Saving electricity ( and money ) - please share your thoughts and ideas :)

[Cuddles]

When I first moved into my flat I thought that it would be really cool to have indoor solar powered lights. Well that didn´t work out because I didn´t know how to build one but I got thinking about it again today.

There are already solar powered light out there but they´re usually designed for garden paths and similar. However, the ones you put up by your front door or garage are also solar powered these days. AND they´re affordable.
So I´ve been thinking , instead of buying LED bulbs for my existing ceiling lights, I could buy one or two of those. They´re not all that pricey and some of them offer a very bright light.
The only thing I need to remember is to put them by the window during the day so they can recharge.

I know that it sounds like a mad idea but I think it could work. Any thoughts?

 

[944s2]

Sorry cuddles,,
don’t know about solars,,
I was gonna suggest candles in the evening ,,,
my wife loves them especially the scented ones bearing in mind I smoke some real stinkers that very quickly overpower the candles imo but She’s ok with that apart from Dogshit Haze ,,only variety she’s ever really complained about ,,,,s2

 

[GMT]

Candles are expensive, ESP the scented ones. Swap your bulbs with lower watt bulbs, though to be honest, your cooker, TV, washing machine etc. all use so much power, that bulbs are the least of your problems.

 

[Cuddles]

Sorry cuddles,,
don’t know about solars,,
I was gonna suggest candles in the evening ,,,
my wife loves them especially the scented ones bearing in mind I smoke some real stinkers that very quickly overpower the candles imo but She’s ok with that apart from Dogshit Haze ,,only variety she’s ever really complained about ,,,,s2

candles, lol. They create a nice and cozy atmosphere, that´s true. But I need light to work In other words, i need bright lights so I can see what I´m doing

dogshit haze, huh - gotta remember this one

 

[944s2]

candles, lol. They create a nice and cozy atmosphere, that´s true. But I need light to work In other words, i need bright lights so I can see what I´m doing

dogshit haze, huh - gotta remember this one

Trust me Cuddles,,,you would never forget the Dogshit at week 9 ,,,
It’s vile but cures up lovely,
my wife don’t smoke cannabis and only the Dogshit made her say “ enough”

 

[Cuddles]

Trust me Cuddles,,,you would never forget the Dogshit at week 9 ,,,
It’s vile but cures up lovely,
my wife don’t smoke cannabis and only the Dogshit made her say “ enough”

lmao, wow, it must be seriously bad then

 

[St. Phatty]

Use an immersion heater in the bathtub. Un-plug the hot water heater.

Saves $30+ a month - at the cheapest electricity rates.

Also, grow pot in your living space. Though that does take some coordination re lighting cycles.

 

[Cvh]

Something like this? A kit costs 30€ in my country.

Waterdichte Solar LED Hanglamp-Buitenlamp Tuinverlichting op... | bol

Waterdichte Solar LED Hanglamp-Buitenlamp Tuinverlichting op Zonneenergie-IP44-Timing-Functie-Voor Tuin/Wand/Oprit-met Afstandsbediening. Hoge...

www.bol.com

 

[Cuddles]

Use an immersion heater in the bathtub. Un-plug the hot water heater.

Saves $30+ a month - at the cheapest electricity rates.

Also, grow pot in your living space. Though that does take some coordination re lighting cycles.

I don´t think I can unplug the one in the bathroom, but I switch it off when I don´t need it. I also started to turn off the hot water boiler in the kitchen. I only turn them up when I actually need hot water.

 

[Cuddles]

I´mm gonna go out and buy one of those extension leads which you can switch on and off, for TV. It ´s always on stand by and uses up energy this way. So far it´s plugged into the wall socket but it´s difficult to get the plug in and out because there´s a shelf in front of it.
It´s not gonna look that nice but saving $$ is a main priority now

 

[Cuddles]

Something like this? A kit costs 30€ in my country.

View attachment 18760721

Waterdichte Solar LED Hanglamp-Buitenlamp Tuinverlichting op... | bol

Waterdichte Solar LED Hanglamp-Buitenlamp Tuinverlichting op Zonneenergie-IP44-Timing-Functie-Voor Tuin/Wand/Oprit-met Afstandsbediening. Hoge...

www.bol.com

looks nice.
The ones I have in mind don´t have a cable but one of them has a remote control too and 3 different types of light settings. it´s 1200w for 14 EUR each.

