Greenhouse electricity used question
 

Have a nice new electrical greenhouse heater. Its set to automatically
start and stop with temperature.
So as to calculate power use and hence cost of greenhouse heating anyone
know of a good inexpensive system of recording the duration the heater was
actually on?
Thanks

"Jodie" wrote in message
...
Have a nice new electrical greenhouse heater. Its set to automatically
start and stop with temperature.
So as to calculate power use and hence cost of greenhouse heating anyone
know of a good inexpensive system of recording the duration the heater was
actually on?

Connect a cheap electric clock in paralell with the heater, then all
you have to do is read the time!

--
alan

reply to alan(dot)holmes27(at)virgin(dot)net

Thanks

"Jodie" wrote in message
...
Have a nice new electrical greenhouse heater. Its set to automatically
start and stop with temperature.
So as to calculate power use and hence cost of greenhouse heating anyone
know of a good inexpensive system of recording the duration the heater was
actually on?
Thanks


is this a 'hobby' or 'business'?

"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

"Jodie" wrote in message
...
Have a nice new electrical greenhouse heater. Its set to automatically
start and stop with temperature.
So as to calculate power use and hence cost of greenhouse heating anyone
know of a good inexpensive system of recording the duration the heater
was actually on?

Connect a cheap electric clock in paralell with the heater, then all
you have to do is read the time!


But the clock won't be switched on and off by the thermostat if it's built
in to the heater.

At 10p per kw/h, a 1.5 kw heater (like mine) would cost about £3.60 if it
ran for 24 hours. It actually only runs to keep it just frost free which is
maybe 10 nights a year (? just a guess) and then it wouldn't run non-stop.
So I reckon about £15 a year maximum. Even if it's double that it would
probably cost more to find out.

If you're keeping it hot for orchids all year time then it might cost
significantly more...

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm

Alan Holmes wrote:
"Jodie" wrote in message
...
Have a nice new electrical greenhouse heater. Its set to
automatically start and stop with temperature.
So as to calculate power use and hence cost of greenhouse heating
anyone know of a good inexpensive system of recording the duration
the heater was actually on?

Connect a cheap electric clock in paralell with the heater, then
all
you have to do is read the time!

Or a slightly more expensive electric clock which doesn't mislead you
by starting at 0 every twelve or twenty-four hours! Might be cheaper
to get a meter and wire it in.

Mike.

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 15:14:25 -0000, "Jodie" wrote:

Have a nice new electrical greenhouse heater. Its set to automatically
start and stop with temperature.
So as to calculate power use and hence cost of greenhouse heating anyone
know of a good inexpensive system of recording the duration the heater was
actually on?
Thanks

The meter in your cupboard? Do you really need it so precise? Why not
just compare your next electricity bill with the one for the
corresponding period last year?
If you're serious about energy saving, forget the built in thermostat
and get a proper one. Google Two Wests & Elliot for suitable ones.

=================================================

Rod

Weed my email address to reply.
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

"Mike" wrote in message
...
"Jodie" wrote in message
...
Have a nice new electrical greenhouse heater. Its set to automatically
start and stop with temperature.
So as to calculate power use and hence cost of greenhouse heating anyone
know of a good inexpensive system of recording the duration the heater
was
actually on?
Thanks


is this a 'hobby' or 'business'?
---------------
hobby..cactus

"Rod" wrote in message
...

The meter in your cupboard? Do you really need it so precise?

and if this is so important. Get a cheaper hobby, you cannot afford to keep
cactus

"Mike" wrote in message
...
"Rod" wrote in message
...

The meter in your cupboard? Do you really need it so precise?

and if this is so important. Get a cheaper hobby, you cannot afford to
keep
cactus
----
Ah, most helpful

"Martin Sykes" wrote in message
...
"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

"Jodie" wrote in message
...
Have a nice new electrical greenhouse heater. Its set to automatically
start and stop with temperature.
So as to calculate power use and hence cost of greenhouse heating anyone
know of a good inexpensive system of recording the duration the heater
was actually on?

Connect a cheap electric clock in paralell with the heater, then all
you have to do is read the time!


