Energy Prices (Strictly NO referrals!)

Our base load is between 195Wh and 250Wh. From a quick thought about what's never switched off:

- Fridge
- Freezer (separate unit from the fridge)
- Wifi Router and hub (stupid Plusnet crap)
- Network mains socket thingies
- Hive heating system
- Ring doorbell
- Alarm system
- IHD although that's set to go dark over night
- Amazon Echos (5 and an 8)
- Clocks and other wallwarts that my family can't seem to turn off.

There's not much on that list apart from the last 2 that I can realistically be without so it is what it is.
 
Freezer is a massive one, I put a 25kg bag of coal on top of it because the seal on it is really bad and I presume that could lead to wasted energy even upto 3 figures cost now. So now its squashed down flat properly no air in and out, anything big like that left on 24/7/365 adds upto something.

The standby cost is most relevant where there is a transfomer as that will waste energy constantly and will be warm to touch is an obvious sign. My really old computers you could warm your feet up on the power cord, not sure the modern stuff. The bulbs dont have that I guess hence the low usage.

USB built into an electric socket wastes energy apparently not sure how bad
 
Has anyone considered investing in solar roof panels to try and reduce their bills? I don't know an awful lot about them to be honest but a few houses near us have them and I was thinking about it earlier today when driving back from town and passing them. I have no idea of initial outlay, I'd guess its considerable.

Has anyone here got solar panels? How do you find they contribute to reducing your energy costs?
 
Draeger said:
Has anyone considered investing in solar roof panels to try and reduce their bills? I don't know an awful lot about them to be honest but a few houses near us have them and I was thinking about it earlier today when driving back from town and passing them.
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Have a couple of companies coming to quote. The more the price per unit goes up, the more sense it makes to have them.
 
I have a friend who absolutely cannot sleep in less than 24c.
She keeps the room at 24c and forces her husband and baby to sleep in there at that temperature.

Her husband has started to complain about the energy bill... but gets shut down as "I must heat the house so I can sleep"....

Poor guy... having the heating on for an average of 14 hours per day. Over the past few months...

I feel sorry for his bank in the coming year.

I did wonder why he has no money... especially when he's on over 50k... (she's on 10k... pays nothing towards heating)
 
Diagro said:
I have a friend who absolutely cannot sleep in less than 24c.
She keeps the room at 24c and forces her husband and baby to sleep in there at that temperature.

Her husband has started to complain about the energy bill... but gets shut down as "I must heat the house so I can sleep"....

Poor guy... having the heating on for an average of 14 hours per day. Over the past few months...

I feel sorry for his bank in the coming year.

I did wonder why he has no money... especially when he's on over 50k... (she's on 10k... pays nothing towards heating)
Click to expand...

Yikes, wonder how he sleeps at night... i'd struggle along with the body heat from the partner.
 
Diagro said:
I have a friend who absolutely cannot sleep in less than 24c.
She keeps the room at 24c and forces her husband and baby to sleep in there at that temperature.

Her husband has started to complain about the energy bill... but gets shut down as "I must heat the house so I can sleep"....

Poor guy... having the heating on for an average of 14 hours per day. Over the past few months...

I feel sorry for his bank in the coming year.

I did wonder why he has no money... especially when he's on over 50k... (she's on 10k... pays nothing towards heating)
Click to expand...

Sod that, give her an electric blanket and turn the heating down :p
 
doesitmatter said:
I just turned everything off apart from my hob circuit, that has a single power plug to connect the smart meter to, usage dropped to zero, so I assume it is working. I’ve started turning circuits back on and I’m resting at 160watts. I’m not sure why it’s down from 240 watts to 160 watts but I’ll take it. Im trying to figure out how much Philips Hue is using in standby, 85 bulbs, 2 hubs, plenty of sensors and switches etc. Apart from Hue I’m running a NAS, network switch, router, 3 Wi-Fi network boosters, printer all 24/7.
Click to expand...

Most of my hue bulbs use 0.4watts when not lit (0.39 to be exact).

If you have 32 gu10s in your kitchen then they'll be using 12.48w while effectively powered off.
 
Make her pay for the gas, bet it wouldn't be at 24 degrees for long:cry:. Surely the logical approach would be to just layer up more, or just have it at 24 before bed, then for a little after.
 
