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

MariaAH

k_man said:

MariaAH said:

k_man said:

k_man said:

MariaAH said:

Been using the TP link monitors and we have some unidentified daily kWh that it’s hard to pinpoint…

both kids were away for a couple of days so was an ideal opportunity to measure minimal use. During those 2 days, everything was off in son’s room (gaming PC) and no EV charging was done. Both days were approx 12kWh each day. 

so what did we use…

TP monitor showed freezer as 2.3kWh (double what it should be)
TP monitor showed TV stack (TV, PS5 etc) as 1.9kWh (watching TV several hours in evening, hubby on PlayStation for couple of hours)

I’m struggling to see how the remaining use adds up to remaining 7.8kWh..,
> boiled kettle 2/3 times each day (we have a pump thermos flask so am boiling full kettle and filling flask to see if that is cheaper)
> used the hob (induction) for 10 mins to boil pasta in one pan and peas in another on one day (using water from thermos flask to save energy). Oven was not used either day. Second day we ate at IKEA (cheap meals). NB lunches were sandwiches or similar using no energy 
> microwave for 2 mins each day for milk/porridge
> toaster used once a day for 2 slices of toast.
> dishwasher used once each day on auto setting (adjusts for volume and level
of soiling)
> washing machine used once each day
> TV in our bedroom watched for and hour or so each day
> iMac used for 8 hours on first day, but only a couple of hours on the second. 

Honestly, does that really seem about right?

btw, am cooking vegetable stew in slow cooker and delicious smell wafting through house..,

8kWh per day doesn't seem that far off.
Not that it can't be reduced, but doesn't indicate excessive readings, or a fault.

Most households use at least 1 - 2 kWh per day (75 - 100W background usage) just with other stuff that is on:
Router, Sky box, alarm, smart devices, chargers, sleeping PCs etc

10 hours for the iMac is another 1 - 2 kWh

Dishwasher is likely to be 1 - 2kWh
Washing machine similar (unless cold wash)
Kettle, microwave, hob and toaster another kWh

Potential savings are using dishwasher and washing machine less often. Once a day seem a lot of 3 people, and twice what I would expect.

Forgot to add, as suggested, a worthwhile exercise is to systematically turn off devices in each room, and then turn off the breakers one at a time.

Quicker with a smart meter and IHD, but even with a normal meter, in a few hours you would have a picture of usage by room/circuit.

MariaAH said:

Sea_Shell said:

Just a left field thought.

Did the property have a hot water tank (with additional immersion) BEFORE the combi boiler was installed.

If so, are you 100% sure it's been removed and/or decommissioned.

Not hidden up in the loft etc.

could it be quietly heating the same old stagnant water over and over ... Like groundhog Day.

Frightening thought… will check after tea?! 

I did a reading at 9pm on 17 Aug and another at 8:30 the next morning. Kids had been in London and did not get home until the small hours. Certainly from 2am until 8:30 everyone was asleep. And during that 12 hours…6.3kWh consumed 😳

Did this include any of the high power stuff (EV, dishwasher, washer etc)

No high power stuff during that 12 hour window.

Then that is odd. 
6.3 kWh in 12 hours, (assuming all background always on) means 13 kWh in 24h.
More than the measured daily usage, which includes high power usage....

Exactly…it’s a puzzle and I’m determined to get to the bottom of it…

MariaAH

@Sea_Shell we just checked the loft…definitely no sign of an immersion heater. 

MariaAH

k_man said:

MariaAH said:

k_man said:

k_man said:

MariaAH said:

Been using the TP link monitors and we have some unidentified daily kWh that it’s hard to pinpoint…

both kids were away for a couple of days so was an ideal opportunity to measure minimal use. During those 2 days, everything was off in son’s room (gaming PC) and no EV charging was done. Both days were approx 12kWh each day. 

so what did we use…

TP monitor showed freezer as 2.3kWh (double what it should be)
TP monitor showed TV stack (TV, PS5 etc) as 1.9kWh (watching TV several hours in evening, hubby on PlayStation for couple of hours)

I’m struggling to see how the remaining use adds up to remaining 7.8kWh..,
> boiled kettle 2/3 times each day (we have a pump thermos flask so am boiling full kettle and filling flask to see if that is cheaper)
> used the hob (induction) for 10 mins to boil pasta in one pan and peas in another on one day (using water from thermos flask to save energy). Oven was not used either day. Second day we ate at IKEA (cheap meals). NB lunches were sandwiches or similar using no energy 
> microwave for 2 mins each day for milk/porridge
> toaster used once a day for 2 slices of toast.
> dishwasher used once each day on auto setting (adjusts for volume and level
of soiling)
> washing machine used once each day
> TV in our bedroom watched for and hour or so each day
> iMac used for 8 hours on first day, but only a couple of hours on the second. 

