another one of these threads ;-) Just need to moan really!

What with all the price increases going on (16% for me (based on usage) if I read the letter correctly) I thought I should maybe look into my usage.

Probably somewhat more organised than most. I have a spreadsheet. I have Electric reads going back to 2003 and Gas to 2008.

I appear to be usual about 16000 kWh on the gas and 6700 kWh for the electric.

I convert my reads into average usage a day over the last 4 reads. This is to try and have long enough for a trend but not so long as to be using very old data.

Gas seems fairly stable. 3.5 to 4.9 units a day. 16000 is fairly average anyhow.

But the Electric use seems very high. 16 to 19 units a day. And graphed over time appears to be creaping up (more 16 in 2003, 19 now, though there was a dip to 16 again in 2009).

Currently pay £128 a month, though this was caculated before the recent rise. Curerntly on npower SOL 24 which I think is until march?

I just wonder where all the electric is going. Since the heating is gas (except for the (very) occasional time I want to heat 1 room only and will use an electric heater), it's not the heating.

I suppose some house / occupant clarification is required aboutr now. End terrace. Just me and OH and we are at work during the day (I don't think the cats are partying while we are out either!).

Have used a plug in tester on things we have on standby and they are really using not a lot. Annoys me when the companies anways go on about this like we are all using products with high standby use that are from the 80s still! Again (for the little it saves) most bulbs are the low wattage variety. maybe except a 150w hardly used bulb in the loft (Which I will probably have to change to 4 low wattage ones when it goes to get enough light!) and the R50's in the kitchen. (sorry £2 for 4 50w standard bulbs seems better than £3 for 1 30w low(ish) energy one there!)

So where does it all go? I suppose the shower is highest power draw, but even though I admit liking a shower I donlt live in it!

So any advice from people here. Maybe taking daily reads for a while might show something!

dogshome

From your post you are useing around twice the amount of Elec than would be expected from your circumstances

The biggest burner of money is when Elec is used for heating, be it elec showers, elec fires, cookers and Immersion heaters - You don't mention an Immersion heater on your list, but if you have one check that it is not permanently ON

Check the meters accuracy by turning every thing OFF, and then plug in an Elec Fire which is rated at 1 or 2 Kwh for an hour - The meter should move just 1 or 2 units depending on the rating - If it moves more, get onto your supplier

It is possible to have a faulty appliance or wiring circuit that is 'leaking' power.
Make a check by turning off everything and then check the meter to see that it's stopped moving - If it is unplug each appliance you have one by one - If this stops the meter at any point you have either a faulty appliance or wall socket
If this check does not find a problem, get a local Sparks in to check the wiring circuits

JC_Derby

Carrot007 wrote: »

Have used a plug in tester on things we have on standby and they are really using not a lot.
So any advice from people here. Maybe taking daily reads for a while might show something!

turning them off would then use nothing at all?

andyd55

tumble dryer could be another possibility?

Carrot007

Hi,

I'm back (I plan to see this though until I work it out!)

Thanks for the comments.

No immersion heater here. Wiring is about 10 years old so should be fine, and I know where every wire is as I was here when it was done!

I shall aim to turn everything off and do a quick test using a heater (have a 2000w convector thingy here to use for it) at the weekend.

Took my first reads regarding this excersise today.

08:30 66393.9
18:30 66397.4

1st read was taken as I left the house and the second a bit after I got in (was no one in until 17:30 anyway)

This is 3.5 units. Seems high, but I did have the slow cooker on from 16:30 though, I wonder how much it used! Will conduct the same tomorrow and compare!

rogerblack

A slow cooker will use at most 100w.
One unit per 10 hours.

victor2

Consider what you have permanently switched on. The fridge is probably the biggest user in this category.
Other possible users are:
Internet modem/router
Alarm system
Video recorder
TV/Satellite receiver
Computer left on standby
Surger suppressing extensions (one I had drew 3W)

Small users, but when all added together they can amount to something.

molerat

rogerblack wrote: »

A slow cooker will use at most 100w.
One unit per 10 hours.

Most modern ones are now 200-350w so maybe double that.

rogerblack

molerat wrote: »

Most modern ones are now 200-350w so maybe double that.

With a thermostat.

daveyjp

Apart from a slow cooker no mention of what else you cook with. Biggest power users are cooking and showers.

art_for_arts_sake

victor2 wrote: »

Consider what you have permanently switched on. The fridge is probably the biggest user in this category.
Other possible users are:
Internet modem/router
Alarm system
Video recorder
TV/Satellite receiver
Computer left on standby
Surger suppressing extensions (one I had drew 3W)

Small users, but when all added together they can amount to something.

Not to mention all the mains adaptors or "wall warts" as they're sometimes called. Despite having low-energy bulbs in every room our home's electricity usage has soared. I blame my DS who would have an adaptor for every gadget he owns plugged continuously into the mains if I didn't go around the house unplugging them, not to mention those powering or charging my own gadgets.