Kettle on Gas vs Electric Kettle

PennineAcute

I also noticed a drop in my bill when I switched from an electric (Halagen Hob) to gas cooker, but do not have any figures for this.

GingerTim

To add another conundrum - kettle on an induction hob versus an electric kettle?

coffeehound

jrawle said:

That means the hob is only 30% efficient. Of course, this makes no difference to this discussion as the relative efficiencies are the same. I'm just commenting for interest's sake as many people, including myself, often claim that electric water heating is nearly 100% efficient.

I wonder how Spies measured the electric usage -- smart meter may have included other users.  I suppose a metal kettle will take more warming up than plastic;  stainless has a particularly high heat capacity

PennineAcute

coffeehound said:

jrawle said:

That means the hob is only 30% efficient. Of course, this makes no difference to this discussion as the relative efficiencies are the same. I'm just commenting for interest's sake as many people, including myself, often claim that electric water heating is nearly 100% efficient.

I wonder how Spies measured the electric usage -- smart meter may have included other users.  I suppose a metal kettle will take more warming up than plastic;  stainless has a particularly high heat capacity

When I did my test, I turned everything off at the fusebox, besides the cooker switch.

QrizB

jrawle said:

Looking at the figures again, if the electricity usage is accurate, that suggests the electric kettle is only 75% efficient.

Kettles always over-run in order to generate steam and trigger the switch. A less full kettle has more free volume and so over-runs for longer than a full one. This means that boiling the minimum amount of water is less efficient (in relative terms) than boiling a full kettle - but it will still take less energy to boil less water.

Captainkirk54

I worked on electric water boilers for hot water and radiator central heating for a number of years. 75% efficiency is about right. I installed and maintained domestic electric hear store boilers, which were a great alternative to storage heaters in non-gas areas as they could operate wet radiators. Then the power companies got wise to them and withdrew or increased the tariffs.

I then went to Sweden to train on the best thing ever - the round source heat pump. They can heat a house for the cost of running a fridge freezer. They are the main source of heating as their electricity is very expensive due to shutting down all their nuclear power stations after Chernobyl when Sweden was heavily contaminated.

They are not encouraged in the UK as they are too cheap to run and need a minimum amount of land.

I repeat my previous post

Gas is the best and mot efficient heat energy source  and traditionally has been the cheapest for water and central heating and cooking.

Direct electric hobs are the next best thing.

Electric halogen hobs but less efficient than direct rings or plates.

Electric induction hobs were a great idea for safety etc but are the least efficient of all.

I know many will not agree but I only speak from experience.


  

Spies

coffeehound said:

jrawle said:

That means the hob is only 30% efficient. Of course, this makes no difference to this discussion as the relative efficiencies are the same. I'm just commenting for interest's sake as many people, including myself, often claim that electric water heating is nearly 100% efficient.

I wonder how Spies measured the electric usage -- smart meter may have included other users.  I suppose a metal kettle will take more warming up than plastic;  stainless has a particularly high heat capacity

I looked at the smart meter and turned the kettle on, I started a stopwatch then subtracted the base load the smart meter was reading before the test. 

It's fairly accurate as it always increases a couple of pence every boil. 

ChaunceyGardiner

Electric induction hobs were a great idea for safety etc but are the least efficient of all. 

Why is this? Where does the waste energy go?

GingerTim

My electricity bills have dropped quite markedly since I installed an induction hob to replace a solid plate one.

Sea_Shell

Is it even more efficient to boil twice the amount and put the excess in a flask for later, especially if you're a coffee drinker, so don't need boiling water like with tea?

Or just make a flask of tea/coffee?

Or boil a full kettle and make a hot water bottle with the excess whilst turning the heating down.

I've started refilling the kettle (with the required amount) straight after making a drink, so the fresh water absorbs some residual heat and isn't starting from stone cold each time.  Reducing boiling time.

Every little helps!!