Electricty used by gas heating

Gerry1

I don't think the sun shines much between 00.30 - 7.30 !

[Deleted User]

MikePh said:

Okey-dokey

Smart meters installed. Great installer - smart, knowledgeable and friendly

Whilst without power I physically unplugged everything so I could re-attach them to grid one at a time. Only the ‘hard wired’ things were left on (alarm system and garage door etc, total power draw of b*gger all)

Fortunately, the IHD has a handy, one button display for ‘current kW’

When power came back on, I first powered up the fridge and, as expected, the draw was around 80 watts which dropped off when thermostat decided fridge was cold enough. Freezer was drawing around 55 watts when requited

I turned on a number of lights but they added only a very small load (as expected as they are all low power)

I got to the point where my display was showing around 180 Watts

This is entirely in line with my suspected daily ‘background’ (fridge, freezer, alarm, a few lights, etc) energy use of around 3 kWh per day

Switched on main oven with fan, display reading 2.2 kW. No surprise there. Microwave oven (on 100%) pulling 1K.

Happy that I can now monitor instant kW along with daily, weekly and monthly kWh for both gas and electricity

Unfortunately the IHD will only display total energy consumed. If you have any dual rate tariff, you will still need to put your coat on, grab an umbrella, and go read the meter if you need to see the split and there is little information regarding gas, presumably because the gas meter relies on a battery and it needs to conserve this by supplying data to the IHD infrequently.

All in all, though, the IHD is quite handy and I can see how it can be useful to help reduce electricity use. (but, unfortunately, because of the lack of information, not gas)

Daytime electricity use is around 6.8 kWh per day  (00.30 - 7.30)

Night-time electricity use is around 1 kWh per night  (7.30 - 00.30)

Gas is around 50 kWh per day (keeping house @ 18 degrees from 8 am to 11 pm) and heating water to 65 degrees twice a day

about right, I would say

But electricity used by the heating system (the whole point of this post)? A bit of a surprise. The gas central heating system pump draws just 40W on startup and then drops back to 15W so I am now wondering whether the old meter could be buggered

Download the App - BRIGHT - and you will have all the information that you could ever wish for provided your meter is set up for 30 minute usage recording. The App is free and it is the brainchild of a company called Hildebrand which is a Registered DCC User (as are all suppliers).

MikePh

Hi Dolor, thanks but I looked at Bright and it can not give me any more information than my IHD and meters, and I was not entirely happy with many pages of T&Cs and several references to 'purchases'

MikePh

OK thanks Gerry1.... just spotted my gaff

Daytime electricity use is around 6.8 kWh per day  (00.30 - 7.30)

Night-time electricity use is around 1 kWh per night  (7.30 - 00.30)

wrong way round,should be

Daytime electricity use is around 6.8 kWh per day  (7.30 - 00.30)

Night-time electricity use is around 1 kWh per night  (00.30 - 7.30)

D'oh

QrizB

MikePh said:

should be
Daytime electricity use is around 6.8 kWh per day  (7.30 - 00.30)
Night-time electricity use is around 1 kWh per night  (00.30 - 7.30)

D'oh

Do you have E7 meters? It's just that you're probably not using enough night-rate electricity to justify an E7 tariff.

MikePh

well spotted QrizB !

It is a long and complicated story but the ‘day’ rate on my fixed price tariff is less than the best single all date rate being offered. I will change it at the end of my fixed contract when I will be forced onto a new tariff, probably at cap.

MWT

MikePh said:

Gerry1 said:

MikePh said:

Daytime electricity use is around 6.8 kWh per day  (00.30 - 7.30)

Night-time electricity use is around 1 kWh per night  (7.30 - 00.30)

I think your sundial is in the shade...

Sorry Gerry1, could you explain the sundial reference  please

I imagine Gerry is alluding to your reversal of day and night in the description, 00:30-7:30 would be night, not day...

MikePh

Whole week's figures in from new meters (actual meter readings, not IHD)

Gas               341.86    kWh
Electricity peak   49    kWh
Electricity off-peak    9     kWh

So why on earth was I sometimes registering daily electricity energy used of 20+ kWh ?

Incidentally. IHD shows 'meter' reading as xxxx.yyy whereas meter display only shows xxx; seems a bit odd

QrizB

MikePh said:

Whole week's figures in from new meters (actual meter readings, not IHD)

Gas               341.86    kWh
Electricity peak   49    kWh
Electricity off-peak    9     kWh

So why on earth was I sometimes registering daily electricity energy used of 20+ kWh ?

Incidentally. IHD shows 'meter' reading as xxxx.yyy whereas meter display only shows xxx; seems a bit odd

That seems more reasonable! I can't explain your 20kWh days either.

The smart meter itself records to the nearest watt-hour but the spec calls for them to display whole kWh only, I think. Your IHD is showing the full resolution.