I was out a few days in January. I'm right on the 4kWh line. Or maybe slightly below, so I voted 3-4.cool chart. I couldn't understand it at first since the y axis is not readily apparent as to quantity, but then I got it.
cool chart. I couldn't understand it at first since the y axis is not readily apparent as to quantity, but then I got it.Yea I should have said that the Y axis was 0-20 kwh. It's easy for me to know what it means since I wrote the program. ;D
cool chart. I couldn't understand it at first since the y axis is not readily apparent as to quantity, but then I got it.Yea I should have said that the Y axis was 0-20 kwh. It's easy for me to know what it means since I wrote the program. ;D
The only big consumers I would have had left were the refrigerator, cable box, and the furnace blower. Dropping the cable box would have dropped 0.65 kwh. Everything else would be pretty small.
Just wondering, why leave the cable box on?
Just wondering, why leave the cable box on?
The cable box is also a DVR, I had some TV shows that I wanted to record while I was out. I think there is an awful lot of power wasted in cable boxes all across the nation. The power in mine doesn't drop at all when it's turned "off".
Also had to leave the furnace on low too to keep the pipes from freezing.
I think it might be useful to create a list of devices that seem to stand out as being particularly clear candidates for needing improved efficiency:
initial nominations:
- some cable boxes
- always-on crankcase heater approach to HVAC systems
- cordless phones
- [edit to add] garage door motors and related, standing waiting to receive a signal. Not sure how much this uses.
I think it might be useful to create a list of devices that seem to stand out as being particularly clear candidates for needing improved efficiency:
initial nominations:
- some cable boxes
- always-on crankcase heater approach to HVAC systems
- cordless phones
- [edit to add] garage door motors and related, standing waiting to receive a signal. Not sure how much this uses.
I think my refrigerator defrosts itself more often than it needs to and there is no way to control that.
Interesting about the fridge, I started a separate thread for nominations and put your name on the two you had mentioned, but I'll take your name off if that's not to your liking.
Freezer, 3 Refrigerators, Home Server, Pool are my big ones.DVR can be another. Even when it appears to be off, it may actually be on waiting to record.
but lots of phantom loads ~250W.Frankly, I think phantom loads are overrated. Typical is 1-2W. I doubt if you have 100 devices plugged in all the time.
DVR can be another. Even when it appears to be off, it may actually be on waiting to record.
fridges freezer, water circulating pump, Cable boxes (3),....Yes, it does, but I'll bet the stuff I highlighted is half, if not more, of your idle power.
Everyone sucks some juice and it adds up.
fridges freezer, water circulating pump, Cable boxes (3),....Yes, it does, but I'll bet the stuff I highlighted is half, if not more, of your idle power.
Everyone sucks some juice and it adds up.
Better question, what DO you do to get under 6KW/day while gone? Do you guys turn off breakers? My stuff is off when I'm away, but lots of phantom loads ~250W.
Better question, what DO you do to get under 6KW/day while gone? Do you guys turn off breakers? My stuff is off when I'm away, but lots of phantom loads ~250W.Hi TheBackRoads:
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what do I do to get under 6 kW/day when gone?
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I had posted a list of measures in a previous message, and I'll paste some of it here:
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I answered in the .5 to 1 as that's what I see each day at setback, so from 8am to around 2pm and midnight to 5:30am. For a vacation it would be harder to vote as things like outdoor temp and if the heater/AC are going to kick on are an important contributor. And as noted above water heaters. So I think the better question is what is the smallest level that can be sustained for some time period usage(several hours). (...)
You might want to read what I have done with load shedding over in the developers section
http://www.theenergydetectiveforums.com/index.php/topic,3397.0.html
While the object of my code is to maximise my battery storage and eliminate non renewable power
It would work equally as well to reducing the loads while on holidays
Cheers
34by151
I run about 400 to 500 watts just for my in-house server farm, add in appliances (fridge, freezer, DVR, etc) and my daily average usage when not at home is double that. I'm not really concerned about tracking down the small loads, more interested in looking for unexpected large loads and trend over time.I retired one server and replaced the full-size Dell with a small XeonD server and solid state drives. Now I'm down to about 300W for the server farm, including the power drawn by the PoE switch (feeds cameras, etc so they don't need their own wall wart).
I have a 35 year old SubZero built in refrigerator/freezer that uses 8 to 10 kWh per day by itself. So why don't I replace it with a energy efficient model? Hahahaha That would cost me $15,000.....so if I could save 80% on energy that would be 8 kWh per day or $1.00/day since my power cost $.125 per kWh. Thus it would take me 41.1 years to save that $15k.It is nice to be able to quantify energy calculations, instead of just guessing.
That SubZero will run another 35 years with just a few grand in parts.....so I'll just be an energy dinosaur.
For what it's worth, a few added comments from my end as to what I've been up to on energy at my house, since starting this poll:I run about 400 to 500 watts just for my in-house server farm, add in appliances (fridge, freezer, DVR, etc) and my daily average usage when not at home is double that. I'm not really concerned about tracking down the small loads, more interested in looking for unexpected large loads and trend over time.I retired one server and replaced the full-size Dell with a small XeonD server and solid state drives. Now I'm down to about 300W for the server farm, including the power drawn by the PoE switch (feeds cameras, etc so they don't need their own wall wart).
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- got a used Plug-in Hybrid Chevy Volt. How many kWh extra per day does it add to my home use? I have no good idea, I can't get the Ted5000 to work on that panel.If your wild guess is close, it sounds pretty good. At least at the rates we have around here. What amp breaker do you need to plug that into?
Wild guess @ average 15 electric miles per day = about 5 kWh per day added to home use. When away traveling, this is not the case though, the vehicle is either at the airport or driving with me.
- got a used Plug-in Hybrid Chevy Volt. How many kWh extra per day does it add to my home use? I have no good idea, I can't get the Ted5000 to work on that panel.If your wild guess is close, it sounds pretty good. At least at the rates we have around here. What amp breaker do you need to plug that into?
Wild guess @ average 15 electric miles per day = about 5 kWh per day added to home use. When away traveling, this is not the case though, the vehicle is either at the airport or driving with me.
A few years ago, I had a 7.2 kW J1772 Level 2 charge station installed. At 240 Volts, in theory this would be 30 amps. However, with the Leaf and the Volts that I've had, neither one would accept higher than about 3.3 kW, so they were not drawing that much juice.Yep, that answers my question. So you your case you're less than 15 amps, that's not bad at all. Less than I expected.
[edit: not 100% sure this answers the question, but at least clarifying: it is 240 Volts, not 120.... also, installing the 240 Volt equipment in my garage kind of forced the issue, along with my solar system, battery system and everything else, so an entirely new panel in my garage from when I moved into the house.]
A few years ago, I had a 7.2 kW J1772 Level 2 charge station installed. At 240 Volts, in theory this would be 30 amps. However, with the Leaf and the Volts that I've had, neither one would accept higher than about 3.3 kW, so they were not drawing that much juice.Yep, that answers my question. So you your case you're less than 15 amps, that's not bad at all. Less than I expected.
[edit: not 100% sure this answers the question, but at least clarifying: it is 240 Volts, not 120.... also, installing the 240 Volt equipment in my garage kind of forced the issue, along with my solar system, battery system and everything else, so an entirely new panel in my garage from when I moved into the house.]