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Why high electricty usage
Comments
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And the big one… an electric car!
also, new fishtanks, vivariums, or a few external halogen security lights.A failing central heating pump stuck to “on” can eat a lot of continuous watts too.0 -
This is one of the situations where a smart meter IHD would be invaluable. Ideally your would look at the continuous usage while you switch each circuit in your consumer unit off and on again to narrow down the offending item. You can do similar by watching the meter itself (either look at the speed of the flashing light or the spinning dial) but it might not be so obvious.
I'd be reading the meter every few hours to see if it's constant usage or more sporadic. An extra 200kWh in a month is ~ 275W constant load so not insubstantial. Something like a big TV on all the time or a freeze door left open. Maybe an electric radiator left switched on in the shed...0 -
StarTrekkie007 said:All heating is gas so it would not effect my electrity readings
My electricy usage last month was 232 kwh and this month was 457 kwh
Note: My highest electrity usage last year was in December which was 279 kwh
In the mean time whilst waiting for the energy monitor to arrive did some tests. Keeping everything the same, I then lowered the refrigerator temperature down from 2.9 to 2.4
Now my average daily usethis last month was about 14.7 kwh but by just lowering the refrigerator temperature in the next day average was down to 9 and the next day was 6
So thinking issue most likely refrigerator trying to get to desired temperature and struggling to achieve for some reason.0 -
StarTrekkie007 said:StarTrekkie007 said:All heating is gas so it would not effect my electrity readings
My electricy usage last month was 232 kwh and this month was 457 kwh
Note: My highest electrity usage last year was in December which was 279 kwh
In the mean time whilst waiting for the energy monitor to arrive did some tests. Keeping everything the same, I then lowered the refrigerator temperature down from 2.9 to 2.4
Now my average daily usethis last month was about 14.7 kwh but by just lowering the refrigerator temperature in the next day average was down to 9 and the next day was 6
So thinking issue most likely refrigerator trying to get to desired temperature and struggling to achieve for some reason.3 -
StarTrekkie007 said:StarTrekkie007 said:All heating is gas so it would not effect my electrity readings
My electricy usage last month was 232 kwh and this month was 457 kwh
Note: My highest electrity usage last year was in December which was 279 kwh
In the mean time whilst waiting for the energy monitor to arrive did some tests. Keeping everything the same, I then lowered the refrigerator temperature down from 2.9 to 2.4
Now my average daily usethis last month was about 14.7 kwh but by just lowering the refrigerator temperature in the next day average was down to 9 and the next day was 6
So thinking issue most likely refrigerator trying to get to desired temperature and struggling to achieve for some reason.
If it is the cause that would suggest there’s a potentially quite a serious fault with the appliance that warrants immediate attention, as nearly 9kWh would be quite a concerning amount of wasted heat energy being dumped into the room the fridge is in. That would be roughly the equivalent of boiling an electric kettle for 3 hours every day.Moo…0 -
If you've set the fridge to maintain a lower temperature it will use MORE energy trying to keep the fridge cooler. Try setting it at 4C-5C which is normal for a domestic fridge.Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Solar PV 5.25kWp SW facing (14 x 375) installed Mar 22
Lux 3.6kw hybrid inverter and 9.6kw Pylontech batteries
Daikin 8kW ASHP installed Jan 25
Octopus Cosy/Fixed Outgoing0 -
Alnat1 said:If you've set the fridge to maintain a lower temperature it will use MORE energy trying to keep the fridge cooler. Try setting it at 4C-5C which is normal for a domestic fridge.
The fridge has a freezer dial up to 5 ( with 5 being the coolest) I had originally set it around midway. I then adjusted the dial so it was less cold4 -
TheElectricCow said:StarTrekkie007 said:StarTrekkie007 said:All heating is gas so it would not effect my electrity readings
My electricy usage last month was 232 kwh and this month was 457 kwh
Note: My highest electrity usage last year was in December which was 279 kwh
In the mean time whilst waiting for the energy monitor to arrive did some tests. Keeping everything the same, I then lowered the refrigerator temperature down from 2.9 to 2.4
Now my average daily usethis last month was about 14.7 kwh but by just lowering the refrigerator temperature in the next day average was down to 9 and the next day was 6
So thinking issue most likely refrigerator trying to get to desired temperature and struggling to achieve for some reason.
If it is the cause that would suggest there’s a potentially quite a serious fault with the appliance that warrants immediate attention, as nearly 9kWh would be quite a concerning amount of wasted heat energy being dumped into the room the fridge is in. That would be roughly the equivalent of boiling an electric kettle for 3 hours every day.
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Stick a thermometer in there to find out what the actual temperature is.
You don't want to keep the fridge at too high a temperature or food will go off quicker. Chucking away spoiled food and replacing it will cost you more than keeping the fridge 4-5C.
Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Solar PV 5.25kWp SW facing (14 x 375) installed Mar 22
Lux 3.6kw hybrid inverter and 9.6kw Pylontech batteries
Daikin 8kW ASHP installed Jan 25
Octopus Cosy/Fixed Outgoing2 -
Keep checking your daily consumption on the meter, its unlikely that the fridge is to blame but not impossible but there would be a lot of heat coming from the motor/pump if that were the case.
Did you find a hot water tank/immersion?
Are there other people in the house?0
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