Should Cooker Isolator switch always be left ON??

2011

DublinDilbert wrote: »

Yep, until smart maters come in :-)

Are smart meters going to charge domestic customers a rate for poor power factor ??

Even if this is the case appliances such as the one you describe (with a larger capacitive than inductive component) will improve power factor (albeit marginally).

Bruthal

2011 wrote: »

....and the customer is charged for units which means they pay for kilowatt hours rather than KVA hours (which in practice is always the lesser of the two).

Items such as heating elements would have KVAh practically = KWh though. But obviously the KW wont ever be higher than the KVA.

2011 wrote: »

Are smart meters going to charge domestic customers a rate for poor power factor ??

Even if this is the case appliances such as the one you describe (with a larger capacitive than inductive component) will improve power factor (albeit marginally).

The correctional value of that item would be practically nothing in reality. The capacitors are likely to be after rectifier circuit diodes anyway so would have no effect then.

M cebee

i normally switch off appliances as a fire safety measure


not as much of an issue with cookers but still

2011

robbie7730 wrote: »

The correctional value of that item would be practically nothing in reality.

+1

That is why I said......

will improve power factor (albeit marginally).

2011

M cebee wrote: »

i normally switch off appliances as a fire safety measure

In case of cookers (and many other appliances) I would not agree. I think Robbie made a very good point:

Any ovens i seen need their clock reset every time its switched on, and while this does not matter to many, it would indicate the ovens are designed to be left on

Whereas items such computers are designed to "remember" the time and date when unplugged should not be left switched on.

A very experienced and well extremely qualified electrical engineer I know would agree 100% with you on this. My point is if you are going to switch off/power down appliances like that, where does it end??
Should you then switch off/unplug:

1) The boiler
2) Sky box
3) Alarm panel
4) Microwave
5) Washing machine
6) Distribution board

It simply is not practical. Increased wear on contacts from frequent unplugging or switching off may be more lightly to cause a fire IMHO.

There are strong arguments both ways.
Each to their own I guess.

paddy147

robbie7730 wrote: »

The predictable answer there:pac:. If you saved 45 cent a month shopping with them, would it be worth it?:D




This thread is about ovens though. Any ovens i seen need their clock reset every time its switched on, and while this does not matter to many, it would indicate the ovens are designed to be left on. The isolator is then needed to isolate the appliance to allow safe maintenance etc.

Id say 2011 is right as well, i did real actual tests of an oven or 2, and i was surprised they were using between 3 and 4 watts(17ma load), and its likely newer or different ovens use a fair bit less for their clocks.

Maybe the 17ma is a fair bit out of phase 2011, and so its not registering on the meter:D:D. Or there was a bit of earth leakage..... I would of thought the same as yourself about using practically nothing, and this is likely the case on most ovens. Get your ameter out there and test, i put the probes of the meter into each terminal of the cooker MCB then switched MCB off the last time i did it.

Every little helps,no matter how big or small a saving.

2011

paddy147 wrote: »

Every little helps,no matter how big or small a saving.

True, but perhaps the real saving is to be made from not frequently switching off/unplugging as this can wear out sockets and isolators far quicker ?

Replacement of these items may cost far more than the units saved.

Bruthal

paddy147 wrote: »

Every little helps,no matter how big or small a saving.

Is it for a saving you do it, or compulsion/habit? Do you switch the shower one off as well? There will probably always be an arguement for and against anyway.

stimpson

The surges when you switch your appliances on may shorten the life of the appliance, nevermind the switch. I'm all for saving a few bob but it may be a false economy.

I do take the point about having small children though.

2011

stimpson wrote: »

I do take the point about having small children though.

+1

Yes, that I would agree with.
There are lots of things that I do differently when there are small children around, such as keeping tools out of reach.

.G.

2011 wrote: »

+1

Yes, that I would agree with.
There are lots of things that I do differently when there are small children around, such as keeping tools out of reach.

I routinely leave my tools handily lying around in the hope that my 6 year old or my 1.5 year old might do some of the jobs the missus keeps harping on about:D

stimpson

superg wrote: »

I routinely leave my tools handily lying around in the hope that my 6 year old or my 1.5 year old might do some of the jobs the missus keeps harping on about:D

You're not trying hard enough:

.G.

Persistence pays off:D

stimpson

Does he do nixers?

.G.

Yeah but he ain't cheap,he has a Ben 10 addiction to feed

The actually the 6 year old when he was 2,he's quite the pro now:D