When The Money Heat's On . . .

[Godders]

Hope I don't sound like an old meanie, but with the pound on the floor I am trying to claw a bit back by making simple energy savings. My (Thai) wife and I generally sleep with the aircon at 26 degrees. I wear nowt and she wears a flimsy nightie (mmmm!). Our kids, however, insist on having their temperature at 25 degrees, though their room is noticeably cooler than ours at all times as it is at the back of the house and gets less sun. My wife says asking them to do what we do is unecessary as a reduction of 1 degree celsius is not going to make any difference to our electricity bills. Is she right? I can't seem to find anything out there to tell me. But I know you guys have an answer for just about everything.

[bkkjames]

With a difference in temp of 4 or so percent?(I aint no mathematics man) between 26 and 25 degrees, would that not mean your aircon must run that much longer to achieve the difference?

Whatever the percent it works out, surely it uses that much more energy to achieve it.

I run my aircon for 30 mins in the bedroom at sleepy time with a fan going. I never seem to need to run it any longer. Never wake up hot.

Guess I am just toooo cooool - naturally

[carmine]

I am totally lost for words

[chiang mai]

Maybe take a look at some of the UK energy savings sites for ideas, there's a bunch of really good stuff out there - simple things like switching appliances off at the plug/mains overnight rather than leave on standby reduces consumption by 10%, using energy saving light bulbs saves a huge amount, and so on.

[learningcurve]

I watched a programme the other day that stated that TV sets when left on 'standby' will on average use 25% power, in a few cases it was reported that certain TV sets use as much power when on standby as when switched on for watching. Eye opening really.

[longstebe]

Try looking at your other expenses.

This is my first month in writing things down. It's surprising.

[William Osborne]

Why don't you just put a fan in the kids room.... problem sorted

Edited February 24, 2010 by William Osborne

[Benjie]

I watched a programme the other day that stated that TV sets when left on 'standby' will on average use 25% power, in a few cases it was reported that certain TV sets use as much power when on standby as when switched on for watching. Eye opening really.

Sounds highly unlikely.

To the OP are you using fans as well, I used to have the A/c on at 24, now I have it on 26 with a fan and it feels the same but the electric bills have come down a little.

[JetsetBkk]

Field surveys in office buildings of Thailand concluded that standby energy consumed 53 per cent of the power consumed by personal computers (PCs), and more than 90 per cent of that consumed by copiers, printers and fax machines.

http://www.unescap.org/esd/energy/publicat...andby-power.htm

[czGLoRy]

1 degree might save you as much as six to eight baht in a month. A fan is a good substitute, can turn the air off if you have a fan running rather than a controlled 26. Fwiw humans sleep better in colder environments. Writing expenses down and seeing where you could make cuts is a good idea. 1 degree won't chnage anything really.

[Benjie]

I thought it was something like 10% reduction in electric cost for each degree you had it higher, If an Air Con is costing you say 2000 baht at 24 degrees, I'd expect it to cost a few hundred less at 26 degrees.

[saintofsilence]

maybe try turning the lights off a bit earlier or reduce the rice portions

[BigWheelMan]

AIRCON! Luxury, lad.

Sounds like your kids are spoilt and given their own way most of the time.

I insist that my family use a fan to cool the air.

Have told them that they may do and use whatever suits them, providing they pay. Strange because after that they all agreed that my way is the best option.

Edited February 25, 2010 by BigWheelMan

[theoldgit]

Why don't you just put a fan in the kids room.... problem sorted

Or just hide the remote.

[GarryP]

My family doesn't use aircon. It's not a matter of money, we just prefer fans. But then we do not suffer in the heat like some do.

[neverdie]

I read an article about Air con cooling that suggested that every degree fahrenheight cooler is about 3% saving. So just roughly converted to celcius that would mean each degree warmer is about a 6% saving in electricity, so on a 2000 baht air con bill you would save about 120 baht.

Probably more importantly, you might want to make sure the Aircon filters are clean & the things are serviced regularly with the outdoor compressor unit being cleaned, ie: you might have to spend a little to save.

26 is too cold. Also normally when you set the things at 26, if you run a true temp guage in the room you will find it cooler in the direct path of the air con unit.

I set mine at 28, but its normally at least a couple of degrees cooler over near the bed where the air con vents are aimed.

[Travel2003]

Interesting thread.

I think OP should look into other ways to reduce costs.

To buy an extra fan and then let it run all night on electricity, will maybe make you save (get back) the investment within a year or so.

By making life less comfortable is not always the best way.

What about food bills, fuel costs, how often one buy new mobile phone, clothes, trips, luxury items, etc.

The list of what to cut is probably endless.

[theoldgit]

Probably more importantly, you might want to make sure the Aircon filters are clean & the things are serviced regularly with the outdoor compressor unit being cleaned, ie: you might have to spend a little to save.

Long time no speak.

So how much does it cost to get one of those things, properly, serviced?

I go to bed with a cold water bottle.

Edited February 25, 2010 by theoldgit

[neverdie]

^Howdee TOG,

Well not much, Ive been told as little as 200 baht, but that was from a neighbour air con man.

You could probably do it yourself if you knew what you were suppose to do, i believe they just use water to wash out the fins and check for leaks, i dunno, after the first time i have it done i will let you know.

I had the toilet sucked dry a few months ago, after the septic overflowed with <deleted>, i can tell you all about that best 600 baht ive ever spent

Edited February 25, 2010 by neverdie

[theoldgit]

^^

Sucked dry for 600 Baht, a bargain indeed.

[neverdie]

^^

Sucked dry for 600 Baht, a bargain indeed.

^ Yes, I thought it was a bargin because about 10 minutes after the crapper overflowed, this truck just magically appeared in the soi and the father in law went out and bargined the price down before joining them around at the septic where he made sure they sucked out every last GROGAN, before he hosed down the septic and they then sucked that away too.

Typically, I stayed well clear of the operation....

[Donnyboy]

^^

Sucked dry for 600 Baht, a bargain indeed.

^ Yes, I thought it was a bargin because about 10 minutes after the crapper overflowed, this truck just magically appeared in the soi and the father in law went out and bargined the price down before joining them around at the septic where he made sure they sucked out every last GROGAN, before he hosed down the septic and they then sucked that away too.

Typically, I stayed well clear of the operation....

there you go, talking <deleted> again

[NADTATIDA1]

600 BT to get your septic cleaned out now compare that to getting your own personal shitter cleand out(colonic)pound for pound amazing value!

On topic i have never felt the need for air-con and do not enjoy the nasally and morning sniffles you tend to get!

Some like it hot...now that is cool!