Electricity use whilst away

CanalBoatTime

Veteransaver said:

Do you have a few hard drive type set top boxes, or a home server, cctv system? They can all use significant power on standby. Also ventilation systems.

I have a Virgin tv thingy, and I’m not sure that’s on the tv plug socket - it might be that making odd noises during the day (only noticeable when I’m in the house alone) - I think I’ll try to measure that next - thanks 

[Deleted User]

Hi,

CanalBoatTime said:
as far as I know I don’t have an immersion heater,

CanalBoatTime said:

I’d switch the outside security lights off, but I don’t know where the switches are!

maybe time to do some investigating.

CanalBoatTime

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

CanalBoatTime said:
as far as I know I don’t have an immersion heater,

CanalBoatTime said:

I’d switch the outside security lights off, but I don’t know where the switches are!

maybe time to do some investigating.

You’re right.  There’s a lot of DIY gone on over the years by previous owners, resulting in “extras” I need to investigate!  There is lighting to a green house and shed that has never worked, speakers (or something that looks like speakers!) in a lowered ceiling in the lounge, switches in the house that don’t appear to do anything, something is wracking up the costs, and whilst the fridge freezer isn’t great (we’re nearly at the 24 hour point, at 1.57 kWh), still 3.5 kWh to account for in an empty house!

JohnB47

The speakers could be powered ones, sucking energy permanently. Your usage seems very high. I've measured ours when away, never over 1.5 kWh per day with just the usual things left on (fridge freezer, router, hard disk recorder and the clocks on oven and microwave).

Bendo

Have you checked the half hourly usage to see if its a constant load or if its intermittent?  That might help pinpoint what it may be.

E.g.

greenbee

If it helps, I found the switch for the outside lights in the sitting room by the door to the kitchen, and the one for the shed power in the kitchen next to the cooker switch. We may have had the same electrician by the sounds of it!

[Deleted User]

Hi,

were they both off?

victor2

Our house used an average of 1.9kWh of electricity per day when we were away for about 4 weeks. That was with am American style fridge/freezer (just over 1kWh/day), alarm system, telephone base unit (has answering machine), outside PIR securitry light and one internal LED light on a timer switch. Central heating boiler was on and set to a low temperature (like 10 degrees) just in case the temperature inside dropped, which I think it did a couple of times. It's a gas boiler but of course has an electric pump for the heating.

Another vote for the Tapo P110 switch/monitor though. When you've done all the monitoring, it makes a very useful remote controlled switch. I use one for an internal light, which comes on 1 hour before dusk and goes off at 11pm. If my router is switched off, it continues to work on its last known settings.

CanalBoatTime

greenbee said:

If it helps, I found the switch for the outside lights in the sitting room by the door to the kitchen, and the one for the shed power in the kitchen next to the cooker switch. We may have had the same electrician by the sounds of it!

You could be right!

victor2

I see the Tapo P110 is currently on Amazon for £8.99 - or a 2-pack for £27.99!!