Energy prices.

[fizzy]

Well - I didn’t say it completely wasted I said it was probably making a very marginal difference (at best) and is heating the wrong area. Why do you think they don’t put radiators on the ceiling . Maybe that’s where the real energy savings are to be made.

And for rooms upstairs - I guess heating the attic might be of some benefit though I don’t know if any of the heat would make it through several inches of insulation. But yeah, whatever makes you feel better I guess

I was speaking hypothetically of course!
First thing I did when I moved into my current house was replace the 20 GU10 halogens in the kitchen. If anything should have been banned it was those!
The LEDs may use a lot less electric but the light is still awful. A very low ceiling means you have to stand under a spotlight to see anything. 1 or 2 tubes would light the whole kitchen far better and cheaper.
I don't believe in using electric for heating - it used to be 4x the price of gas and oil.
I live down in a valley so not much sun. Always 6C colder than Swansea. Heat from the aga still very welcome even in May. 4C here last night.

 

[finyuk2005]

One thing that does come up - LED lights do give some chronic headaches - they seem more susceptible to the effects of the constant, although mega-faast, switching on/off of the drivers.

Older led lights were awful on the eyes with that 50hz flicker, cheap ones are sometimes still like it,
But generally they seem to have improved that immensely!

 

[Morris]

I was speaking hypothetically of course!
First thing I did when I moved into my current house was replace the 20 GU10 halogens in the kitchen. If anything should have been banned it was those!
The LEDs may use a lot less electric but the light is still awful. A very low ceiling means you have to stand under a spotlight to see anything. 1 or 2 tubes would light the whole kitchen far better and cheaper.
I don't believe in using electric for heating - it used to be 4x the price of gas and oil.
I live down in a valley so not much sun. Always 6C colder than Swansea. Heat from the aga still very welcome even in May. 4C here last night.

If you find the light poor then you have the wrong lamps. I did exactly the same, first time the light was awful. I returned them. The ones I have now have been in for two years or so instead of failing every six months and give just as good illumination as conventional gu10's

 

[reb78]

I still use a paraffin lamp. I have four in the lounge as I type.... . Much nicer light than modern bulbs. I have carbon filament bulbs in the bedroom as they are a nicer light too and nicer to look at as they are candle bulbs (seem easier to get than tungsten now although strictly sold 'for decorative' purposes)

 

[Morrisman]

I live in a bungalow . . .

Me too. I love it, as regards the heating bills.

I had a shock a few minutes ago, my smart meter read out thingamajig is telling me something is running that costs £2.44 an hour. Normal usage is 8p.
Then I remembered, my daughter is home from uni for a few days and is in the shower......

 

[500e]

Throttle the hot side of the shower

 

[Morrisman]

Throttle the hot side of the shower

She doesn't come home very often, so she can use the shower as often as she likes when she is here.

 

[Barking Mat]

Well a couple of years ago I swapped all our tungsten filament bulbs to led.

A lot do stay on 24 hrs a day as landings don't have windows, the utility room, bathrooms.

I concur, it's ovens, hot water tanks and fridge freezer which seems to make the difference, not lighting.

I wonder how much the tv's and 'pooters on standby munch.

 

[500e]

It all adds up Mat

 

[Barking Mat]

It all adds up Mat

Tell me about it.

But the house is huge, and those Bretons didn't put that many windows in.

I've insulated 3/4 of the house, it's wood burners in winter which heat the house, that's another ouch !

 

[finyuk2005]

It all adds up Mat

absolutely! in my folks kitchen there are about 6 million GU10 50w down lighters, its about 1kw if they were all halogen still, the led's are a pretty considerable saving!

 

[Robotstar5]

Well a couple of years ago I swapped all our tungsten filament bulbs to led.

A lot do stay on 24 hrs a day as landings don't have windows, the utility room, bathrooms.

I concur, it's ovens, hot water tanks and fridge freezer which seems to make the difference, not lighting.

I wonder how much the tv's and 'pooters on standby munch.

They are known as Vampire appliances

 

[finyuk2005]

Well a couple of years ago I swapped all our tungsten filament bulbs to led.

A lot do stay on 24 hrs a day as landings don't have windows, the utility room, bathrooms.

I concur, it's ovens, hot water tanks and fridge freezer which seems to make the difference, not lighting.

I wonder how much the tv's and 'pooters on standby munch.

I tried turning everything apart from the computer, printer and all the network gear, (3 ethernet switches, modem, network video recorder box, etc) and it was only about 120watts,
not much, but 24/7 i guess would start to add up

 

[atomant48]

what do folk actually use per day on average ? I always find the “book values” online are way below our usage … we seem to be about 5kW per day just for the house to tick over.

 

[finyuk2005]

what do folk actually use per day on average ? I always find the “book values” online are way below our usage … we seem to be about 5kW per day just for the house to tick over.

my folks house is a big old farm house... only started measuring at the start of the year with an emporia vue meter, i have seen as high as 80kwh in a single day!!
been trying to find out whats taking so much, I think its mostly the kitchen underfloor heating, 4kw in total.
Its been interesting to see what peak power draw is also, around 13kw is about the most i have seen,
regularly over 10kw when the oven is on and the floor in the kitchen.

Have ordered 44 solar panels and charge controller and inverters etc and about 45kwh of batteries direct from china, Dad also managed to score a 6kw wind turbine second hand,
so that will be a fun project!!

 

[atomant48]

You mean 5kWh? Or are we talking total energy - leccy + gas? That would be ~120kWh.

Our energy use, since early April has varied between 25kWh/day weekly average then, to 6kWh/day this last week. That is leccy + gas. Not much leccy used during sunlight hours, mind, and gas is now substituting for leccy wherever appropriate (due to the price differential).

Clearly a great deal more in the winter. January averaged out at 41kWh/day.

Just electric. I’ve never monitored the gas. Might have to. The 5 figure is just the house electric for fridges, stuff on standby etc.

 

[R Kraft]

They are closing power plants over here, at a greater pace than alternates come on line.
Black outs are projected to happen intermittently for years into the future.

 

[carter13]

what do folk actually use per day on average ? I always find the “book values” online are way below our usage … we seem to be about 5kW per day just for the house to tick over.

I’m quite a low user of electric and gas, live on my own wood burner for main heat 1 bed semi bungalow.

 

[Beeezer]

I’m quite a low user of electric and gas, live on my own wood burner for main heat 1 bed semi bungalow.

View attachment 346752

Sounds like the type of home I would buy if I wanted one, can’t be doing with big properties.

 

[atomant48]

I’m quite a low user of electric and gas, live on my own wood burner for main heat 1 bed semi bungalow.

View attachment 346752

That’s really useful thanks. About 4 “blats” of electric per day on average. We consistently hit 20-25 per day since I’ve been monitoring it but that’s family of 5. I suspect the dishwasher/washing machine and dryer are main culprits. And the car gets a top up every now and then.