Smart Meter - Electricity use and showers

[Deleted User]

ST1991 wrote: »

Our boiler really does use that much electricity whilst in use! I had tested it a few times just to make sure the fridge hadn't powered up at the same time, and it uses that much as soon as it starts up. It is a very old boiler, i think 30 years old, so not sure if that has something to do with it.

No it doesn't, there's something wrong with your measurement. A 30 year old boiler doesn't have anything much in it other than a pump and a gas valve, and neither of those use anywhere near 1400W.

vacheron

jack_pott wrote: »

No it doesn't, there's something wrong with your measurement. A 30 year old boiler doesn't have anything much in it other than a pump and a gas valve, and neither of those use anywhere near 1400W.

The only thing I can think of is that there is some kind of immersion element included somewhere in the system, or the switch that feeds the boiler is inadvertently connected to a couple of 500W outdoor halogen lights or something?

Niv

jack_pott wrote: »

About the lifetime of the boiler. By the time it's due for replacement, the energy savings just about break even with the cost of installation.

that was my implication.

Strider590

Furts wrote: »

My thoughts are along these lines. The cheapest way to heat my home is a couple of electric mini oil filled rads. These would give an output of 2kW. When the gas boiler is in use it has an output way in excess of this - 30kW maximum.

Indeed, my gas boiler heating the house is something like 70p per hour until the house reaches 20 degrees.
Heating one room on a 500W electric heater (type doesn't actually matter as long as it's not infrared), costs 10p for a whole night.

I used to heat my office/computer room at night because in winter if the temp dropped below 15c, my old PC graphic card assumed there was a fault with it's temp sensor and refused to run, so I used a heater to keep it around 20c.

I also heat the bedroom at night in winter, with a 1500W heater on low setting, larger room, costs about 40p all night, maintains around 18-20c.

My main heating only comes on when I get home from work.

The real key to keeping costs low on any form of heating is using the thermal controls correctly, that's why these "smart" controls (Hive etc) work, they basically stop people being idiots with the thermostats.