Oct price cap increase likely to push energy bill to over £10k... for a family of 4...

onomatopoeia99

MariaAH said:

Update:  Kids went off to London at 9am this morning and not back yet, so that has given me 12 hours to monitor electricity usage...
In the last 12 hours...
Me on iMac for approx 8 hours, mainly MS office applications
Husband a few hours on TV (he is off work today)
2 x loads in washing machine at 30 degree 'daily wash'
1 x dishwasher load using 'auto' setting to adjust temp for load
Kettle boiled 3/4 times
Obviously fridge/freezer on too
No lights, no gaming PC, no air con, no cooker, no car charging

So in 12 hours, from 9am to 9pm, does 8.4kWh seem 'average' for the indicated use?

17kWh / day is pretty much bang on what one would expect for an average home.  6000 kWh / year, where you're bills show more than double that.  I use around 6000 kWh a year, but there's only one of me and I have a server running 24/7 that accounts for about 2000 kWh (so a third) of my annual usage.  My American fridge freezer actually uses less electric than the 15yo conventional one it replaced due to much better insulation, a factor people forget.

Software development does not need a high end graphics card unless developing for a company like Autocad ,  in which case it will be a workstation type card rather than a gaming type card (gaming cards focus on speed to achieve maximum frame rates, workstation cards focus on accuracy), or for a games company. Even in either of those cases most of the time the graphics card will be effectively running like a car idling at the lights, using almost none of it's capacity and drawing a tiny fraction of its peak power. They also don't generally need a lot of CPU power unless the makefiles are terribly constructed, incremental builds being a thing for over 30 years.  Web design certainly doesn't CPU power or high end graphics. 

Additionally, workstation PCs from all the quality suppliers used in professional settings are not water cooled.  Sounds like he's built / bought a computer for gaming then given you a lot of guff about needing it to be that spec for work.

And yes, GPU crypto mining on the PC could be a contributory factor as well.  

sienew

Mstty said:

sienew said:

chris_n said:

Don't recall (may have missed it) any mention of an iMac for 8 hours a day, depending on model that could well be another kWh or more.

This is my thoughts. Seems like a lot in this thread want to blame one specific item but to me it seems like a family of people all using a lot of energy. Sure, the gaming PC will be using a lot but so will an imac all day, 2 washes, an American fridge freezer running, charging cars ect. There are a lot of other things that use a lot of energy too that haven't been brought up in these posts that the OP probably uses. To me it feels like high usage across the board.

It doesn't seem to me like it's a situation where one item* can be turned off and the bills will crash. Usage going down would require everyone being more careful and making an effort to use less.

*unless there is crypto mining going on but that doesn't seem particularly likely but still worth double checking

All of those have been mentioned and listed earlier in the thread to be honest. The iMac only came out the woodwork yesterday👍

Try page 3 when the OP answers a long list of questions.

Yes but I think a lot of them have been dismissed and people still seem to be trying to find one device (most suggesting the gaming PC) that is solely making a massive difference. I agree running a high end gaming PC isn't cheap and will be a contributing factor but seems to be one thing among many.

Mstty

sienew said:

Mstty said:

sienew said:

chris_n said:

Don't recall (may have missed it) any mention of an iMac for 8 hours a day, depending on model that could well be another kWh or more.

This is my thoughts. Seems like a lot in this thread want to blame one specific item but to me it seems like a family of people all using a lot of energy. Sure, the gaming PC will be using a lot but so will an imac all day, 2 washes, an American fridge freezer running, charging cars ect. There are a lot of other things that use a lot of energy too that haven't been brought up in these posts that the OP probably uses. To me it feels like high usage across the board.

It doesn't seem to me like it's a situation where one item* can be turned off and the bills will crash. Usage going down would require everyone being more careful and making an effort to use less.

*unless there is crypto mining going on but that doesn't seem particularly likely but still worth double checking

All of those have been mentioned and listed earlier in the thread to be honest. The iMac only came out the woodwork yesterday👍

Try page 3 when the OP answers a long list of questions.

Yes but I think a lot of them have been dismissed and people still seem to be trying to find one device (most suggesting the gaming PC) that is solely making a massive difference. I agree running a high end gaming PC isn't cheap and will be a contributing factor but seems to be one thing among many.

Accounted for more like the it's not just the work/gaming PC when it's running let's say 8 hours a day as the OP has confirmed the  Aircon unit is on next to it in summer as well as it creates so much heat. This conservative estimate will add 4-8kWh per working day(especially if the son knows it is monitored and crypto mining turn off lol). That combined with the OP's general use of 12kwh a day (from their recent post using 8.5 kWh in 12 hours ish)

Let's just boldly estimate 14kwh a day on average to include less used at weekends than weekdays with work pcs off but maybe allowance for say winter months extra power usage and maybe a tumble dryer. 

That comes to 5100kWh plus the two EV's of circa 5-6000kwh for the year and we are at the 10,0000 kWh mark

The OP has bought a P110 to plug into devices to check the power usage and now they can start making savings.

We can wait for the figures from the sons desktop and Aircon unit though just to confirm the above or disprove it then the hunt continues.

I suspect the household will struggle to reduce the high powered items like desktops Imacs/gaming Pc etc as they are used as work instruments. Washing again as a family that's difficult to cut down on. Their electricity bill due to two EV's will always be around the 10,000 kWh mark a year for electricity. Or come April 2023 roughly £6500 a year just on electricity.

What hasn't been addressed is the gas side of things and reducing boiler temperature and running the house 1 degree cooler this winter if that is acceptable to the OP.

MariaAH

sienew said:

chris_n said:

Don't recall (may have missed it) any mention of an iMac for 8 hours a day, depending on model that could well be another kWh or more.

