My Energy use Diary

Leonie

Can anyone recommend a bread maker, please?

deninchester

Hi, I got a Panasonic SD253 breadmaker 4 years ago for 90 quid and it is still going strong. All my colleagues and sister-in-laws have got the same make and I've never heard of anyone having any problems. I make bread 2 or 3 times per week, and always get compliments about how tasty it is. Highly recommended.

pattayalob

Everybody's consumption of electricity is different of course but let me tell you about mine. I live in a Park Home, on my own and have been practising energy saving for the last forty years or so. My daily consumption of electricity in the summer months is 2.5 kw/hrs per day or thereabouts and rises in the winter to about 3.5 kw/hrs per day. I use a laptop rather than a desk computer, I switch off everything when not needed, I do not have a tumble dryer, I have a twin tub washing machine, I have energy saving light bulbs, (they do not save me much money as I never leave lights on anyway).
My electricity consumption, mostly does not benefit from the cheaper rate after 250 kw/hrs per quarter.
Can anyone beat that?

A_fiend_for_life

pattayalob wrote: »

Everybody's consumption of electricity is different of course but let me tell you about mine. I live in a Park Home, on my own and have been practising energy saving for the last forty years or so. My daily consumption of electricity in the summer months is 2.5 kw/hrs per day or thereabouts and rises in the winter to about 3.5 kw/hrs per day. I use a laptop rather than a desk computer, I switch off everything when not needed, I do not have a tumble dryer, I have a twin tub washing machine, I have energy saving light bulbs, (they do not save me much money as I never leave lights on anyway).
My electricity consumption, mostly does not benefit from the cheaper rate after 250 kw/hrs per quarter.
Can anyone beat that?

If your living in Pattaya thats hardly a level playing field and would be considered cheating. I am cheating too because I am living on my own so no negotiating which is probably the hardest part in families.

My current daily usage averages out at 3.5 kWh per day:

Low energy bulbs
No tumble dryer
No dishwasher - use cold water
No Iron (Rust In Peace)
Low temperature wash and no spin
Gas central heating is switched off.
No TV - I can't be bothered replacing it.
Reduce cooking in summer.

Currently using

PC, kettle boil a full load and flask, cordless phone, shower, radio and NBTD - nothing better to do.

3.5 kWh in winter though - that could be asking for health problems. You must be squatting or using a wood burner.

Frugaldom

A_fiend_for_life wrote: »

If your living in Pattaya thats hardly a level playing field

Is the OP living in Thailand? Do Thai appliances use less units than elsewhere? Confused.

3.5 kWh in winter though - that could be asking for health problems. You must be squatting or using a wood burner.

Perhaps the OP has gas heaters?

I take my hat off to anyone who can keep their electricity as low as 2.5 or 3.5kw per day in summer. Our household (of 3) used 81 kw units over the past 7 days - a record for us, since beginning our meterwatch last December. I don't know how to cut down any more. If I switched off absolutely everything except the fridge & freezer, I would still use about 2 units per day, plus it takes 6 units to heat a tank of water and at least a unit to cook dinner, not to mention breakfast and lunch, the kettle and the washing machine. In an all electric house in Scotland, I could use 81 units within 24 hours during the winter and I simply cannot afford it if prices rise yet again. I'm already paying more for energy than I am for food over a year and that's a ridiculous state of affairs in my (budget) book. Might I ask how much anyone spends on gas, coal, logs, groceries, laundry and toiletries each day/week/month that the electricity amounts to only 2.5 kw units? Please? I'm bamboozled.

lovelyjubbly

We don't heat water at all, I don't know if anyone else is the same, there are only two of us and we just use the kettle to do the washing up and a 7.5kw shower, no other hot water needed, why does everyone switch their water on every day, is it just to have warm water to wash face/hands etc? I would be interested to know, also our economy7 goes off at 9.45am in the summer and 845am in the winter so manage to get all the washing done on cheap rate, and any bread/jam making/cooking happens very early in the morning and we practically live on salads so not much cooking.

greenbee

I've been checking my meters weekly for the past few weeks, and this week I'm down to 3.15 kwH for elec (even working 2 days/week from home) and 9.58 for gas (I'm sure that I should be able to get the gas down... must go to the gym more and use their hot water instead ).

