Electricity Use

I was shocked to discover (by using the smart meter display) how much electricity our old chest freezer was costing to run - the new Vestfrost was expensive but will pay for itself long before it dies.
In terms of slow cookers - the most efficient are those that simply keep the heat in with no power: a haybox, Mr D's Thermal cooker or similar.
I never understood why no-one made a decently insulated kettle, then I found one of these: https://hubimex.co.uk/thermos-electric-kettles-series-1/
I really like it - heats the water rather than the kitchen, keeps the water hot, easy to change the target temp - 90 degrees to make tea instead of 100 degrees to make steam, and lower power so uses a higher proportion of solar during the day.

In terms of the op's original question - it is really useful to have a live current usage display - you can turn everything off, then gradually turn things back on to find where the power is going - is there any mileage in being more demanding of your supplier?

Other than that, though it's a little laborious, working your way round the house with your monitoring plugs will give you a lot of useful info.
My experience has been that I've reduced consumption best by targeting things that are on constantly - the house base load is now below 100W/hour.
 
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My electricity supplier (EDF) provides a web-based hub that displays the daily/monthly consumption in £ and Kwh. It is actually not a gimmick (as I first suspected) and does throw up some interesting information which is helping to reduce bills a bit. One thing we did was to start using our Mira Sport on the Eco setting. This now draws 4.5A rather than 9A. As we shower every day it has made quite an impact. True, the water is not now hot hot but it is acceptably warm at the top setting.
 
Best way to reduce electric use would be erect a gazebo and run the washing line inside. Then don't need to bring in cloths when it rains, and no bird lime.

But my dish washer for example on Eco setting takes 3.5 hours to wash dishes, uses 0.93 kWh, but on standard setting takes just under an hour and uses 1.18 kWh so 0.21 KWh extra at 20 p per kWh that is 4.2 p to get it done faster. As to needing a energy monitor well all that info is in the instructions.

Washing machine is the same, instructions show 0.15 kWh to 1.55 kWh depending on the wash cycle used. Water use the same between 23 litres and 87 litres. No need for any energy monitor.

The tumble drier time and cost is much affected by spin speed of washing machine, and the cloths being dried, I know my wife tends to sort by colour, clearly sorting by type so higher spin speeds can be used and shorter wash cycles would reduce energy used, but would increase the storage space required to sort cloths into colour and type.

The washing machine is considered as a labour saving device, but to use it will minimum electric and water used likely better returning to the old twin tub, I still remember the cloths sorted into piles across the kitchen floor, cleaner cloths went through first and dirty last, and washing day was a whole days work. Traditionally done day after the oven was blacked and steps scrubbed. The house wife's days were full, she likely worked harder in the home then she ever does today at work.

In the main Eco setting means longer time, and lower heat, but we have the option, spend the time sorting cloths, or spend the money, I should expect I am unusual in that in my house I have a washing machine, tumble drier and a washer/drier, the washing machine and tumble drier I can select cycle and spin speed, and set the temperature low on tumble drier and manually swap cloths between the two, likely better for the cloths, and uses less energy, washing machine is faster than tumble drier, so time in drier dictates how long it all takes, and my wife has to spend a fair bit of time sorting and transferring cloths. And it takes up a lot of space, but utility room used for little else.

The washer drier however takes a long time, but it is a set it off and forget until next day job, one load a day as takes so long, hate to see how much water it uses, as on drying cycle cold water used to condense water out of drying air, the heat used to dry is not settable, and in my mind far too hot. However not a problem with cotton overalls, and it means my overalls do not get other cloths dirty, would not have bought two washing machines, but washer/drier inherited when my mother died. And house big enough to have two kitchens, two living rooms etc. House central heating split into two zones, and 4 rooms only ever heated when we have visitors. Rest of house also has 9 programmable TRV heads so rooms only heated when required.

Odd in a way looking at size of house, costs less to run than old house which was open plan, late 70's early 80's open plan was considered good, idea was one gas fire heated whole of house, and to be fair it could, a 4.5 kW gas fire and flue bricks did work, except there was no thermostat on the gas fire, today we want automation, and we simply don't get out of our chairs to adjust room heating. We did fit central heating, mainly to add control.

We may have a central boiler, but today we heat room by room, be it gas, oil, wood, coal, or electric we want automation, yet we seem to still enjoy getting rid of all the automation and have a BBQ outside!

