LED lighting is here, and just in time too.
Electricity costs are about to increase by 160% within 2 years and 250% once the carbon tax takes effect in Australia and they are already 2x-5x more expensive than what they are in Canada.
POWER TRIP: Australian electricity price high, and to rise with carbon tax | News.com.au
Flourescent lighting can be easily converted over to 12 volt systems with the use of an inverter kit.
Computers have finally gone below the 100 watt mark and are dropping to as low as 40 watts total power consumption. RonE has mentioned the use of a laptop, I would agree completely if you can live comfortably on one then do so: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/ever...n-hints-tips-projects-thread.html#post3294169
Solar Power is actually becoming pretty realistic now.
A chest freezer instead of having an ordinary upright fridge will reduce your consumption by a great degree.
Having cold showers will cut your power bill in half.
LED backlit monitors are here and go even lower than 40 watts.
Use of a microwave to boil water for a cup of coffee or tea takes only 1 or 2 minutes and saves a significant amount of electricity. If your kettle is of the 2400 watt type that takes a minimum of 0.5Litre, there are however 0.15Litre units out there apparently, this is also not true if you are making more than 1 cup. Thanks to Elvee: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/ever...n-hints-tips-projects-thread.html#post3294335
Use a LED night light for your bathroom and for the rest of your house for illumination while walking around, it will save both your overhead lamps from unnecessary use and your power bill.
Turn off the electric hot water heater and have cold showers, for the dishes, boil hot water in the kettle for doing the dishes with and mix it with cold water from the tap to the temperature you prefer.
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I have created this thread for the specific intention of reducing the costs of people's electricity bill and maybe even eliminate it entirely with the discussion of people's ideas and a formation of solutions to issues that are affecting us all.
I should hope that Australian users can put this thread to a good use even if they only read and not contribute.
This is a purely engineering problem and a technical topic of discussion and should remain that way.
Electricity costs are about to increase by 160% within 2 years and 250% once the carbon tax takes effect in Australia and they are already 2x-5x more expensive than what they are in Canada.
POWER TRIP: Australian electricity price high, and to rise with carbon tax | News.com.au
Flourescent lighting can be easily converted over to 12 volt systems with the use of an inverter kit.
Computers have finally gone below the 100 watt mark and are dropping to as low as 40 watts total power consumption. RonE has mentioned the use of a laptop, I would agree completely if you can live comfortably on one then do so: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/ever...n-hints-tips-projects-thread.html#post3294169
Solar Power is actually becoming pretty realistic now.
A chest freezer instead of having an ordinary upright fridge will reduce your consumption by a great degree.
Having cold showers will cut your power bill in half.
LED backlit monitors are here and go even lower than 40 watts.
Use of a microwave to boil water for a cup of coffee or tea takes only 1 or 2 minutes and saves a significant amount of electricity. If your kettle is of the 2400 watt type that takes a minimum of 0.5Litre, there are however 0.15Litre units out there apparently, this is also not true if you are making more than 1 cup. Thanks to Elvee: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/ever...n-hints-tips-projects-thread.html#post3294335
Use a LED night light for your bathroom and for the rest of your house for illumination while walking around, it will save both your overhead lamps from unnecessary use and your power bill.
Turn off the electric hot water heater and have cold showers, for the dishes, boil hot water in the kettle for doing the dishes with and mix it with cold water from the tap to the temperature you prefer.
~~~~~~~~~
I have created this thread for the specific intention of reducing the costs of people's electricity bill and maybe even eliminate it entirely with the discussion of people's ideas and a formation of solutions to issues that are affecting us all.
I should hope that Australian users can put this thread to a good use even if they only read and not contribute.
Please leave political topics and religion out of this thread.
This is a purely engineering problem and a technical topic of discussion and should remain that way.
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Wear appropriate clothes for your local climate and weather.
It may be too expensive to do this now, but some folk in the UK used to heat their homes so much that in the depths of winter they could walk about in shorts and a tee shirt. Meanwhile, other people wanted air-conditioned offices in the summer so they could still wear a full suit and tie. It is quite possible that the office in the summer was cooler than the home in the winter; clearly a waste of energy.