This is my thoughts. Seems like a lot in this thread want to blame one specific item but to me it seems like a family of people all using a lot of energy. Sure, the gaming PC will be using a lot but so will an imac all day, 2 washes, an American fridge freezer running, charging cars ect. There are a lot of other things that use a lot of energy too that haven't been brought up in these posts that the OP probably uses. To me it feels like high usage across the board.

It doesn't seem to me like it's a situation where one item* can be turned off and the bills will crash. Usage going down would require everyone being more careful and making an effort to use less.

*unless there is crypto mining going on but that doesn't seem particularly likely but still worth double checking

I tend to agree, but the TP link monitor plug will confirm this once and for all if any one device is particularly excessive. There is definitely no crypto mining going on and has not been for months and months now. 

iMac power consumption is 217W (71W on idle) - I work from home 3/4 days a week.
Fridge/freezer is 438kWh per year which is 1.2kWh per day (not as bad as some I believe)
Husband works from home approx 3 days a week
Son works from home, irregular hours

I am coming round to the view that the fact that we all work from from home for at least half the week, all using energy as part of our jobs during the day, is a major factor here. I 'could' go into the office more often, but that would consume energy on my EV, so would it be counter productive.

The TP monitor will help establish where most energy being consumed, and we will have to make adjustments where possible. Some things are not negotiable, i.e. I need to be on my iMac for my job. And we will be re-thinking how little per month we charge our son for rent. Our daughter will be joining the RAF in the near future, once she has completed her physical, so that will be one less in the home using energy!

I genuinely thank everyone who has responded and joined this thread.

MariaAH

Mstty said:

sienew said:

chris_n said:

Don't recall (may have missed it) any mention of an iMac for 8 hours a day, depending on model that could well be another kWh or more.

This is my thoughts. Seems like a lot in this thread want to blame one specific item but to me it seems like a family of people all using a lot of energy. Sure, the gaming PC will be using a lot but so will an imac all day, 2 washes, an American fridge freezer running, charging cars ect. There are a lot of other things that use a lot of energy too that haven't been brought up in these posts that the OP probably uses. To me it feels like high usage across the board.

It doesn't seem to me like it's a situation where one item* can be turned off and the bills will crash. Usage going down would require everyone being more careful and making an effort to use less.

*unless there is crypto mining going on but that doesn't seem particularly likely but still worth double checking

All of those have been mentioned and listed earlier in the thread to be honest. The iMac only came out the woodwork yesterday👍

Try page 3 when the OP answers a long list of questions.

On page 3, I referred to my iMac as a desktop.

MariaAH

chris_n said:

Don't recall (may have missed it) any mention of an iMac for 8 hours a day, depending on model that could well be another kWh or more.

I referred to is previously as a desktop (see page 3)

MariaAH

Alnat1 said:

@michaels Mine claimed just over 400kWh/yr, bought a Tapo and 48 hours later found out it was going to be using almost 900kWh/yr. The FF was 14 year old. It's now in AO's graveyard.

WOW! Ours is supposed to by 1.2kWh per day, but will check that as its 9 years old

Mstty

MariaAH said:

Mstty said:

sienew said:

chris_n said:

Don't recall (may have missed it) any mention of an iMac for 8 hours a day, depending on model that could well be another kWh or more.

This is my thoughts. Seems like a lot in this thread want to blame one specific item but to me it seems like a family of people all using a lot of energy. Sure, the gaming PC will be using a lot but so will an imac all day, 2 washes, an American fridge freezer running, charging cars ect. There are a lot of other things that use a lot of energy too that haven't been brought up in these posts that the OP probably uses. To me it feels like high usage across the board.

It doesn't seem to me like it's a situation where one item* can be turned off and the bills will crash. Usage going down would require everyone being more careful and making an effort to use less.

*unless there is crypto mining going on but that doesn't seem particularly likely but still worth double checking

All of those have been mentioned and listed earlier in the thread to be honest. The iMac only came out the woodwork yesterday👍

Try page 3 when the OP answers a long list of questions.

On page 3, I referred to my iMac as a desktop.

Ok good luck with your investigation you seem to have it in hand 

I hope you manage to save some energy but don't forget your gas bill and reduction there👍

MattMattMattUK

MariaAH said:

There is definitely no crypto mining going on and has not been for months and months now. 

There might not be a specific ASIC rig running, but a modern GPU can run crypto-mining reasonably, even more "reasonably" if the person getting the output is not the one paying for the input.

jimjames

MariaAH said:

sienew said:

chris_n said:

Don't recall (may have missed it) any mention of an iMac for 8 hours a day, depending on model that could well be another kWh or more.

This is my thoughts. Seems like a lot in this thread want to blame one specific item but to me it seems like a family of people all using a lot of energy. Sure, the gaming PC will be using a lot but so will an imac all day, 2 washes, an American fridge freezer running, charging cars ect. There are a lot of other things that use a lot of energy too that haven't been brought up in these posts that the OP probably uses. To me it feels like high usage across the board.

It doesn't seem to me like it's a situation where one item* can be turned off and the bills will crash. Usage going down would require everyone being more careful and making an effort to use less.

*unless there is crypto mining going on but that doesn't seem particularly likely but still worth double checking

I am coming round to the view that the fact that we all work from from home for at least half the week, all using energy as part of our jobs during the day, is a major factor here. I 'could' go into the office more often, but that would consume energy on my EV, so would it be counter productive.
I genuinely thank everyone who has responded and joined this thread.

Interestingly we all work from home at least 3 days per week. This year has been significantly lower electricity use than either of the last 2 years. I can't be sure why it's so much lower but suspect an electric heater not being used could be a large part.