We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

What appliance uses most electricity

Options
12467

Comments

  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,059 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Rampant Recycler
    Also: is it just me, or is all the brouhaha about leaving appliances on standby more hype than substance? (Sad as you like, but) I actually went round with a power meter and tested various appliances that we typically leave on standby - the total monthly power consumption amounted to a planet-boiling(!) 15.96kWh, which is only about £1.50 on a monthly bill! To hear some people talk about it, it's as if people are paying way over the odds due to leaving appliances on standby. Has this issue been exaggerated?

    Several of us have posted frequently about the hype on standby consumption.

    I suggest even your 15.96kWh per month for all your appliances is much higher than the average - unless you have a sky digi-box.(and that you don't want to turn off)

    My 3 TVs even if left on standby 24/7 use a grand total of much less than 2kWh per month.

    The danger is so many people believe the Hype that it becomes counter-productive and they think all they need to do is turn the TV off at the switch to effect massive savings.

    Look at the number of posts from people who are complaining about high electricity consumption. Their posts nearly always say "and I switch the TV off standby" as if this is the most important path to savings.
  • mute_posting
    mute_posting Posts: 810 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    To hear some people talk about it, it's as if people are paying way over the odds due to leaving appliances on standby. Has this issue been exaggerated?

    In the main,almost definitrely, yes. There was a useful reply giving some background on the green & ethical board last week. I'll try to find...

    EDIT

    http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=10407547&postcount=33

    Posts 33 - 38(ish)

    Basically much of the hype can probably be attributed to a mis-quoted survey from the USA (I beleive)

    The "it uses 80% of the on energy when off" came from some data that compared 2 hours on with 22 off each day
    :confused: I have a poll / discussion on Economy 7 / 10 off-peak usage (as a % or total) and ways to improve it but I'm not allowed to link to it so have a look on the gas/elec forum if you would like to vote or discuss.:cool:
  • Hemel_2
    Hemel_2 Posts: 66 Forumite
    in our house hold, it must be the iron!!!!!
  • Cardew wrote: »
    I suggest even your 15.96kWh per month for all your appliances is much higher than the average - unless you have a sky digi-box.(and that you don't want to turn off)

    We have a Topfield PVR, which uses a massive 8W in standby mode - same deal as a Sky+ box, you can't really switch that off. That accounts for more than a third of our standby usage (5.52kWh derived from an estimated period of 690hrs/mo in standby and 40hrs/mo active). We also have an LCD TV (which has no 'OFF' switch), three PCs (one media center and two laptops), a PS3 and a couple of external disk enclosures that are left on standby a lot of the time.
  • espresso
    espresso Posts: 16,448 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    We have a Topfield PVR, which uses a massive 8W in standby mode..........

    Wow, so if it's left on standby for a whole year it will cost approx £7. If you don't want the convenience of a PVR, or can't afford the electricity to run it, then don't have one!

    :rolleyes:
    :doh: Blue text on this forum usually signifies hyperlinks, so click on them!..:wall:
  • espresso wrote: »
    Wow, so if it's left on standby for a whole year it will cost approx £7. If you don't want the convenience of a PVR, or can't afford the electricity to run it, then don't have one!

    :rolleyes:

    I think snide remarks are uncalled-for, don't you? :(

    Nowhere do I say that I don't want the convenience of a PVR or that I can't afford the electricity to run it. I was merely making the observation that it accounts for the lion's share of my standby usage - which is still pretty low (though apparently higher than average according to cardew). Please read the discussion from post #31 to put these comments into context. :)
  • espresso
    espresso Posts: 16,448 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I think snide remarks are uncalled-for, don't you? :(

    I don't agree that it was. Standby consumption needs to be put into perspective, as it is still a very small proportion of overall usage.
    :doh: Blue text on this forum usually signifies hyperlinks, so click on them!..:wall:
  • espresso wrote: »
    I don't agree that it was. Standby consumption needs to be put into perspective, as it is still a very small proportion of overall usage.

    And if you'd read the previous posts, you'd have seen that it was put into perspective, as the overall amount of standby usage is still tiny.

    As such, your comment - certainly the way it was phrased - and rolleyes emoticon was uncalled-for.
  • mech_2
    mech_2 Posts: 620 Forumite
    Cardew wrote: »
    Several of us have posted frequently about the hype on standby consumption.

    I suggest even your 15.96kWh per month for all your appliances is much higher than the average - unless you have a sky digi-box.(and that you don't want to turn off)

    My 3 TVs even if left on standby 24/7 use a grand total of much less than 2kWh per month.
    I think your TVs are probably atypical. I have one TV which on standby uses 3.6kWh per month. Or 8kWh/month by the time you factor in the freeview box and VCR/DVD player and call it one setup. No cinema sound system or consoles on standby either. On that basis I hardly think 16kWh per month is very high.
    The danger is so many people believe the Hype that it becomes counter-productive and they think all they need to do is turn the TV off at the switch to effect massive savings.
    It depends on how you spin the figures. Most electricity usage sounds cheap when you start to break it down. If you save £2 a month on electricity, that doesn't sound like much, but if your yearly bill is £240, that's a reduction of 10%. Many people would welcome a 10% reduction in their electricity bill with zero investment and little effort.

    There's nothing else I can do to reduce electricity usage without replacing household goods that it would take years before there was payback.
  • Bismarck
    Bismarck Posts: 2,598 Forumite
    Tumble dryers are very high - about 70p every cycle :eek:

    AAA rated Dishwashers are about the same cost as using a bowl and washing the old fashioned way :)

    70p a go??? Sheesh....it's something I'd not really thought of...
    For what I've done...I start again...And whatever pain may come ...Today this ends... I'm forgiving what I've done -AF since June 2007
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.