However to reduce energy use costs money, and once at a point where you can't afford it, it is too late. But at one point I lived in a caravan, when Sizewell 'B' was being built, I found 5 amp was enough, I actually got 10 amp in the end, as my water heating was automated and would switch on same time as fan heater and trip supply, very inefficient absorption fridge, 8 amp at 12 volt no thermostat. Used a 230/12 volt transformer to power it. Fan heater rewired to work series/parallel so 1 kW max but around 250 watt normal running powered via a wall thermostat. Cooking mainly microwave, or simple kettle, the kettle special camping one, 750 watt. Under sink water heater element swapped for a 750 watt version, it held 7 litres of hot water.

Washing done at camp laundrette, shower in camp shower block, no phone not even mobile, only way to contact outside world was packet radio or 2 meter voice, and that only after I passed my RAE exam. Closest I had to internet was Clive the amateur radio packet radio system. Lucky son passed his RAE too at 14, so could keep in contract with rest of family.

Oh did have black & white TV. Well before freeview so 5 channels. It put me off caravanning for years.

Much latter son also wanted to live on the cheap, in his case a narrow boat, he was worse than me with a 4 amp supply, however diesel and solid fuel heating, mainly lived in a marina, but really of no fixed abode, at least by then we had mobile phones, on eco setting with hot fill washing machine he could actually run it on a 6 amp supply, but it tripped the 4 amp supply. It had a 2 kW heater, but it did not run for long enough to trip supply.

But what people want is to have all mod cons but not pay for them, that is not really an option.
 
I was shocked to discover (by using the smart meter display) how much electricity our old chest freezer was costing to run - the new Vestfrost was expensive but will pay for itself long before it dies.
Indeed. As I wrote above ...
Indeed. A few years back I took an ancient freezer out of service since, although it was still working fine, it was consuming obscene amounts of electricity.
... but, even then, it probably took a good long time (during which I was 'out of pocket') before I'd recovered the cost of the replacement in terms of of reduced running costs.

As I recently said in relation to PV, it depends upon one's age, circumstances and 'cashflow situation' etc. - a lot of people don't seem to stop and think that "will pay for the up-front cost in X years" is another way of saying "I will be worse off for the next X years than I would have been without this 'investment'.
In terms of slow cookers - the most efficient are those that simply keep the heat in with no power: a haybox, Mr D's Thermal cooker or similar.
Sure, but they are not the sort of 'slow cookers' which most people talk about, or use!
I never understood why no-one made a decently insulated kettle, then I found one of these: ....
I would think that kettles are on for such short periods that insulation is not very important. Far more important (and frequently forgotten!) is that one should only 'boil' as much water as one actually needs.

What I've never really understood is why so many people who are otherwise very energy-cost-conscious and who also have gas hobs/cookers use electric kettles (or many of the other electrically-powered "cooking gimmicks') of any sort!

Kind Regards, John
 
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if its thermostatically,controled you wont as it compensates but iff its a basic model based on a given wattage then it will go to a higher temperature so get there quicker
as you know you cant really overcook with a slow cook but you can get there quicker(y)

I see your point and I really ought to check my two cookers. One has low, medium and high settings, the other smaller has just a fixed temperature, which I presume must have a stat. This afternoon, on the hob I made a corn beef hash batch for stock, in the largest pan I could find in the place. Potatoes, carrots, onions, spaghetti, peas, green beans, four oxo cubes and a whole pack of corned beef added at the end. simmered gently for a couple of hours, then the beef added. Transferred to freezer containers and now in the big freezer. It makes a hearty meal, with a Yorkshire Pud..
 
What I've never really understood is why so many people who are otherwise very energy-cost-conscious and who also have gas hobs/cookers use electric kettles (or many of the other electrically-powered "cooking gimmicks') of any sort!

One of the silliest gadgets I have come across, is the electric can opener. They are neither quicker nor more convenient, unless you have a need to open lots of cans. In the time needed to get one out of the cupboard, plug it in and use it, I can have my manual opener out of the drawer, tin opened, rinsed and back in the drawer.

Some of the biggest wasters of energy, are through carelessness and lack of thought. Leaving outside doors open in winter, when you nip out. One neighbour often has visitors at the door and often have their front door wide open 30 minutes in winter, when they have. 30 minutes will allow several air changes, which the heating system has to make up for. I have an inner and outer back door, the rule is that you never have both open at the same time, unless it is unavoidable, the single front door use is simply avoided being used.