Diagro said:
I have a friend who absolutely cannot sleep in less than 24c.
She keeps the room at 24c and forces her husband and baby to sleep in there at that temperature.

Her husband has started to complain about the energy bill... but gets shut down as "I must heat the house so I can sleep"....

Poor guy... having the heating on for an average of 14 hours per day. Over the past few months...

I feel sorry for his bank in the coming year.

I did wonder why he has no money... especially when he's on over 50k... (she's on 10k... pays nothing towards heating)
Click to expand...

Is it this guy?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C05qUz1ukWo
 
Draeger said:
Has anyone considered investing in solar roof panels to try and reduce their bills? I don't know an awful lot about them to be honest but a few houses near us have them and I was thinking about it earlier today when driving back from town and passing them. I have no idea of initial outlay, I'd guess its considerable.

Has anyone here got solar panels? How do you find they contribute to reducing your energy costs?
Click to expand...

They only make sense to install now if you are able to actually use the power they produce - if someone is in the house all day to use electric heating / washing machine / dish washer etc (and spread their use) or you want to mine bitcoin only when it's sunny, or you buy battery packs so you can use the electric in the evenings.

Basically batteries will nearly double the cost to install, so the payback becomes even longer.

When there was a guaranteed feed in rate they were worth it, but now it's like 4p per kWh and you are going to be paying 26p+. So the only way they become viable is if you can use the electric they generate yourself.

If you have a smart meter you can see what you're using during the day and calculate what size panels to get and how much it will save you - but for most people out at work all day it will be next to nothing.

I will be getting solar after we move, but that's because we work from home and have the potential to mine bitcoin, so we can keep an eye on what's being generated and use it accordingly.
 
Diagro said:
I have a friend who absolutely cannot sleep in less than 24c.
She keeps the room at 24c and forces her husband and baby to sleep in there at that temperature.

Her husband has started to complain about the energy bill... but gets shut down as "I must heat the house so I can sleep"....

Poor guy... having the heating on for an average of 14 hours per day. Over the past few months...

I feel sorry for his bank in the coming year.

I did wonder why he has no money... especially when he's on over 50k... (she's on 10k... pays nothing towards heating)
Click to expand...
Guessing am kind of the same

I have my electric blanket on turned to max every night before i go to sleep :)
 
andybird123 said:
They only make sense to install now if you are able to actually use the power they produce - if someone is in the house all day to use electric heating / washing machine / dish washer etc (and spread their use) or you want to mine bitcoin only when it's sunny, or you buy battery packs so you can use the electric in the evenings.

Basically batteries will nearly double the cost to install, so the payback becomes even longer.

When there was a guaranteed feed in rate they were worth it, but now it's like 4p per kWh and you are going to be paying 26p+. So the only way they become viable is if you can use the electric they generate yourself.

If you have a smart meter you can see what you're using during the day and calculate what size panels to get and how much it will save you - but for most people out at work all day it will be next to nothing.

I will be getting solar after we move, but that's because we work from home and have the potential to mine bitcoin, so we can keep an eye on what's being generated and use it accordingly.
Click to expand...

The batteries and panels paybacks are quite similar when you run the numbers for systems with and without.
In the summer the panels do most of the heavy lifting generating the energy, the batteries store the excess so you don't export a 4-5p and buy back later at 28p, assuming you can use all you generate/store then scale battery to suit.
In the winter as long as you get on the correct tariff the batteries can charge overnight on a cheap rate and then be used during the day/evening so again allow you to pull cheap electric and use it later instead of expensive.

So the ROI isn't that different in a system with or without, but as ever as you scale up the complexity (adding batteries) you need to be a little more aware in order to maximise their benefit.
As you say, using the energy you generate is by far the most important factor in both cases, they just change the what you should/could use when scenarios with the battery system being more flexible.

The FIT made little difference in reality since back when that was a thing the amount panels generated in comparison to their cost was horrendous. It was basically guaranteed to be a loss over something like 25 years, the FIT basically corrected that to allow fledgling industry to work, as the panel production scaled up then cost per unit went down, and the FIT reduced. Also the panels are getting better, and the whole systems are getting more efficient so its still improving. The cost per watt generated continues to fall, although will probably semi stall for a little while due to shortages and demand soaring.
If the FIT had scaled down with generation there would probably still be a small payment, but it would be very low by now.
 
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