Honestly, does that really seem about right?

btw, am cooking vegetable stew in slow cooker and delicious smell wafting through house..,

8kWh per day doesn't seem that far off.
Not that it can't be reduced, but doesn't indicate excessive readings, or a fault.

Most households use at least 1 - 2 kWh per day (75 - 100W background usage) just with other stuff that is on:
Router, Sky box, alarm, smart devices, chargers, sleeping PCs etc

10 hours for the iMac is another 1 - 2 kWh

Dishwasher is likely to be 1 - 2kWh
Washing machine similar (unless cold wash)
Kettle, microwave, hob and toaster another kWh

Potential savings are using dishwasher and washing machine less often. Once a day seem a lot of 3 people, and twice what I would expect.

Forgot to add, as suggested, a worthwhile exercise is to systematically turn off devices in each room, and then turn off the breakers one at a time.

Quicker with a smart meter and IHD, but even with a normal meter, in a few hours you would have a picture of usage by room/circuit.

MariaAH said:

Sea_Shell said:

Just a left field thought.

Did the property have a hot water tank (with additional immersion) BEFORE the combi boiler was installed.

If so, are you 100% sure it's been removed and/or decommissioned.

Not hidden up in the loft etc.

could it be quietly heating the same old stagnant water over and over ... Like groundhog Day.

Frightening thought… will check after tea?! 

I did a reading at 9pm on 17 Aug and another at 8:30 the next morning. Kids had been in London and did not get home until the small hours. Certainly from 2am until 8:30 everyone was asleep. And during that 12 hours…6.3kWh consumed 😳

Did this include any of the high power stuff (EV, dishwasher, washer etc)

No high power stuff during that 12 hour window.

Then that is odd. 
6.3 kWh in 12 hours, (assuming all background always on) means 13 kWh in 24h.
More than the measured daily usage, which includes high power usage....

That particular day, on 17 Aug we measured 15kWh in 24 hours, 6.3 of which was between 9pm and 8:30am the next day. Almost as much as in waking hours with heavy use!

k_man

MariaAH said:

k_man said:

MariaAH said:

k_man said:

k_man said:

MariaAH said:

Been using the TP link monitors and we have some unidentified daily kWh that it’s hard to pinpoint…

both kids were away for a couple of days so was an ideal opportunity to measure minimal use. During those 2 days, everything was off in son’s room (gaming PC) and no EV charging was done. Both days were approx 12kWh each day. 

so what did we use…

TP monitor showed freezer as 2.3kWh (double what it should be)
TP monitor showed TV stack (TV, PS5 etc) as 1.9kWh (watching TV several hours in evening, hubby on PlayStation for couple of hours)

I’m struggling to see how the remaining use adds up to remaining 7.8kWh..,
> boiled kettle 2/3 times each day (we have a pump thermos flask so am boiling full kettle and filling flask to see if that is cheaper)
> used the hob (induction) for 10 mins to boil pasta in one pan and peas in another on one day (using water from thermos flask to save energy). Oven was not used either day. Second day we ate at IKEA (cheap meals). NB lunches were sandwiches or similar using no energy 
> microwave for 2 mins each day for milk/porridge
> toaster used once a day for 2 slices of toast.
> dishwasher used once each day on auto setting (adjusts for volume and level
of soiling)
> washing machine used once each day
> TV in our bedroom watched for and hour or so each day
> iMac used for 8 hours on first day, but only a couple of hours on the second. 

Honestly, does that really seem about right?

btw, am cooking vegetable stew in slow cooker and delicious smell wafting through house..,

8kWh per day doesn't seem that far off.
Not that it can't be reduced, but doesn't indicate excessive readings, or a fault.

Most households use at least 1 - 2 kWh per day (75 - 100W background usage) just with other stuff that is on:
Router, Sky box, alarm, smart devices, chargers, sleeping PCs etc

10 hours for the iMac is another 1 - 2 kWh

Dishwasher is likely to be 1 - 2kWh
Washing machine similar (unless cold wash)
Kettle, microwave, hob and toaster another kWh

Potential savings are using dishwasher and washing machine less often. Once a day seem a lot of 3 people, and twice what I would expect.

Forgot to add, as suggested, a worthwhile exercise is to systematically turn off devices in each room, and then turn off the breakers one at a time.

Quicker with a smart meter and IHD, but even with a normal meter, in a few hours you would have a picture of usage by room/circuit.

MariaAH said:

Sea_Shell said:

Just a left field thought.

Did the property have a hot water tank (with additional immersion) BEFORE the combi boiler was installed.

If so, are you 100% sure it's been removed and/or decommissioned.

Not hidden up in the loft etc.

could it be quietly heating the same old stagnant water over and over ... Like groundhog Day.

