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Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 3:19 pm Post subject:

What does he use in the workshop?

John uses a welder quite frequently and it sucks a lot of electricity. We also have a big chest freezer, but its cheap to run as its nearly kept full. the freezer we have in a cupboard in the hall is open/shut/open/shut all day so its a liability... (kids and John nabbing lollies).
We dont have an immerser (thank God), but we cut our electric use when we got rid of the tumble drier.

Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 3:21 pm Post subject:

The average immersion heater uses upwards of 2 kilowatts, which is pretty juicy. If it's running all the time - which is quite possible, because thermnostats are notoriously unreliable - you will be spending a fortune.
It might be worth getting a second stat which clamps to the hot water cylinder about half-way up which will cut out the heating rod once the temperature rise above, say, 55 degrees. They're not expensive, and are a useful 'belt and braces' measure with an immersion heater/thermostate set-up.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 3:26 pm Post subject:

vegplot wrote:

50C isn't hot enough as it won't kill off Legionella, you need 55C to do that.

Whilst that is technically correct there has been no proven domestic case of Legionella.

The B&B would be at more risk as you will have water standing for long periods of time in what are effectively dead legs of water.

Plus its suggested that you only need to raise the tank to that level once per week. Some controllers have that function built in.

Dee

Joined: 14 Jan 2010
Posts: 34
Location: North Lincs

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 4:04 pm Post subject:

I've solar thermal for water. Not sure whether you get enough sunshine in Wales [ I live next to the North Sea..] but in my opinion its a no brainer for hot water in the summer. Sometimes when its been very cloudy I give the tank a 1hr. boost so my 100yr old mum gets a hot shower and warm wet room but otherwise its fine. I still have an old hot fill washing machine which helps and have banned tumbler dryers since my 40 yr. old came out of nappies...My worst sin is leaving the fridge/freezer door ajar and letting it melt and run.. and run.. Fixed it now

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 4:24 pm Post subject:

Katieowl wrote:

I take your point about Legionella, but it's waaaaay to hot to stick your hand in, surely it's a scald risk?

I can see that super hot water is a bonus, cos' you can dilute it with cold and need a bit less of it?

Kate

The hotter the water the more quickly it cools down. Assuming you're happy with the temp and that the thermostat is working then fitting a timer may help. Check the tan's insulation and that of the surrounding pipework.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 4:25 pm Post subject:

Dee wrote:

I've solar thermal for water.

Great suggestion and a cheap one to implement.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 4:49 pm Post subject:
We've got an OWL. It's great - I became obsessive about it.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 4:57 pm Post subject:

Chez wrote:

We've got an OWL. It's great - I became obsessive about it.

Harry Potter but without the feeding responsibilities.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 5:05 pm Post subject:
Quite. You know me - I fear responsibility

marigold

Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 12458
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 5:25 pm Post subject:
Have you reviewed your tariff lately? Might be worth looking at that. Also consider cutting down the amount of laundry you do, frequency of baths/showers etc and try the ideas suggested in Rosie's useful guide to cutting cooking costs. Put the son's room on it's own circuit and install a meter.

Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 5:35 pm Post subject:

RichardW wrote:

vegplot wrote:

50C isn't hot enough as it won't kill off Legionella, you need 55C to do that.

Now that's a worrying possibility

would sticking the water on the morning that they arrive heat it sufficiently to prevent a problem. That's what I usually do?

Kate

Katieowl

Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Posts: 4317
Location: West Wales

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 5:59 pm Post subject:

Well OH has done battle with the tank today (lots of swearing) so the new heater is in. He's going to re-route the electrics to a pull switch in the kitchen so it's easier for me to switch on and off.

I guess I'll buy a monitor (having checked first with the library here to see if they loan!) and keep an eye on it. I'd really like something that actually tells me the washing machine costs £X to run and the Breadmaker Y. Does the Owl do that? Chez?

The tank is one of those old ones, which is insulated with sprayed on foam, and the cupboard is stuffed with spare bedding and textiles, so would an extra jacket for it make any difference?

In the workshop he used a variety of machines bench and floor standing, and has just installed three phase (which even sounds expensive

) obviously his stuff is on in fits and starts, so he's not usually running anything solidly and installed a woodburner for heat.

Kate

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 6:09 pm Post subject:

The OWL we have just clips on to the 'out' from your consumer unit and measures what's going through it - you have to run around and turn things on and off to work out what's drawing what.

If you have the kilowatts each machine takes and your tariff, can't you just have a spreadsheet that will work out what costs what, like I do for my incubator?

For example, I know that our tumble drier for two hours costs 40p.

Re the water tank insulation, in that position, I would think seriously about getting a new one with double insulation. If you got one with a spare coil, you could run solar-thermal through it at a later date with no bother, too.

12Bore

Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 9089
Location: Paddling in the Mersey

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 6:15 pm Post subject:

Chez wrote:

We've got an OWL.

Owl....rhea.....it's not a huge leap is it?

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 11 6:32 pm Post subject:
passes coat

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