Background Electricity Usage 8760 hours a year

Ultrasonic

Benny2020 said:

Technically those items are heating your house so not actually wasted in the winter.

Only true when they're providing heat in places and at times when it's desirable.

cx6

now just checked my portable Pure DAB radio - plugged in using 12v power block but not switched on.

0.12kwh per 24 hrs

about £20 a year at april price cap rates - will def be switching off at plug when not listening

Norman_Castle

cx6 said:

now just checked my portable Pure DAB radio - plugged in using 12v power block but not switched on.

0.12kwh per 24 hrs

about £20 a year at april price cap rates - will def be switching off at plug when not listening

This https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/electric/kwh-to-watt-calculator.html calculates 0.12kwh over 24 hours to be 5w which is far above the allowed standby consumption for modern appliances. Is it charging its battery?

0.012kwh per 24 hours is 0.5w which fits with the one watt initiative (0.5w since 2013) and costs about £1.26 per year at price cap rates.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Watt_Initiative

Norman_Castle

cx6 said:

Just tested my Samsung wireless mobile phone charger which is always plugged in. It used 0.045kwh [1.875w] in a 24 hr period (no charging done, just plugged in sitting there).

that's about 16 units nearly £8 a year and is another thing getting unplugged

16 units @ 28p is about £4.60 per year.

16 x 0.28 is 4.48. Not sure why the energy calculator shows £4.60.

https://www.sust-it.net/energy-calculator.php?fu=28&cu=uk

Ultrasonic

Norman_Castle said:

cx6 said:

Just tested my Samsung wireless mobile phone charger which is always plugged in. It used 0.045kwh [1.875w] in a 24 hr period (no charging done, just plugged in sitting there).

that's about 16 units nearly £8 a year and is another thing getting unplugged

16 units @ 28p is about £4.60 per year.

16 x 0.28 is 4.48. Not sure why the energy calculator shows £4.60.

https://www.sust-it.net/energy-calculator.php?fu=28&cu=uk

The difference is because it's not exactly 16 units per year but 16.4 to one decimal place.

Sea_Shell

Just want to check my maths here...

If the background electricity usage in my house is a fairly constant 45w, does that equate to 0.045kwh? *

So over 24h it would have used 1.08kwh
x 365 = 394.2kwh
x 32.8p (my rate from mid April - Eon Next V12)
= £129.29 pa

Add in the standing charge at £163 pa, and that's £292 before we do anything else!!!  Or ~£24 per month.  


* Need to remember to check the IHD first thing, before making coffee, to see how much we've used in those first 6-7 hours of the day.   Should be about 0.3kwh. (depending on exact time)

Ultrasonic

Sea_Shell said:

Just want to check my maths here...

If the background electricity usage in my house is a fairly constant 45w, does that equate to 0.045kwh? *

So over 24h it would have used 1.08kwh
x 365 = 394.2kwh
x 32.8p (my rate from mid April - Eon Next V12)
= £129.29 pa

Add in the standing charge at £163 pa, and that's £292 before we do anything else!!!  Or ~£24 per month.  


* Need to remember to check the IHD first thing, before making coffee, to see how much we've used in those first 6-7 hours of the day.   Should be about 0.3kwh. (depending on exact time)

Correct.

On your very last point note that you'd expect this to be higher due to at least your fridge/freezer periodically using extra power above your general background power consumption.

Sea_Shell

Ultrasonic said:

Sea_Shell said:

Just want to check my maths here...

If the background electricity usage in my house is a fairly constant 45w, does that equate to 0.045kwh? *

So over 24h it would have used 1.08kwh
x 365 = 394.2kwh
x 32.8p (my rate from mid April - Eon Next V12)
= £129.29 pa

Add in the standing charge at £163 pa, and that's £292 before we do anything else!!!  Or ~£24 per month.  


* Need to remember to check the IHD first thing, before making coffee, to see how much we've used in those first 6-7 hours of the day.   Should be about 0.3kwh. (depending on exact time)

Correct.

On your very last point note that you'd expect this to be higher due to at least your fridge/freezer periodically using extra power above your general background power consumption.

Yes, that 45w current use, won't include the fridge/freezer.  So we'll see what the total is for those first 6-7 hours, and report back (if I remember!!) 

cx6

45w background all day every day seems high- and expensive !

try and find out what is 'always on' and think.if anything could be turned off at the plug when not in use

items that come to mind are routers, tvs, chargers, laptops etc

Sea_Shell

cx6 said:

45w background all day every day seems high- and expensive !

try and find out what is 'always on' and think.if anything could be turned off at the plug when not in use

items that come to mind are routers, tvs, chargers, laptops etc

There are probably a few things that could go, but one has to weigh that up between being a PITA and the cost!!

I didn't think sky boxes and routers liked being turned on and off daily?

Off the top of my head it's made up of...

Home alarm system

Heating controls/timer Inc boiler display.

Sky box (needed for recording, obvs) and Router and the extension they're plugged into.
Oven (clock)*
Bedside clock**
Stereo***
IHD

Our TV has a proper power off switch, so not left in standby.  We never leave anything (phone, tablet, laptop) charging overnight.

Some of those do get turned off, if we're away, but not daily.



* Last time we turned it off/on it blew the element.  Not doing that again.  Coincidence, possibly?

** large Red LED display that I can easily read at night, without scrabbling in the dark for my phone!  Rating 5w.

*** Mains socket behind unit, not easily accessible, so yes, left in standby.