How to reduce your electricity bill & help save the planet (and your pocket!)

[Redfish]

Having your water heater on all day really impacts on the amount of power that is consumed unnecessarily. I wish to have one of those solar panel water heater solutions when I get my house some day to not have to deal with that crap.....

If I'm not mistaken sound/speakers suck a bit of juice (forgot to mention I recently got a Z-5500) but I use my headphones all the time to listen to music or while gaming.

It would still  be interesting to see what appliance really is sucking the most power though, so Wyatt get crackin when you get use meter thingy  lol

[Netizen1]

ok, so I spoke to a T&TEC friend of mine, he says they can come check someone's meter, but if nothing's wrong, then they charge you for basically wasting their time... however, if it is a suspect meter, you'll be in for some compensation from the utility.

I'll ask the guy some more questions about saving on the light bill when I see him tomorrow.

That being said... alot of the power vampires are listed in this very thread...

• Water Heater
• Clothes Dryer
• Air Conditioning

Basically, anything with a heating element draws an inordinate amount of power. So yes, you can save a bundle by switching to ... by switching those heater types off when no one's using them, or by simply line drying the laundry.

My wife and I area also keen on calling those solar heater people whose ads/flyers are all over the newspapers these days.



Oh and one more thing, just walk around the house, take note of the power rating (W) on your stuff and add it up, you'll see where those vamps are in no time!

[shivanandrs]

wow...so i'm the only one who pays a $2000+ bill? Only last 2 months managed to bring it under the $2k figure... :/

[W1nTry]

wow...so i'm the only one who pays a $2000+ bill? Only last 2 months managed to bring it under the $2k figure... :/

You running a ice factory oh what?

[madmunkie]

^^WTMC... I haven't been following this thread so forgive me if i outta timing... but is that $2k elec bill residential as in for one household?? If so that is thru da ROOF!... if its not residential forgive my outta timingness, lol.

[madmunkie]

wow...so i'm the only one who pays a $2000+ bill? Only last 2 months managed to bring it under the $2k figure... :/

You running a ice factory oh what?

either that or ur neighbour theifin yuh current... check quick !!

[VirtueTT]

wow...so i'm the only one who pays a $2000+ bill? Only last 2 months managed to bring it under the $2k figure... :/

LOL shiv. After u tell me where u living, i didnt think they even bothered to check if ppl using electricity or not lol! I joke... But yea.. wda u does be doing so in that house?

[shivanandrs]

It's residential. It fluctuated just over 2K for about 6 months. After changing all three AC units and connection to the house the bill dropped to 1.8K at the end of Feb. Nothing else was changed, the water heater is almost always off, the dryer is propane so thats not an issue.

The bill i paid this evening was just over $1300. I'm not 100% sure that the AC units were the cause of this drastic drop over the last two months but i'm not complaining.
The only think i can think about is the three bulbs that i destroyed while playing  Kinect Sports. I haven't changed them yet, just spaced the others out so the blown and lighting ones look like a pattern. :/ lol
Oh, and i unplugged an unused UPS...

Total KWh consumption this billing 3,302, such a nice figure after so long. The hunt continues

[Notnice]

It's residential. It fluctuated just over 2K for about 6 months. After changing all three AC units and connection to the house the bill dropped to 1.8K at the end of Feb. Nothing else was changed, the water heater is almost always off, the dryer is propane so thats not an issue.

The bill i paid this evening was just over $1300. I'm not 100% sure that the AC units were the cause of this drastic drop over the last two months but i'm not complaining.
The only think i can think about is the three bulbs that i destroyed while playing  Kinect Sports. I haven't changed them yet, just spaced the others out so the blown and lighting ones look like a pattern. :/ lol
Oh, and i unplugged an unused UPS...

Total KWh consumption this billing 3,302, such a nice figure after so long. The hunt continues

what A/C u have before and what u have now because i feel my a/c's is pulling to much power.

Our bill does be around 2k to 2.2k because the amount of power tools we use to make stuff + 2 a/c's that runs alot almost whole day.