Frightening thought… will check after tea?! 

I did a reading at 9pm on 17 Aug and another at 8:30 the next morning. Kids had been in London and did not get home until the small hours. Certainly from 2am until 8:30 everyone was asleep. And during that 12 hours…6.3kWh consumed 😳

Did this include any of the high power stuff (EV, dishwasher, washer etc)

No high power stuff during that 12 hour window.

Then that is odd. 
6.3 kWh in 12 hours, (assuming all background always on) means 13 kWh in 24h.
More than the measured daily usage, which includes high power usage....

That particular day, on 17 Aug we measured 15kWh in 24 hours, 6.3 of which was between 9pm and 8:30am the next day. Almost as much as in waking hours with heavy use!

On a more positive note, while you track down the over night usage, when you started this process, the daily usage was between 35 and 40kWh!
So while you aren't there yet, that is some serious progress (and savings).

nadsat

MattMattMattUK said:

nadsat said:

I'd dream of 12kWh a day electricity - I'm looking at 25-30kWh on our current usage. The only saving grace is we use hardly any gas during the summer - only for hot water and the cooker hob. 

That seems very high, 25-30kWh of electricity per day puts you in the top 10% of users, probably in the top 5% and that includes people with huge homes. Any idea why it is so high?

Well I'm going to run some tests but it seems clear it's heavy use of appliances - dishwasher, washing machine run at last once a day and when we can't dry outside there's a couple of tumble dries; large American fridge freezer pls another freezer; dual electric oven cooker; gaming PC + other PCs (although mine is a Mac Mini which is very frugal but drives two screens); several TVs but one large one used most; two routers; fish tank; usual other kitchen stuff; lighting (but most is low energy); one electric shower (will try and insist everyone uses the other shower supplied by water tank); sound system in my office; supplementary room heating in winter. Chargers everywhere for toothbrush, phones, tablets; electric blanket...  TV signal booster... Stuff on standby - boiler, printers... Radio, Google smart wotsit... Even the damn fridge has a computer touch screen where it gleefully reports it's energy use... And so it goes. 

Alnat1

Any chance you could get some solar panels on the roof? Should pay for itself pretty quickly.

NeverendingDMP

MariaAH said:

Sea_Shell said:

Just a left field thought.

Did the property have a hot water tank (with additional immersion) BEFORE the combi boiler was installed.

If so, are you 100% sure it's been removed and/or decommissioned.

Not hidden up in the loft etc.

could it be quietly heating the same old stagnant water over and over ... Like groundhog Day.

Frightening thought… will check after tea?! 

I did a reading at 9pm on 17 Aug and another at 8:30 the next morning. Kids had been in London and did not get home until the small hours. Certainly from 2am until 8:30 everyone was asleep. And during that 12 hours…6.3kWh consumed 😳

I might do an overnight reading. Can't get below 10 or 11k here even if no oven and my Greta impresion. We have TVs etc but no major guzzlers. Even if kids out for day. I've ordered the plug to measure but may try overnight readings too.  I think it's DH long showers but who knows

MariaAH

nadsat said:

MattMattMattUK said:

nadsat said:

I'd dream of 12kWh a day electricity - I'm looking at 25-30kWh on our current usage. The only saving grace is we use hardly any gas during the summer - only for hot water and the cooker hob. 

That seems very high, 25-30kWh of electricity per day puts you in the top 10% of users, probably in the top 5% and that includes people with huge homes. Any idea why it is so high?

Well I'm going to run some tests but it seems clear it's heavy use of appliances - dishwasher, washing machine run at last once a day and when we can't dry outside there's a couple of tumble dries; large American fridge freezer pls another freezer; dual electric oven cooker; gaming PC + other PCs (although mine is a Mac Mini which is very frugal but drives two screens); several TVs but one large one used most; two routers; fish tank; usual other kitchen stuff; lighting (but most is low energy); one electric shower (will try and insist everyone uses the other shower supplied by water tank); sound system in my office; supplementary room heating in winter. Chargers everywhere for toothbrush, phones, tablets; electric blanket...  TV signal booster... Stuff on standby - boiler, printers... Radio, Google smart wotsit... Even the damn fridge has a computer touch screen where it gleefully reports it's energy use... And so it goes. 

Ouch…might be worthwhile trying to identify a couple of high use culprits…e.g. my American Fridge Freezer should be 1.2kWh a day but is anywhere between 2.2 and 2.5kW a day. 

MariaAH

Alnat1 said:

Any chance you could get some solar panels on the roof? Should pay for itself pretty quickly.

Problem is the initial outlay..,

TheGardener

MariaAH said:

Alnat1 said:

Any chance you could get some solar panels on the roof? Should pay for itself pretty quickly.

Problem is the initial outlay..,

...and a huge waiting list now so I'm told ...