It may be too expensive to do this now, but some folk in the UK used to heat their homes so much that in the depths of winter they could walk about in shorts and a tee shirt. Meanwhile, other people wanted air-conditioned offices in the summer so they could still wear a full suit and tie. It is quite possible that the office in the summer was cooler than the home in the winter; clearly a waste of energy.
Home Energy tips:
Weatherstrip, weatherstrip, weatherstrip.
Have a home energy audit with blower door test.
Cutting Air infiltration in a home is the best payback of any investment.
Use water in the shower only to get wet and to rinse - turn off otherwise.
Wash only full loads of laundry and dry them on a clothesline when possible.
Use a laptop for a home computer, most are optimized for low power consumption. Better yet, use a computer at a library
Compact fluorescent lights are still more efficient than LED's on a watts per lumen basis, but LED's still have their uses. I use a 3W LED fixture (IKEA Jansjo) at my computer desk and it lights up a several square foot area quite sufficiently to work by. JANSJÖ LED work lamp - black - IKEA These units (and many ikea lighting products) have really cheap switches that fail in a short time, but this one is cord mount and easily replaced.
Weatherstrip, weatherstrip, weatherstrip.
Have a home energy audit with blower door test.
Cutting Air infiltration in a home is the best payback of any investment.
Use water in the shower only to get wet and to rinse - turn off otherwise.
Wash only full loads of laundry and dry them on a clothesline when possible.
Use a laptop for a home computer, most are optimized for low power consumption. Better yet, use a computer at a library
Compact fluorescent lights are still more efficient than LED's on a watts per lumen basis, but LED's still have their uses. I use a 3W LED fixture (IKEA Jansjo) at my computer desk and it lights up a several square foot area quite sufficiently to work by. JANSJÖ LED work lamp - black - IKEA These units (and many ikea lighting products) have really cheap switches that fail in a short time, but this one is cord mount and easily replaced.
Interesting as our electricity is done provincially so the cost varies. Here in BC we pay 6.8 cents per kW/h for the first 675 per month and then 10.2 cents per kW/h beyond that.
What is it you pay?
I like a house that breathes a little. All those examples of how to save a little money here and there, along with all the cleaners, disinfectants and sterilizers have given us a generation of sick and allergenic kids.
Energy savings have a dark side too.
Hi Ron, I'm not sure I understand what you mean.
As Cal said, that's a bad example: in a microwave, the efficiency from the wall outlet to target is 30 to 50%.
I have an ultra efficient electric kettle, accepting as little as 0.15l (a small cup) and as much as 1.8l, and the contents of cup is brought to boiling point in less than 30s, with very little heat lost in the surroundings.
Install a fireplace (or maybe it's called stove?).
We have a big one at home downstairs and we make a fire in it every evening and keep it running for a couple of hours. It then stays warm for more than 24 hours and warms the entire bottom floor of the house.
We also have a heat pump which is good when it's warmer than -20c (if it's colder it's better to leave it off). Make sure the house is well insulated and at least double glass windows (preferably triple-glass windows).
Even if it's -30c outside it is generally warm enough inside to walk without socks and with only shorts and tshirt on.
We have a big one at home downstairs and we make a fire in it every evening and keep it running for a couple of hours. It then stays warm for more than 24 hours and warms the entire bottom floor of the house.
We also have a heat pump which is good when it's warmer than -20c (if it's colder it's better to leave it off). Make sure the house is well insulated and at least double glass windows (preferably triple-glass windows).
Even if it's -30c outside it is generally warm enough inside to walk without socks and with only shorts and tshirt on.
