[Pc_Support] Reducing Electricity Costs

[Patrick]

On Tuesday 07 February 2006 15:01, Damien McKenna wrote:
> > Anyone know just how much waste is created from these 'always-on'
> > appliances?
>
> Check the manuals of the items you're concerned with, I think they're
> required to state it.
My 17" LCD monitor uses 40 watts when on, 20 watts on standby, 0 watts when we 
turn it off.  We notice very little warm up time... have two

My 17"CRT monitor uses 400 watts when on, and 40 watts in standby mode, 0 
watts when off. Have 5.  $89.95 each, vs. $300 for the LCDs.  Upgrading will 
take a while on my budget.  Fortunately, I have two KVM switches, so, many 
monitors are spares.

My computers that have "350" to "400" watt psu's actually burn that, but, I 
have to run a dozen UPS's, which also use about 400 watts, each.  So, my 4 KW 
of stuff that is on is a necessary cost of my computer endeavor/hobby.

Now then, let's talk parasitic devices.  Those wall-warts that charge cell 
phones, run toys, charge batteries, power switch-hubs, all suck 5 to 60 
watts, all the time, just by being plugged in!

Add them up.  Then, put them all on switched outlets, and turn off when not in 
actual use.

Fans?  Fans cool people, not rooms.  A ceiling fan can run 300-400 watts per 
hour.  If you leave the room turn it off!

Check out your Water Heater.  Is the temp on both heating elements set to 120 
degrees?  In the past ten years or so, most water heaters are set to about 
120 degrees, from the factory.

I installed a $40 timer clock, (in homes that I own!) and set my heater for 
two heating cycles each day, as the water stays hot for up to about 8 hours, 
and the heating cycles should be on for about 2 to 3 hours. REMEMBER! Only 
Crazy Patrick plays with Electircity! If you don't know what you are doing, 
then you need to hire a licensed electrician to install the clock, as it 
switches 250 Volts AC!!  That is LETHAL voltage, if you get 'bit'!  And, be 
safe and disable circuits, before working!

The Dishwasher has a HOT water heater internally.  It really uses some KW.
We don't run any special loads that do it.  Normal cycle, and, we have a water 
softener that uses Osmosis (salt process).  

Everytime I buy a home, I install some energy saving items, and the clock is 
one.  Another is to change all the light bulbs on porches to the flourescent 
tube type that burn 10 watts, instead of 60 watts, or more.

There are some energy management programs that your computer can use, to run 
the X10 light and appliance outlets/switches in your home.  At $5 to $10 per 
remote, with a cost of about $40 for the base unit, you can have remote 
control of many devices in your home.  http://www.x10ideas.com/
http://www.x10.com/techtoysab2.htm   
http://www.x10.com/activehomepro/activehome-pro.html?44cddac65a757a6e43e91398

There are also some Open Source versions, free for download.  
http://www.kevinboone.com/home-automation.html


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