But the clock won't be switched on and off by the thermostat if it's built
in to the heater.

At 10p per kw/h, a 1.5 kw heater (like mine) would cost about £3.60 if it
ran for 24 hours. It actually only runs to keep it just frost free which
is maybe 10 nights a year (? just a guess) and then it wouldn't run
non-stop. So I reckon about £15 a year maximum. Even if it's double that
it would probably cost more to find out.

If you're keeping it hot for orchids all year time then it might cost
significantly more...
---------------
Ok, fair comment...infact with power costs cheaper and its only a 1kw
heater...even with extended hours run...I can only get it up to about
£20...so will bother no further. Thanks.

I am not sure whether or not I am replying to a windup post but, just in
case it is serious, I feel bound to say:

Jodie is merely trying to find a way of determining how often his
thermostatically controlled electric greenhouse heater is activated,
which is a very sensible thing to do. It has nothing to do with having
a cheaper hobby or not being able to afford to keep cactus.

I feel sure that there is a gadget on the market which will help you
Jodie and tomorrow I intend speaking to some electrical companies to see
if I can obtain some useful information.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.





"Mike" wrote in message
...
"Rod" wrote in message
...

The meter in your cupboard? Do you really need it so precise?

and if this is so important. Get a cheaper hobby, you cannot afford to
keep
cactus

Jodie

What you need is an 'hours run timer', try this one from CPC
http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...=MC00826&N=401
price £7.49.

(If the link doesn't work it's part No. MC00826 at cpc.co.uk)

I have one of these fitted across the heater (not the fan) to show the
number of hours the heating has been on.

regards
Chris

"Jodie" wrote in message
...

"Mike" wrote in message
...
"Rod" wrote in message
...

The meter in your cupboard? Do you really need it so precise?

and if this is so important. Get a cheaper hobby, you cannot afford to
keep
cactus
----
Ah, most helpful

Thanks v.much Emrys...no, its not a wind up...and thanks for offering to
look for additional info.
You will see that Chris has provided a good lead also for an hours run
timer.
Cheers,
Jodie
---------

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
I am not sure whether or not I am replying to a windup post but, just in
case it is serious, I feel bound to say:

Jodie is merely trying to find a way of determining how often his
thermostatically controlled electric greenhouse heater is activated,
which is a very sensible thing to do. It has nothing to do with having
a cheaper hobby or not being able to afford to keep cactus.

I feel sure that there is a gadget on the market which will help you
Jodie and tomorrow I intend speaking to some electrical companies to see
if I can obtain some useful information.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.





"Mike" wrote in message
...
"Rod" wrote in message
...

The meter in your cupboard? Do you really need it so precise?

and if this is so important. Get a cheaper hobby, you cannot afford to
keep
cactus

Jodie wrote:

"Mike" wrote in message
...

"Rod" wrote in message
. ..

The meter in your cupboard? Do you really need it so precise?

and if this is so important. Get a cheaper hobby, you cannot afford to
keep
cactus

----
Ah, most helpful

There are devices out there that will measure what you want. They are
sometimes called watt-hour meters. Most are expensive, but I know a
cactophile with a taste for gadgets who has one (RS do one for ~£160).
This is about what I expect to spend heating my greenhouse for a year so
not surpringly I don't own one...

I am sure I have seen a cheaper one rated to about 3kW but can't recall
where at the moment. A quick and dirty rule of thumb is that the cost to
maintain the temperature an extra 5C above ambient roughly doubles.

If you ask around cacti and orchid growers you will doubtless find an
answer. The latter have even more expensive tastes in plants and climate
control so tend to have more sophisticated automation.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Jodie wrote:
Have a nice new electrical greenhouse heater. Its set to
automatically start and stop with temperature.
So as to calculate power use and hence cost of greenhouse heating
anyone know of a good inexpensive system of recording the duration
the heater was actually on?
Thanks

Could you not use a cheap paraffin heater for a few days (to keep the cacti
happy in the meantime), measure each days power usage on your meter for
normal usage, then plug your new electric heater in, monitor the power each
day for the same period as without electric heating then take two averages,
without electric heatng and with electric heating ?


Richard.