Power Saving

[Dggrr]

I'm wondering what people are doing to minimise the electric bills for a satellite hobby in these expensive times.

(Mods please move if there is a better place for this.)

So far I have:

1. Moved my home file share from a Linux desktop to a 4TB USB drive on the SF8008 Enigma2 box. The SF8008 is an Arm processor and much lower powered than the desktop. This lets me suspend the Linux box (60W+) a lot of the time, it was on permanently before.

2. Trained myself to leave the VirginMedia box in standby (~65W ==> 1W) and use the living room Android TV's Freeview and streaming from the SF8008 whenever possible - a good strategy at least while the World Cup is on DVB-T.

3. Replaced the last few non-LED light bulbs - a few of the early, stubby fluorescent "low powered" bulbs now binned, about 50% saving with modern LEDs.

4. Trying to use a Fire HD10 rather than the desktop whenever possible.

Not much saving really, when compared to an electric oven!

I'd like to to replace the ageing desktop but have got used to building Gentoo upgrades every day - 2 or 3 hours compilation for each minor GTK release

Other targets are the cable modem and (separate) wifi router - both on 24/7.

It's not that I am broke, but I do hate subsidising the distorted energy market.

 

[jeallen01]

Put simple clockwork timeswitches (I get mine from CPC - around £4 each when the order is large enough to get free P&P) on the plugs for various items so those are only ON as/when required (I don't use electronic ones because they are more expensive and still un-repairable when they fail/internal battery dies)

More ideas to follow!

 

[Channel Hopper]

I retire to bed at least an hour earlier than usual so the telly isn't on quite so long.

And the woodstove has a convenient space for a kettle on top.

 

[jeallen01]

Put simple clockwork timeswitches (I get mine from CPC - around £4 each when the order is large enough to get free P&P) on the plugs for various items so those are only ON as/when required (I don't use electronic ones because they are more expensive and still un-repairable when they fail/internal battery dies)

More ideas to follow!

Check the settings in any any NAS etc., boxes for ON/Standby times settings & set if possible, or else fit them & any attached USB etc. attached storage drive boxes with timers as above - My Synology boxes are set like that and the attached USB storage boxes have timers where possible.

Get your house/flat insulated - ours is and is pretty toasty without getting gas bills that are "too high" - in fact our gas bills are no higher than our electricity bills because we have a lot of electrically powered stuff apart from the main oven!

 

[Lazarus]

I harness the hot air from SWMBO.

 

[iandoh]

Absolutely nothing. Wish they'd stop enabling power saving modes by default.

 

[Channel Hopper]

I have a petrol generator here for when things get bad, and three fully charged up UPS devices for when things really go pear shaped.

I have insulation material for the ceilings upstairs but I need to take two days off work to put it in place. I'm sorely tempted cutting the rolls into square sections as I am useless at wallpapering.

 

[Terryl]

Unplug or use a switched power strip (one without a lighted switch) for the little stuff like cell phone chargers, and things like that, spare bedroom alarm clocks can be unplugged, and anything that uses a remote like a second TV could be put on a switched power strip if not used daily.

The little stuff adds up, when you turn something off with a remote it is still on waiting for the on command from the remote, the power usage may be very low but it all adds up.

I use a "Kill-o-watt" meter from this company, see if you can find one that will work for your location, it will tell you how many kilowatt hours that device is using.

http://www.p3international.com/products/energy-savers.html

 

[Channel Hopper]

Remember this ?

FREE Energy Saving Plug

Every mainland UK household (sadly, NI's excluded) can grab a totally free LIME energy saving plug worth £20, a water widget and flush bag. How to grab the kit Just enter the code 'FLUSH' on Free Green Gadgets before Mon 6 Dec 2010. The kit'll be delivered within 28 days. There is no P&P to...

www.satellites.co.uk

I was given a few of these some years ago

Enviroplug - The mobile phone charger that shuts off power when fully charged!

Enviroplug mobile phone energy saving adapter

web.archive.org

 

[william-1]

Check that your TV's are Energy Efficiency Class: A' both of mine are

Most that I have seen recently for sale are Energy Efficiency Class: G

 

[Lazarus]

Check that your TV's are Energy Efficiency Class: A' both of mine are

Most that I have seen recently for sale are Energy Efficiency Class: G

Same with Washing Machines etc.


It isn't because they are all suddenly far less efficient, but that the grading system has changed (EU ......... !)

 

[Channel Hopper]

Check that your TV's are Energy Efficiency Class: A' both of mine are

Most that I have seen recently for sale are Energy Efficiency Class: G

Once Black Friday is over there should be a respite before the Christmas, January/New Year bonanzas.

 

[Analoguesat]

Remember this ?

FREE Energy Saving Plug

Every mainland UK household (sadly, NI's excluded) can grab a totally free LIME energy saving plug worth £20, a water widget and flush bag. How to grab the kit Just enter the code 'FLUSH' on Free Green Gadgets before Mon 6 Dec 2010. The kit'll be delivered within 28 days. There is no P&P to...

www.satellites.co.uk

I was given a few of these some years ago

Enviroplug - The mobile phone charger that shuts off power when fully charged!

Enviroplug mobile phone energy saving adapter

web.archive.org

Those lime plugs were a great idea ruined by dreadful build quality - I had 2 & neither of them lasted much more than a year.

 

[Lazarus]

Those lime plugs were a great idea ruined by dreadful build quality - I had 2 & neither of them lasted much more than a year.

Mine is still going strong!

 

[jeallen01]

Check the settings in any any NAS etc., boxes for ON/Standby times settings & set if possible, or else fit them & any attached USB etc. attached storage drive boxes with timers as above - My Synology boxes are set like that and the attached USB storage boxes have timers where possible.

The above actually prompted me to add timers to the plugs that feed the cable modem, router, office NAS, etc. - they now automatically come ON at around 8am and go OFF at around 11.30pm (and that saves me having to go into our "office" and manually switch them ON/OFF, which is a blessing in itself as, in the last 3 months, I've become pretty severely disabled due to back injuries and can't walk - more like stagger! - very far at all)

 

[Analoguesat]

Ive turned my sstv laptop off & will only switch it back on for occasional events & maybe once ot twice over the xmas holidays to have a look for the signals from the sstv cubesats again. Ive left the Dell minibook running the aircraft tracking running for the time being.