Essential standby equipment, energy use and solutions

[ProDave]

2 hours ago, Radian said:

Ah, the older HD boxes were a bit power hungry. Do you ever run into problems with scheduling recordings?

It's a strange one. It has no subscription and is essentially being used as a freesat box.  There are some reasons I persist in keeping this (I do have a Humax freesat box waiting in reserve).

 

It only misses recordings when the box crashes. The software (or hardware?) on this particular model was somewhat flakey, and being an obsolete box is not getting any software updates.

[Radian]

3 minutes ago, ProDave said:

It only misses recordings when the box crashes. The software (or hardware?) on this particular model was somewhat flakey, and being an obsolete box is not getting any software updates.

Probably got a Maxtor SATA drive past its 'best before'.

[ProDave]

4 minutes ago, Radian said:

Probably got a Maxtor SATA drive past its 'best before'.

It is a SATA HDD, but not the original, I forget what make. But it is a good few years old.  But it still plods on.

[DevonKim]

This is a really interesting thread.  I'm still at the design stage of my house, and I am wondering what "quick wins" there might be to help reduce that base power load.  One example that I was thinking of was a master off-switch for my office, so when I leave it at night I effectively switch everything off at the plug.  

 

What are the other things that you would design in if you had a chance?  

[Pocster]

6 minutes ago, DevonKim said:

What are the other things that you would design in if you had a chance?  

Turning SWMBO off 

[DevonKim]

I'm the SWMBO in my house 🙂 

[SteamyTea]

13 minutes ago, DevonKim said:

I am wondering what "quick wins" there might be to help reduce that base power load. 

There aren't any really.

I think the rise of home automation is going to be an energy problem for many.

Really just comes down to sensible engineering.

Take a fridge, the ones that have lower annual energy usage have better insulation, not better compressor.

A smaller oven will have a smaller surface area, not a better heating element.

So just go for good thermal engineering i.e. more insulation and better airtightness, a simple heating system, avoid too many gadgets that need to be on stand by all the time and get a washing line.

If you want to switch a light on an off, use a wall switch that cuts the mains, not one that cuts the DC supply to the actual light.

 

Edited November 19, 2022 by SteamyTea

[Pocster]

4 minutes ago, DevonKim said:

I'm the SWMBO in my house 🙂 

Sorry ! Re phrase “ Turn off my SWMBO “ - what’s the male equivalent of SWMBO ? ( going to Google that now ! ) 

[SteamyTea]

Just now, pocster said:

what’s the male equivalent of SWMBO ? ( going to Google that now ! ) 

Farting couch pig

[DevonKim]

5 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

There aren't any really.

I think the rise of home automation is going to be an energy problem for many.

Really just comes down to sensible engineering.

Take a fridge, the ones that have lower annual energy usage have better insulation, not better compressor.

A smaller oven will have a smaller surface area, not a better heating element.

So just go for good thermal engineering i.e. more insulation and better airtightness, a simple heating system, avoid too many gadgets that need to be on stand by all the time and get a washing line.

If you want to switch a light on an off, use a wall switch that cuts the mains, not one that cuts the DC supply to the actual light.

 

Yes... I'm not a great fan of home automation tbh, but I think there may be a couple of things that I have to do for planning permission.  

 

That's useful advice, but can I just ask about the switching issue - do you mean switch off the socket, rather than using the light switch, and if so, why? 

 

 

[DevonKim]

Sorry, another related question.  Anyone know how much heat an average sized male generates?  My partner seems to be as warm as a small plug in radiator, and I am wondering whether he would actually warm up a well-insulated room?  

Edited November 19, 2022 by DevonKim
added detail

[SteamyTea]

1 minute ago, DevonKim said:

That's useful advice, but can I just ask about the switching issue - do you mean switch off the socket, rather than using the light switch, and if so, why? 

Some LED lighting systems use a constant current device that converts the mains AC current to one suitable for LED lighting.  This can be switched either before the device i.e. on the AC side from a normal wall switch, or can be switched on the DC side, after the device.  If it is switched on the DC side, the voltage conditioner is always on and may be using a bit of power.

Why simple design is generally the most energy efficient.

 

[Pocster]

7 minutes ago, DevonKim said:

Anyone know how much heat an average sized male generates? 

Tricky ; especially on this forum . Most here are mentally average at best but obese in size . 

[SteamyTea]

2 minutes ago, pocster said:

Tricky ; especially on this forum . Most here are mentally average at best but obese in size . 

All giants to me.  I like being in the wherethefukarewe tribe.

Edited November 19, 2022 by SteamyTea

[Pocster]

3 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

All giants to me.  I like being in the wherethefukarewe tribe.

Small fry 

[ProDave]

3 hours ago, pocster said:

Sorry ! Re phrase “ Turn off my SWMBO “ - what’s the male equivalent of SWMBO ? ( going to Google that now ! ) 

HWMBO

[Radian]

2 hours ago, ProDave said:

HWMBO

Heavy Weight Man Body Odour?

[markocosic]

On 19/11/2022 at 15:44, pocster said:

Sorry ! Re phrase “ Turn off my SWMBO “ - what’s the male equivalent of SWMBO ? ( going to Google that now ! ) 

 

HWTHKE around these parts

 

(he who thinks he knows everything)

[markocosic]

On 19/11/2022 at 15:53, DevonKim said:

Sorry, another related question.  Anyone know how much heat an average sized male generates?  My partner seems to be as warm as a small plug in radiator, and I am wondering whether he would actually warm up a well-insulated room?  

 

50W per m2 on standby; 100W when powered up; 200W when working hard.

 

Average male.of the order 1.5-2m2

 

A small plug in radiator is about right. SWMBO says when I'm away the towel rail is needed to maintain the same indoor temperature.

 

At least that's how she claims it's maintained...

[joth]

On 19/11/2022 at 15:53, DevonKim said:

Sorry, another related question.  Anyone know how much heat an average sized male generates?  My partner seems to be as warm as a small plug in radiator, and I am wondering whether he would actually warm up a well-insulated room?  

About 100W when left on standby, give or take. 

Our bedroom does have an overnight overheating issue, and the only heat source is the two bodies in it.

Having cats means we keep the door closed, and a nearby trainline means we keep the window closed, and MVHR really doesn't move much heat around. I've installed a fan coil the actively cools the room in summer (cold water from the ASHP), and assists in passively cooling it in winter by circulating air from the hallway and guest bedroom (generally the coldest room in the house). 

 

I guess at the moment we're now providing about 4kWh from body heat, vs about 8kWh from electrical gadgets and 10kWh of active heating out of the ASHP, per day. So not an insignificant contribution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DevonKim]

Thanks folks, that's interesting confirmation that he really is contributing to the heating. 

 

I'm guessing for passivhaus that sort if thing becomes important. 

[jack]

1 hour ago, DevonKim said:

I'm guessing for passivhaus that sort if thing becomes important. 

 

Absolutely. 

 

Plus more people means more incidental heating, particularly from showers, but also things like PCs and other tech used by occupants.