Energy Matters Global and Domestic

[mickthemaverick]

Here's the one I've ordered Peter:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195242140467 ... 5008554951

[NewcastleFalcon]

the price rises haven't bitten them hard yet.

That thought comes to me every time I see an overlarge, overnew Motorhome, with a small overnew car being towed behind it and this time of year it's virtually every time I venture onto the A1 through Northumberland. I paraphrase your comment or something like it habitually on a sighting.

Regards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

Well I've had a very good dig into Legionaires Disease, what it is, where it comes from and what it can do to you and how to minimise the chances of an infection. So taking into account the various options I have decided the best way to minimise any risk is not to take it at all so hot pipe project is hereby abandoned!!

On to my next train of thought, watch this space!!

[Peter.N.]

Neil

Had thought of getting an oldish motor home for cheaper holidays.

Mick

Looks the part, wonder how it would stand up to our iron laden acidic well water?

Peter

[bobins]

On to my next train of thought, watch this space!!

Digging a 'Great Escape' style tunnel to the neighbours house so you can tap into their hot water supply ?

[NewcastleFalcon]

The Television...got ours gratis, it has its faults like a black albeit get-used-to-able shadow on part of the screen, and its a decent radiator when its been on a while. Suspect it consumes juice at an alarming rate.

May be time to partially or completely revive our TV ditching phase of May 2016. I think we continued until Christmas when I think the amazon firestick came as gentle reminder that the younger generation did like a bit of traditional TV over the holidays!

Following on from our hols in spite of the TV now being a feature of every room you ever stay in, television hasn't been watched then or since we got back, for the last 3-weeks and counting. Quite enjoying it really...I am getting nicely out of touch! So here's a reminder of the old white dot which used to appear on TV screens at the end of the evenings viewing just after the National Anthem! as my picture of the day

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Neil
Had thought of getting an oldish motor home for cheaper holidays.

Had a long chat with a couple today from Newbiggin who had a Citroen Romahome based on the C15. Both in their 80's Married 59 years and very very talkative. My contribution to the conversation was "do you like your motorhome looks in excellent condition" half an hour later I virtually knew their entire family history. Not a big space to heat, gas cooker, stove top kettle, little drive out, saves heating a big house

Regards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

On to my next train of thought, watch this space!!

Digging a 'Great Escape' style tunnel to the neighbours house so you can tap into their hot water supply ?

Now there's an idea, sadly I'd be frightened of hitting the subterranean cable which is currently getting power to their house from the lampost outside!!

[bobins]

Now there's a thought ! Buy up a load of battery banks and go out in the dead of night with a set of jump leads and an ac/dc converter and tap into the street lamps to top up the batteries. Just remember to disconnect it all before anyone gets up in the morning

[Peter.N.]

Yes, living in one rather than a house might be cost effective but as for holidays with extra tax and insurance and unless its a fairly recent one it likely wants a fortune spent on it. I gave up the caravan because of the extra fuel cost and site rent. We rented a cottage at Wick for £25.00 pounds a week for about 17 years, even went up twice some years, bit dearer than that now of course. Cottages are expensive to rent but at least our car does 60+ mpg so we can go where we like.

Most of the Motorhomes round here stand in the drive for about 50 weeks of the year which isn't exactly good value for money.

Hopefully if we ever recover from this madness and I'm still here the rentals might go back to a reasonable price.

Peter

[myglaren]

Well I've had a very good dig into Legionaires Disease, what it is, where it comes from and what it can do to you and how to minimise the chances of an infection. So taking into account the various options I have decided the best way to minimise any risk is not to take it at all so hot pipe project is hereby abandoned!!

On to my next train of thought, watch this space!!

Add a UV water purifier to kill those little Legionnaires.

[myglaren]

Electricity monitoring thingy



£200.

[Peter.N.]

Looks good but our smart meter combined with the clamp on ammeter on the solar cable into the consumer unit is very useful, the smart meter shows how much you are putting into the grid and if you check the ammeter that shows how much the panels are producing, the difference is what you are using. It also enabled me to find a fault I didn't know I had, it was showing about a Kw that we weren't using, turned out to be a cable insulation breakdown outside. Pleased I found that.

Peter

[NewcastleFalcon]

Ideas for amusing yourself on very cold days and you don't want to put the heating on.

Place one of these up your jumper having heated the appropriate quantity of water in your hob top kettle.


Regards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

If things got that bad I'd move to Spain and stay with Ken for the winter!!

SWMBO and I have had a very constructive discussion about our energy consumption economies and we came up with the following things we are prepared to amend in 'least impact' to 'most impact' on our way of life order:

Reduce the garden waterfall running time from 1 hour a day to 15 mins a day - necessary to circulate water through the UV filter --Already done!
Use the crank handle to wind out our patio awning - implemented!
Replace all the incandescent/halogen lamps with LED - on order
Adjust the outside security 'lights on' timers from 10 minutes to 2 minutes - implemented!
Remove the study large format monitor and just use the laptop screen - Implemented
Reduce our current 4 phone landline system to 2 phones - down to three now as a trial!
Reduce our weekly washing machine cycles from 4 at 40 degrees to 3 at 30 degrees - implemented!
Replace the electric kettle with hob kettle and flask system - on order
Only iron essential items - no more unnecessary sheets and towels etc (She wasn't keen on that one! )
Only use vacuum cleaner once a week, the rest use carpet sweeper and dustpan and brush - implemented!
Toaster to be taken out of service - we simply won't have toast!
Microwave use to be minimised - implemented!
All other kitchen labour saving devices have been put into storage - implemented!
Washing up to be in cold water whenever effective. - implemented!
Internet router and cable box to be off when not actually in use - hoping to avoid that
TV to be limited viewing time - hoping to avoid that
Washing and shaving to be in cold water - already is for me and not wanted by SWMBO!
Heating to be reduced temperature and time slots - hoping to avoid at all costs!!

Once we have been running like that for three months I will be able to assess the new usage against previous and adjust our monthly payments accordingly. I hope to end up with not too much of a rise as we are currently overpaying by £25 a month and have £428 in credit on the account !!