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Timers

datlex
datlex Posts: 2,252 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
Does anyone know whether timers use as much electricity as leaving things on standby. I'm looking to use some to take advantage of free electricity during day when out- things like setting the slow cooker to come on in time to finish when I get home. (Am usually out at least 10 hours so don't really want to just leave it on).
Paid off the last of my unsecured debts in 2016. Then saved up and bought a property. Current aim is to pay off my mortgage as early as possible. Currently over paying every month. Mortgage due to be paid off in 2036 hoping to get it paid off much earlier. Set up my own bespoke spreadsheet to manage my money.
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Comments

  • Please - where do you get this "free" electricity during the day, I would like to sign up for some :D
  • datlex
    datlex Posts: 2,252 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Solar Panels
    Paid off the last of my unsecured debts in 2016. Then saved up and bought a property. Current aim is to pay off my mortgage as early as possible. Currently over paying every month. Mortgage due to be paid off in 2036 hoping to get it paid off much earlier. Set up my own bespoke spreadsheet to manage my money.
  • Hi,
    datlex wrote: »
    (Am usually out at least 10 hours so don't really want to just leave it on).

    it'll be thermostatically controlled, so not actually on constantly.
  • datlex
    datlex Posts: 2,252 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I'm guessing neither of you know the answer to my question.
    Can anyone else help?
    Paid off the last of my unsecured debts in 2016. Then saved up and bought a property. Current aim is to pay off my mortgage as early as possible. Currently over paying every month. Mortgage due to be paid off in 2036 hoping to get it paid off much earlier. Set up my own bespoke spreadsheet to manage my money.
  • Andy_WSM
    Andy_WSM Posts: 2,217 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Uniform Washer Rampant Recycler
    Some of the cheaper timers get fairly warm. The warmth is wasted energy, and can amount to several watts which can be more than some appliances standby. You need to weigh up each situation on it's own. A slow cooker drawing 120W on "high heat" for example would be better off timed with a plug in timer drawing several watts, however, the savings are unlikely to ever pay for the timers!
  • Norman_Castle
    Norman_Castle Posts: 11,871 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Old, non digital daily timer 0.7 w. Non digital weekly timer 0.2 watts. Measured with a plug in monitor. Standby on modern items is very low. Without measuring the standby consumption its impossible to know which is cheaper. If the difference is small I would use standby. You also need to account for the full time timer costs if set for 24 hour use.
  • Hi,
    datlex wrote: »
    Does anyone know whether timers use as much electricity as leaving things on standby. I'm looking to use some to take advantage of free electricity during day when out- things like setting the slow cooker to come on in time to finish when I get home. (Am usually out at least 10 hours so don't really want to just leave it on).
    datlex wrote: »
    I'm guessing neither of you know the answer to my question.
    Can anyone else help?

    I'm guessing you don't know what free electricity is, if it's free then it doesn't matter what it uses, or costs, it's free.
  • penrhyn
    penrhyn Posts: 15,215 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Its not free to the poor sods who are subsidising solar ecobling panels, through Ed Milimarx's green charges on our energy bills.

    Rant over.
    That gum you like is coming back in style.
  • silverwhistle
    silverwhistle Posts: 4,127 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    penrhyn wrote: »
    Its not free to the poor sods who are subsidising solar ecobling panels, through Ed Milimarx's green charges on our energy bills.

    Rant over.

    Have you taken your pills today? Bear in mind that the fascist Tories (with the backing of the bankers and the Daily Heil) will soon make you pay for your own and you certainly won't be able to afford imported gas and coal...

    Good fun this politically ranting..

    To the OP, I'd probably just put the slow cooker on it's lowest setting and it should be OK. As it happens LIDL have an offer on timers at the moment: http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/SID-1E3A6368-2B23CAAE/www_lidl_uk/hs.xsl/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=5987&ar=1

    I've been thinking of putting the freezer on timer for exactly the same reason, which would also remove that annoying hum in the dead of the night. Most decent modern freezers have a good period of autonomy and having it off between (say) midnight and 8 should cause no problems.
  • penrhyn
    penrhyn Posts: 15,215 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Indeed, the sooner FIT payments are ended the better. Removing the green tax from energy bills would reduce them by 10%.
    That gum you like is coming back in style.
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