A_fiend_for_life

On the scenic car battery try this one:

http://www.parkers.co.uk/advice/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=31807

Boot light seems to be a common issue so try removing the boot light for a while.

I presume the battery light is going off when you start the car? And in a reasonable time. When the engine is off cup your hand and take a closer look.

Ensure the contacts on the alternator and starter are clean too. A piece of emery paper will do the trick.

SuiDreams

greenbee wrote: »

I've been checking my meters weekly for the past few weeks, and this week I'm down to 3.15 kwH for elec (even working 2 days/week from home) and 9.58 for gas (I'm sure that I should be able to get the gas down... must go to the gym more and use their hot water instead ).

Wish I could get my electric that low was using 4KWH's a day last summer and 5.87KWH this summer. Trying to work out where the extra units are going. gas is down to 10kwh a day for July, think i can probably cut the time the boiler is on for by a bit more, as its only for hot water.

A_fiend_for_life

nykmedia wrote: »

Is the OP living in Thailand? Do Thai appliances use less units than elsewhere? Confused.

Should be seen as tongue in cheek rather than taken literally.

Hence my next sentence 'I am cheating too because I am living on my own so no negotiating which is probably the hardest part in families.'

nykmedia wrote: »

Perhaps the OP has gas heaters?

Perhaps

nykmedia wrote: »

I take my hat off to anyone who can keep their electricity as low as 2.5 or 3.5kw per day in summer. Our household (of 3) used 81 kw units over the past 7 days - a record for us, since beginning our meterwatch last December. I don't know how to cut down any more. If I switched off absolutely everything except the fridge & freezer, I would still use about 2 units per day, plus it takes 6 units to heat a tank of water and at least a unit to cook dinner, not to mention breakfast and lunch, the kettle and the washing machine. In an all electric house in Scotland, I could use 81 units within 24 hours during the winter and I simply cannot afford it if prices rise yet again. I'm already paying more for energy than I am for food over a year and that's a ridiculous state of affairs in my (budget) book. Might I ask how much anyone spends on gas, coal, logs, groceries, laundry and toiletries each day/week/month that the electricity amounts to only 2.5 kw units? Please? I'm bamboozled.

Jan / Feb 2008 was £16 per [STRIKE]day[/STRIKE] week - must have had the crystal ball out.

Electricity units at the moment is about 4kWh per day. Though I am being really frugal. I have managed a couple of days on around 2kWh though that is the exception rather than the norm. Gas central heating is switched off. I hand wash dishes cold or using residual cooking heat for oily stuff.

What type of house is it and what insulation do you have? Other folk can advise better on this. Fitting draft exclusion is a quick cheap option though perhaps not the most effective.

Some of the things to do might be:

Turn the heating down a bit - turn it off in summer.
Wear more layers in winter.
Turn the heating down in rooms that are not occupied bathroom, kitchen, hall.
Use thicker curtains.

Wash clothes at 30C do only a full wash.
Use a high spin on bad days and a low or no spin on good drying days.
Line dry or use a clothes horse where possible alternatively create a wind tunnel through the house by opening windows and use a clothes horse.

Shower low temp.
Strip wash on some days: Mits, pits, bits and bum.

Use a slow cooker or cook things more slowly; turn the temperature down and use a lid.
Turn the hob off about 10 -15 minute before finishing cooking.

If your cooking potatoes bring to boil and allow to stand for about 20 - 30 minutes off the heat, with a lid, a clean, dry teatowel on top and place on a teatowel on a teapot stand. They'll cook under their own heat.
Pasta can be cooked by putting a portion in a flask and pouring on boiling water from a kettle and leaving for 25 mins. Ideal for one or two people and if your complementing carbs with bread.
If your cooking on the hob use the residual heat to heat water and flask (lid and teatowel). Should get about 1 or 2 mugs but you might need to catch it in mid lunch/dinner. Not sure about induction hobs.

Boil only the water you need
If your boiling the kettle for one try storing the rest in the flask. I find a litre and a quarter will be enough for a tea / coffee and the rest will fill my flask.
Allow the kettle to not quite reach boil, especially for beverages, as the temperature drops very quickly. At work the water dispenser provides water when it reaches 70C so boiling is unnecessary.