How to find out how much energy you use
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Posted On :
Jun-20-2009
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Article Word Count :
405
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If you want to know how much electricity a device uses, simply turn everything else in your house off, leave the device in question to run, and, take two meter readings exactly a minute apart. This will tell you how many units of electricity it uses in a minute of operation, which you can then use to calculate its energy usage over longer periods from a day to a year.
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If you want to know how much electricity a device uses, simply turn everything else in your house off, leave the device in question to run, and, take two meter readings exactly a minute apart. This will tell you how many units of electricity it uses in a minute of operation, which you can then use to calculate its energy usage over longer periods from a day to a year.
However, this is far from practical for a number of obvious reasons, not least the fact that your freezer would start defrosting and you would probably have to wander about in the dark while you did it.
It is far easier, and simpler, just to look at the label on your appliance, as nearly everything that can be plugged into the wall has one of these, sometime printed or inscribed directly onto the body of the appliance itself. You can usually find it near where the power cable enters the appliance, or on the body of the AC/DC adaptor.
Although the label may only tell you how many amps a device uses in normal operation, this figure can be used to work out the power rating simply by multiplying it by the mains voltage.
If you are using a DC powered device that requires an external transformer, then you need to multiply the number of amps by the stated DC voltage, rather than the mains voltage, so if it says INPUT 10V, 2A for instance, then the power rating will be ten volts multiplied by two amps, which works out as being twenty watts.
Usually, appliances are designed to be able to work within a set range of voltages, to compensate for differing electrical supply conditions. So an appliance that is set up to work with a 240 volt supply can actually accept any mains voltage from 220 to 240 Volts.
However, if you are calculating power usage, then always use the highest rating in this range for your sums, as it is better to over-estimate the power demands of an appliance than under-estimating them, from a safety and economy perspective.
Some devices can work within a huge range of voltages, such as between 100 and 240 Volts, so that it can be used in any country. For your calculations, however, you should just use the standard voltage for your country, which is 240 in the UK.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_How to find out how much energy you use _1255.aspx
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Author Resource :
Make sure you get the right electricity supply with British Gas, the UK's cheapest electricity supplier on average.
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Keywords :
electricity, electricity supplier, gas electric,
Category :
Home and Family
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Home and Family
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