Advice / experience needed....

[RdP]

Hi,

A new year; let's see how I can reduce my electricity bill.... We use 17.000 Kwh a year. That's a lot I know

I have three kids, all with computers, gaming console and LCD TV on their rooms, my own computers, a jacuzzi, airco etc....

My question is reduce power without getting rid of the equipment, because that's not gonna happen any time soon..

What I want to do is:
- Replace my HS server by a laptop. The equipement in the "Meterkast" including my HS server is more than 1.300 kwh a year. Using a laptop I think I can reduce this by 40-50 precent.

- The use of standby killer. I have 15 Plugwise plugs(and a number of marmitek modules), which I will use to switch of when they are in standby mode

- "Spaarlampen". This is obvious.... but has not much to do with home automation.

Please help me in finding out which other ways there are to reduce the power consumption.

Thanks,

Rien

[Alexander]

Rien,

Begin with checking what your devices are using with a meter: all of your devices! Then you need to check what don't have to be on all time time. Just make a calculation before you begin changing your usage with plugs. Don't use plugs on fi a charger for a mobile phone if you want to lower your usage.

[Jeroen Bartels]

Hi Rien,
Instead of a laptop I would go for a netbook or a Netbox (eeebox) for your HS server. Only 16 watts and more than enough for HS.
I think your jacuzi and the airco are the bad boys. The 9 TV's are never on at the same time right?
Is the jacuzi always heated? Maybe you can turn off the heat when not in use and only heat during the periods you are likely to use it. (Or maybe heat it with a solar boiler?)
Maybe some solar panels are a good idea as I'm sure your idle usage is more than my 200 watts.

Good luck and let us know the results of you battle.
There is A LOT to win..

I hope Enver (Tane) does not read this post because with 17.000 kwh he will be soooo disapointed

[Lempens]

I think you can better sell your jacuzi, or place a simple meter after it. So you can see how much power the jacuzi is using.

btw. Are the good meanigs for this year already broken ? posting ducht in a Hardware(english) topic.

[Alexander]

@Lempens: I'd moved this topic from Homeseer Plugwise plugin. So its not rdp fault, but please translate your start post rdp.

[Wim2008]

Als je plaats hebt op je dak, zou de zonnepanelen een goede dienst kunnen doen.
Hier in Nederland kun je ongeveer voor elke 100 watt zonnepaneel die je plaatst, ongeveer 80-90 Kwh per jaar terug krijgen.
100 W zonnepaneel kost ongeveer 300-500 Euro (met subsilie of zonder). Voor de subsilie van 2010 moet je wel snel zijn, want er zijn vele liefhebbers.
Levensduur is gemiddeld 20-30 jaar.
Dus dat is makkelijk rekenen als je die 17.000 Kwh wil reduceren.

Mvgr Wim [/size]

[TANE]

I agree with Alexander.
Start with measurement..If you don't know what the usage is you can't reduce it.
Plugwise is the best tool for this...you will need a bit more than 15

17000KWh is lot...of you pay +/- 3000 euro per year than this is correct.
If you can reduce it 50% what is still lot you have 1500 per year for replacement.
Start with new LCD TV's for the kids en new was machine and dryer.

[RdP]

The problem is that i cannot measure everything with plugwise... So plugwise is not ideal for total control

My Jacuzzi is on a separate power group, just like my electric cooking device and others. It's not possible to measure all separate power groups with plugwise and I have 14 off them. I can measure to total power I use with a RFXCOM pulse meter however...

/Rien

[RdP]

Als je plaats hebt op je dak, zou de zonnepanelen een goede dienst kunnen doen.
Hier in Nederland kun je ongeveer voor elke 100 watt zonnepaneel die je plaatst, ongeveer 80-90 Kwh per jaar terug krijgen.
100 W zonnepaneel kost ongeveer 300-500 Euro (met subsilie of zonder). Voor de subsilie van 2010 moet je wel snel zijn, want er zijn vele liefhebbers.
Levensduur is gemiddeld 20-30 jaar.
Dus dat is makkelijk rekenen als je die 17.000 Kwh wil reduceren.

Mvgr Wim

Hoi Wim,

Are these small letters also to reduce energy

Sounds good the solar panels do you have some more info about this ?

Thanks
Rien

[Esteban]

Mapping is a good idea.

A simple plug-in powermeter from i.e. Conrad (10-35eur) will do a good job as well, if all you want to do is hunt for big energy consumers. Fridge, dishwasher etc are other things you could consider upgrading. If your kids use desktops, switching those to laptops could also help if they use those a lot. Switch that PS3 out for a Megadrive or NES

Maybe you can substract what you've measured with plugwise from what you measure with the RFXpower to have an approx of the cooker and that other stuff?

[TANE]

Solar power is also on my list.

You will need lot of space if you like produce 17000KwH
50 solar panels will give you 4000KWH

I will maybe go for 10 this is +/- 850KWh costs around 5000 euro or rent 400 per year.

[Alexander]

@rdp: plugwise isn't a good solution to measure devices on a moment and go to the next device. To much effort/problems can occur (zigbee network etc). Just buy a simple meter, measure the output and substract from your rfxcom value. In the end you would only have the jacuzzi en cooker, but those devices you know how much they consume (kW label?).

[Tozz]

I think the options you are proposing will not solve your energy bill. Sure they will save some kWh's, but 17.000 kWh is alot and wont get alot lower with some energy savings lamps and a laptop instead of a normal PC (laptops arent that much more energy efficient). Besides that all my energy savings lamps died within 2 years and I went back to normal 'gloeilampen'.

As other people here are suggesting.. You should first get a clue what is using so much energy. But my guess would be the jazucci

[RdP]

First of all, I implemented Homeseer on a HP NC6220 notebook and now my "meterkast apparatuur" power usage has declined about 45 percent. See chart.... It's about 75 watt less, so for a 24 hour "on' device this is a rather good step in the right direction.

For the jacuzzi I ordered a Kwh meter on a rail with a led indicator, which I can measure with the RFXpulse device. So I can see what the Jacuzzi is using.....

So I'll keep you posted about the progress,

Rien

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[Rigolo]

I am in a similar situation (although not as high as 17MwH but 12MwH. I also would like to measure my powerusage per group. I have been looking at DIN rail s0 capable KwH meters and they do not look extreemly expensive to me. But with 14 groups, that would also mean 14 RFXpulse devices, 5 RFXmeters + 1 RFX receiver .. that would be almost 1000 Euro's (excluding the KwH meters)

So if the RFXMeter a viable option? or could I beter go for a 1-wire solluton using 2 counter 1-wire pulsecounters (7 pieces) and a H7ANet 1-wire controler?

How do other people monitor their powerusage per group? Most people here appear to prefere RFXmeters over 1-wire .. or is that incorrect?

I already have bought some Plugwise devices, but they are handy for easy longer term monitoring of certain devices. But getting your whole house wired up also breaks the bank and like already said before .. it does not work on devices that are directly hooked up (or are outside, like the equipment that powers my pond filter (and yes ... that is a big powerdrain .. I know)

Hein