 

[St. Phatty]

I don´t think I can unplug the one in the bathroom, but I switch it off when I don´t need it. I also started to turn off the hot water boiler in the kitchen. I only turn them up when I actually need hot water.

It heats the rooms around the hot water heater.

That's not terrible in the winter, if you have electric heat, because you're going to be using the electricity anyway.

In the summer, it adds more cost to the Air conditioning than the extra $30 for heating the hot water heater. i.e. in the summer, if you use AC, you will spend $40 or more for the electricity, that goes towards cooling, to offset the EXTRA $30 that goes towards heating the hot water heater and the space around it.

Because the AC is far from 100% efficient.

Though it is hard to get the exact number.

air conditioner efficiency - Google Search

 

[Cuddles]

btw I´m wondering if you can use those COB leds ( that´s the solar leds I´m considering) for growing too?
sounds like a daft question to most but I´ve never grown with LEDs so...

 

[Mitsuharu]

cooker, TV, washing machine etc. all use so much power, that bulbs are the least of your problems.

Well said, LEDs are already so much more efficient, there are a lot more 'problems' in your household if you want to save energy.

Some examples: I'm using more tablet and smartphone than laptop and big screen in the evening for media consumption. Less music by HiFi, more by mobile speakers or headphones. Cooking no more everyday. Washing dishes with cold water...

 

[titoon29]

Those LEDs comes with solar panels in the 1W range. With optimal inclination, always in the sun during the day, you ll be lucky to generate about 1kWh of energy a year. That s a 30 cts saving on electricity a year, a little more or less depending on your state.
I agree with @Mitsuharu, LEDs are the least of your problem when it comes to cost of energy in a house. I live in an offgrid house

 

[St. Phatty]

btw I´m wondering if you can use those COB leds ( that´s the solar leds I´m considering) for growing too?
sounds like a daft question to most but I´ve never grown with LEDs so...

I made a panel with Screw in Lights and used a mix of Warm (3700K) and Cool (5000K) LED bulbs.

Worked pretty good and it was cheap. Bought the sockets for about $1 each.

 

[Gypsy Nirvana]

Hey Cuddles - was looking at the Go Outdoors site - and saw this electric gilet - like wearing your own tailor made electric blanket - must go and try one on -

Regatta Men's Volter Loft Gilet | GO Outdoors

Outstanding cold weather protection; the Regatta Men's Volter Loft Gilet is an ultra-cosy padded bodywarmer with heat technology.

www.gooutdoors.co.uk

 

[Cuddles]

Well said, LEDs are already so much more efficient, there are a lot more 'problems' in your household if you want to save energy.

Some examples: I'm using more tablet and smartphone than laptop and big screen in the evening for media consumption. Less music by HiFi, more by mobile speakers or headphones. Cooking no more everyday. Washing dishes with cold water...

lol, but I don´t have led bulbs yet except for my bathroom and those solar powered ones cost just a bit more I guess. So I´m thinking: why not go all the way?
they´re intended for outdoor use but I see no reason why you can´t use them indoors too.
And like I said, you just gotta remember to put them by the window during the day. Will be a pain the *** that´s all ...

 

[Cuddles]

Hey Cuddles - was looking at the Go Outdoors site - and saw this electric gilet - like wearing your own tailor made electric blanket - must go and try one on -

Regatta Men's Volter Loft Gilet | GO Outdoors

Outstanding cold weather protection; the Regatta Men's Volter Loft Gilet is an ultra-cosy padded bodywarmer with heat technology.

www.gooutdoors.co.uk

what a clever idea ! do they also do t-shirts ? just imagine- a t-shirt which keeps you warm all through winter

 

[Mitsuharu]

but I don´t have led bulbs yet

But they don't cost a lot. A few weeks ago i got these osrams in a big supermarket here for just 1€. Maybe not the best in efficiency but for 1€ more than ok and bright enough for nearly every room. Also suitable for a micro-grow.