Here in the US we have lot of natural gas heat and hot water. Or even oil in some places. Burning these for energy requires some minimum air flow. Tho can be through specific vents, but usually is accomplished by leakage. Often the total vent area required is up to a 1/2 meter square. Whoa to the house that buttons up too tight.
as a engineer I despise "feel good" gestures, innumeracy
http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-useit helps to know the landscape, dimensions of the probelm, see what is really driving use, inefficiency
which means cars - anyone commuting 10s of miles daily needn't look at home energy consumption - they need to move closer to work - or "own" their lifestyle decision energy cost - and address the bigest first
http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-useit helps to know the landscape, dimensions of the probelm, see what is really driving use, inefficiency
which means cars - anyone commuting 10s of miles daily needn't look at home energy consumption - they need to move closer to work - or "own" their lifestyle decision energy cost - and address the bigest first
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The most common kettle sold here is a 2400 watt unit that takes as a minimum 0.5 litres of water.
This is what I use: (When I have visitors) Its a 1650 watt unit from the dark ages, the cord has been replaced.
I've just been putting my cup of water in the microwave (Panasonic NN-S235WF) for 1-2 minutes not only because its more efficient than the modern 0.5 litre minimum kettle but also because its easier than filling, pouring, mixing, stirring, going to the fridge to get milk, then going back and topping up.
Which takes 2-3 minutes just for the modern kettle to boil.... an eternity! and 4 minutes for the ancient 1650 watt one to boil, makes more time for conversation you see.. (hence the use during visitors)
With me its just a simple matter of mixing powdered milk compound, with coffee powder, and sugar if i need it, then putting the kitchen tap onto the cup, taking out the spoon and putting the cup in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
And if you think it stays chunky think again, the water will mix extremely well with the compounds and produce an amazingly smooth cup, better infact than hot water from the kettle can do, I think the microwave energy rehydrates the powder somehow as it is being mixed with the water.
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Heat pumps, on demand water heater systems, wrapping hot water lines and your tank with designated thermal wrap are some current ideas.
Replace your windows with modern ones, big! difference in loss.
There some really interesting things happening in combined power & heat units (CHP).
ElectroMotion Energy
Cogeneration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Combined heat and power systems explained
Replace your windows with modern ones, big! difference in loss.
There some really interesting things happening in combined power & heat units (CHP).
ElectroMotion Energy
Cogeneration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Combined heat and power systems explained
Inverter microwaves are nice and efficient, but I like the reliability of an old transformer based unit.
However in saying that, considering that the only other way for me to cook dinner is with an electric oven that takes 30 minutes to pre-heat and 30-60 minutes to cook dinner, I love my microwave.
You should be informed that I've edited the OP to include your helpful advice, and given you credit.
That would be something to recommend to people that I know. People who cannot live with a microwave for boiling hot water.
Every fiber of my microwaves being has been designed to efficiently boil water, so why not use it? I'm a single person, its faster than filling a kettle to 0.15L just to make a single cup, and I'm more than happy with the techology which requires almost no supervision aside from pressing 3 buttons and walking away for 1-2 minutes.
Infact I'm going to go make another cup now.
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They do indeed. Like LED Lighting
I'm holding onto flourescent for as long as possible.
I always open up the house every time I wake up, and turn a fan on, without doing that I would need an air conditioner just so I could stay sane and not get heatstroke.
This contributes considerably to my power bill however during 6 months out of the year it is an apsolute necessity to have forced airflow going through your house here in this part of Australia as a bare minimum.
Quite a few australians use air conditioners infact, every single house from here up and down 50km along the coastline has one, with a few exceptions that get the sea breeze.
However this isn't going to continue for much longer I don't think, there will be a breaking point when the air conditioner never gets turned on again.
It got so hot where I used to live that I had it on 24/7 for 3 months, this isn't some small unit either, this is a windowed 2.5 HP unit, my power bill at the end of that 3 months was $700 AUD.
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Let's say you have a house that is drafty - very cold when windy - if you can reduce the infiltration you can save a lot of energy. While there is certainly a price to pay for a house that is "too tight" or one that doesn't manage moisture properly, older houses (such as my 1959 ranch) often can reduce their energy bill more cost effectively with weatherstripping than with insulation.
The payback on adding insulation in my attic is decades,where the payback on making my windows tighter is more easily measured in months.
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