Settle an Argument Please

[SUNRAY]

I agree but sometimes life interferes. To be more exact I boil the kettle then my wife calls for me to help her get out of bed or to get dressed. There must be thousands of people like me who are looking after a disabled partner so frequently have to stop and help.

I was thinking more in terms of making a drink and half hour later making another.

 

[JohnW2]

I sometimes wonder why electric kettles are not made with well insulated sides and lid.

I believe that some are - but maybe only when they are sufficiently expensive that it would take a long time for them to pay for themselves, even if people were putting too much water into their kettles, or getting distracted after turning on the kettle.

If I boil the water and return half an hour later the water is nearly cold. It would be more energy efficient to keep water hot once it has been heated.

I've seen your subsequent comment and agree that is a (small) issue if one is 'distracted' from the boiling kettle. However, that's not the usual issue - far more commonly the issue is that people boil far more water than they need immediately in the first place, and there's a better (and more direct) solution to that than trying to keep the unwanted heated water hot for later use!!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Why Not Indeed]

My OH has taken to switching the sockets off which supply the kettle and toaster. Is she saving money? Ta.

Maybe. Get a kill-a-watt and see what it's doing when it's idle. My last toaster pulled 10W when it was doing nothing, which is a stupid amount of energy. I always turned it off at the wall after use once I found that out. The replacement toaster pulls nothing [or at least, not enough to trigger the kill-a-watt].

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Maybe. Get a kill-a-watt and see what it's doing when it's idle. My last toaster pulled 10W when it was doing nothing, which is a stupid amount of energy. I always turned it off at the wall after use once I found that out. The replacement toaster pulls nothing [or at least, not enough to trigger the kill-a-watt].

I would suspect the measuring process being at source of the 10w error, rather than a toaster. There is no reason why a toaster would consume any current when not in use. They only consume when the eject mechanism is pressed down and engaged. Some use a mechanical bi-metal trip latch, others use an electronic timed latch. It's easy to determine the type of timer, the latter type will not latch, if they are turned off at the wall socket.

 

[Why Not Indeed]

The kill-a-watt will measure less than 10W. What aspect of the measuring process do you think might be introducing the error?

 

[JohnW2]

The kill-a-watt will measure less than 10W. What aspect of the measuring process do you think might be introducing the error?

Who knows - but I agree with Harry that it seems almost inconceivable that a toaster that is not toasting can use as much as 10W, even if it has an electronic timer, so I would also agree with him that there is probably something 'wrong' with the measurement.

Kind Regards, John

 

[RandomGrinch]

I would suspect the measuring process being at source of the 10w error, rather than a toaster.

Come on Harry, get with the times!
Doesn't everyone have a 'Smart' WiFi toaster now???

https://revcook.com/products/instaglo-r180-toaster

 

[big-all]

have been playing pointlessly with things using neons to indicate live/on and most wont register but some that look bright individually or on an extension multi socket can use quite low to 0.9w
now not really worth a mention as such but iff you are trying to micromanage your waste off energy think about older fittings using neons rather than leds as a possible area to look at

 

[JohnW2]

Come on Harry, get with the times! ... Doesn't everyone have a 'Smart' WiFi toaster now???

Good grief

However, I think it pretty unlikely that Why Not Indeed was talking about such a crazy bit of kit!

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

... now not really worth a mention as such but iff you are trying to micromanage your waste off energy think about older fittings using neons rather than leds as a possible area to look at

... but then bear in mind the (financial and environmental) cost of replacing all such 'older fittings using neons' that one might find!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

have been playing pointlessly with things using neons to indicate live/on and most wont register but some that look bright individually or on an extension multi socket can use quite low to 0.9w
now not really worth a mention as such but iff you are trying to micromanage your waste off energy think about older fittings using neons rather than leds as a possible area to look at

I have a number of things which remain lit up all the time, but the light is not entirely wasted. I have four scattered landline phones all with LED's lit, kettle in the kitchen, stairs and landing have my weather station display panel. The very low level illumination is enough to avoid the need to switch on lights in the middle of the night, if I get up to nip to use the toilet, or need a drink from the fridge.

 

[SUNRAY]

I have a number of things which remain lit up all the time, but the light is not entirely wasted. I have four scattered landline phones all with LED's lit, kettle in the kitchen, stairs and landing have my weather station display panel. The very low level illumination is enough to avoid the need to switch on lights in the middle of the night, if I get up to nip to use the toilet, or need a drink from the fridge.

Itake it that's the fridge with 16 wifi enabled cameras and a 4K VDU on the door. So you can be looking to see what's in there and where while falling fown the stairs looking on your phone in the near dark

 

[big-all]

possibly another way to save money on your house phone
base station and 3 handsets throw the 2 charging stand in a drawer and never use them just rotate them on the main stand as they need charging perhaps 2 or 3 times a week dependent on use and age off the batteries

how much would i save -------havent got a clue as i have never used a remote stand over the 3 or 4 sets i have had now even if its only 0.5w each thats 1w or around £2 a year if left plugged in and on

 

[Munroast]

The only way to be really sure as to what is using power is to go round with a multi meter and test. I found quite a few surprises in the good the bad and the ugly. my computer is worst with 10w even when switched off at the case.

Another point to make is how much of this energy is being wasted, apart from an odd hot week in the middle of the summer the heat released by appliances on stand-by is supplementing your heating system. And if your concerns are environmental then the heat from the electric has a lower carbon footprint than from gas or oil heating.

 

[bernardgreen]

What aspect of the measuring process do you think might be introducing the error

The Power Factor of the appliance will affect the accuracy of the measurement. How much it affects the accuracy will depend on how the measuring instrument(s) relate voltage to current.