[Snowtiger]

Yall read my mind with this exercise yes... I now got a bill there for $600, the 3 bills before that were $200 avg. New type meter since last year, so wondering wtf really going on..
Prev bill showing a consumption of 232, new bill showing 1566.
So, some changes are being made..
Almost all my lights are the "bright white" compact fluorescents, which I hate with a burning passion. I really need to find where selling the "soft white" compacts.
One gaming PC w/ 28" flatscreen monitor/ big speakers, was always on, now turning off whenever I not using it.
One cable modem
One Wireless router
One up/down freezer fridge, not much I can do about this..
One up/down washer/dryer...I have been doing a lot more small loads of laundry throughout the week. Need to do bigger loads/only dry when I have a full load.
Microwave, used maybe 5-10 mins a day.
20 gal water heater. I would have to run a plug up onto my kitchen counter to be able to turn this off, (which aint happening), I'm thinking about turning it down a bit.
2 ceiling fans, one always on during the day, the other always on at night. Now going to be left off unless it's farking hot.
4 blackberry/blue ant chargers, these are going on a power strip and turning off when not in use.
One 1600 BTU aircon. I seriously can't sleep without this, I'm compromising and leaving it off until I am about to pass out at night and switching it off as I roll out of bed in the morning.
One old ass JVC stereo. I know this uses current like a hog with all its blinking lights when it's on "standby", it too is going on a power strip and turning off when not in use.
Apart from this, I'm turning off lights when leaving the room etc etc... I hope this works!

[W1nTry]

check the Home Store in Barataria (seen by Brydens on the east/west highway). They had the soft white last time I went.

[Notnice]

^^Where it is u living that u need a/c on in d night?

A fan and an open window is all i need yes.

Could be like me i live in a box without windows

[Snowtiger]

^^Where it is u living that u need a/c on in d night?

A fan and an open window is all i need yes.

Right on the main road in Maraval..plenty road noise !!

W1nTry - Thanks man, I going to pass tomm and get some..

[shivanandrs]

what A/C u have before and what u have now because i feel my a/c's is pulling to much power.

Our bill does be around 2k to 2.2k because the amount of power tools we use to make stuff + 2 a/c's that runs alot almost whole day.

Yeah i did a good bit of welding in Feb, thats most likely why there was not much difference back then.

We had this Chinese (i think) brand 'Chunlan'. They worked really well for the last 8 yrs. I guess because of the age they lost efficiency. All 3 units still work but the metal frame and panels are badly corroded.

[Mez]

LOL i suspect I would kill allyuh with what we have running all day.
We have 4 Ac's 3 of which on most all the time
1 water heater, 2 pumps (1 to pump the water from the road to the house)
6 Chest Freezers,
2 Fullsize Chillers
2 laptops
3 tvs
3 fans
washing machine and dryer running like an ethiopian
I dont think we've had a light bill less than $2000 in 20 years

[TriniXaeno]

WTF

hoss, I'd expect your bill to be like $5000

[TriniXaeno]

A bit stunned by this latest development in the smart meter space.

Google is shutting down their PowerMeter service.

More details here:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20074160-54/google-axes-powermeter-a-bad-sign-for-others/

[AnnWai]

Wait... did you say cable boxes are electricity vampires? ...cuz our own is on 24/7 ...can't remember the last time it was actually turned off.

Also... I cannot sleep in complete darkness so the bathroom light filters enough light into my room. The only other light that stays on at night is the balcony light.

All lights are off during the day. Lights are only on if someone is in the room.

I have 2 tanks in my room, so the pumps run 24/7.

The TV is on often.

I rarely use the computer, if at all...
Brother uses computer often.

Cell Phones are always charging.

No A/Cs

I think our bill fluctuates between 1000 - 1500 (Gotta check, not sure lol).

[TriniXaeno]

ouch, I feel the pumps are the primary culprit in that scenario.

Ours just creep-ed up to $1800+ despite my efforts to cut down.

Gonna require some more hard core measures.

like bathing with cold water, lol

[TriniXaeno]

hahaha, just rub it in why don't ya.