Filipina lady washed up the other day - bowl full of hot water for just a few items, then rinsed washing up under lots of running hot water. I try to only wash up once per day, wash thoroughly, then rinse under just a trickle of cold water, then leave to drain. The trickle of cold, rinses them properly, but leaves then still warm enough to dry. Lots of cutlery, cups and plates make this easier. One wash per week or fortnight, with items dried on either the line outside, or my lines indoors using the fan/dehumidifier combination over-night, again lots of clothes makes this easier.
 
One of the silliest gadgets I have come across, is the electric can opener. They are neither quicker nor more convenient, unless you have a need to open lots of cans. In the time needed to get one out of the cupboard, plug it in and use it, I can have my manual opener out of the drawer, tin opened, rinsed and back in the drawer.
I must confess that I have an "electric can opener", which I find quite useful, but it is battery-operated (hence 'cordless'), and it must be at least a year or three since I last had to replace its two AA batteries!

However, in general, there does seem to be a ridiculous number of 'electric cooking gadgets' around these days, none of which are actually 'necessary' (nor necessarily sensible, particularly if one has a gas hob or cooker) - waffle makers, toasted sandwich makers, pancake makers, omelette makers, soup makers, rice cookers etc. etc. etc. - most of which are simply variations on the theme of a pot or plate which gets hot!

Even 'toasters' (let alone electrical kettles') did not seem to exist anywhere within my eyesight when I was a kid - toast was made with the grill of the gas cooker (on which also sat the kettle)!

Kind Regards, John
 
However, in general, there does seem to be a ridiculous number of 'electric cooking gadgets' around these days, none of which are actually 'necessary' (nor necessarily sensible, particularly if one has a gas hob or cooker) - waffle makers, toasted sandwich makers, pancake makers, omelette makers, soup makers, rice cookers etc. etc. etc. - most of which are simply variations on the theme of a pot or plate which gets hot!

I see the point if they are used frequently, but most end up just occupying space in a cupboard.

Even 'toasters' (let alone electrical kettles') did not seem to exist anywhere within my eyesight when I was a kid - toast was made with the grill of the gas cooker (on which also sat the kettle)!

I wouldn't be without our toaster, it does save a lot of time - especially as our grill, is the type built into the upper of the double oven and needs some setting up to use. It is the electronic timed type, rather than the thermal trip, so it's pretty much set how you like it and out it pops perfect. An electric toaster, kettle and iron were amongst the first things my parents bought in the 1950's. One of the last being a very expensive mechanically programmed sewing machine, which really was never used. They buying is often the easy part, then they need to be used to make the well intentioned purchase worthwhile :)
 
I see the point if they are used frequently, but most end up just occupying space in a cupboard.
I don't doubt that for some people, in some situations, these things may be of some value but, as you say, most just end up in cupboards (or, worse, littering worktops but rarely, if ever, used. As I implied, they would seem particularly 'inappropriate' (in most situations) for anyone with a gas hob (at least, until gas becomes more expensive than electricity :) ).
I wouldn't be without our toaster, it does save a lot of time - especially as our grill, is the type built into the upper of the double oven and needs some setting up to use.
Sure,given the nature of modern cookers, toasters have become 'indispensable', almost a 'necessity'. However, I (and probably you) were brought up on 'proper gas-powered grills',which were red hot within 10 seconds of being lit!

We are in an even worse position than you with our Aga, with which one cannot 'grill' in the conventional sense at all. Making toast with it can only be achieved by using a wire tennis-racket thingy on the hotplate with the lid closed!¬ ...

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Kind Regards, John
 
We are in an even worse position than you with our Aga, with which one cannot 'grill' in the conventional sense at all. Making toast with it can only be achieved by using a wire tennis-racket thingy on the hotplate with the lid closed!¬ ...

I remember my father buying a similar gadget, for the Primus stove when camping. At best it produced dried out bread, rather than toast.
 
I remember my father buying a similar gadget, for the Primus stove when camping. At best it produced dried out bread, rather than toast.
Once upon a time I had an asbestos (!) mat thingy to put on a camping stope for creating toast!

The Aga hotplate is so hot that there's no real risk of it drying out the bread before it 'toasts' it - the 'skill' is in getting it out quick enough before it (literally) bursts into flames!

Kind Regards, John
 
Well switch that off to start with.You need a fridge, so turn off chest freezer and store less food.

OK I have two fridge/freezers, chest freezer, upright freezer, and two fridges, but I can afford them. If you can't afford them, simple switch them off.
Its not about being able to "Afford", affording the bill is not the issue, the issue is that i belive we are using MORE than we should be... having a rouge power hungry "thing" somwhere
 

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