Curbing Your Consumption:
Appliance Comparison
By John Ford
The biggest challenge consumers face in their quest for savings on the
electricity bill is knowing where to start. Until you measure the
consumption of each appliance and see how it compares to others, you
will be unable to look at the big picture. This month we'll give some
examples that you can use to see where to start. It may even pique
your curiosity and motivate you into borrowing a meter and drawing
your own big picture.
Appliance
|
Watts (On)
|
Watts
(Off)
|
Hours/Day
|
kWh/Month
|
Cost/Month
|
Television
|
75
|
5
|
4
|
12
|
$1.30
|
Big Screen TV
|
600
|
12
|
4
|
80
|
$8.57
|
LCD TV 20”
|
35
|
5
|
4
|
7
|
$0.78
|
Fridge (old)
|
300
|
(averaged)
|
24
|
219
|
$23.37
|
Fridge (new)
|
50
|
(averaged)
|
24
|
37
|
$3.89
|
Lamp CF
|
13
|
0
|
6
|
2
|
$0.25
|
Lamp Incand.
|
60
|
0
|
6
|
11
|
$1.17
|
Toaster
|
1500
|
0
|
12 min
|
9
|
$0.97
|
Kettle
|
1800
|
0
|
21 min
|
19
|
$2.04
|
Xbox
|
300
|
10
|
2
|
25
|
$2.60
|
Heater
|
1500
|
0
|
8
|
91
|
$9.74
|
LED Xmas Lights
|
1
|
0
|
24
|
0.7
|
$0.08
|
Xmas Lights
|
150
|
0
|
24
|
110
|
$11.68
|
Halogen x4
|
200
|
0
|
6
|
55
|
$5.84
|
CF x2
|
46
|
0
|
6
|
8
|
$0.90
|
Furnace
|
550
|
5
|
8
|
136
|
$14.54
|
Air Conditioner
|
5000
|
5
|
8
|
1219
|
$130.07
|
Computer
|
120
|
15
|
6
|
30
|
$3.21
|
Porch Light
|
100
|
0
|
12
|
37
|
$3.89
|
Porch Light CF
|
23
|
0
|
12
|
8
|
$0.90
|
Water Heater
|
3000
|
0
|
6
|
548
|
$58.41
|
The values for the table have been picked to try and show some typical
numbers, but they may not represent your home. Note the difference
between the old and new fridge. Is it cost effective to replace it?
Lighting is not necessarily a significant portion of the bill, and is
even less so when compact fluorescent bulbs are used. Compare the four
50 watt halogen lamps with the two 23 watt CF bulbs for equivalent
lighting. You can see that traditional Christmas lights should be put
on a timer, but that LED lights use so little, a timer would add to
their consumption. Air Conditioning can dwarf most other consumption.
Heating water varies with the number of users, and can also be one of
the largest energy hogs.
John Ford is a technology consultant, owner of a small energy
conservation business, and the Energy Advocate for the Green Party of
Ontario.