550kw in two weeks - too much?

Toots · 17-09-2019 7:02pm #1

I hope I've posted this in the right place, I wanted to see if the electricity use seems very high. We just moved into a new build and we read the meter on 26th of August and it was 1037, then on 10th of September it was 1586. Does that seem quite high? We lived in an apartment before, and wouldn't have used anything like that.

The house is a 2 bed bungalow, about 80sq m and A3 rated. It has one of those air to water heating systems. 2 adults and 2 kids living here, and we would be out of the house until about 3pm most days, then when we are home it would be just normal usage ie watching TV, washing machine every second day, then oven and or hob for the dinner.

Would this be a normal amount or does it seem on the high side?

listermint · 17-09-2019 7:04pm

Genuinely ask your neighbors. Had similar stories when friends moved into brand new estate. Neighbours had a WhatsApp group set up for introductions. All had similar stories with ESB bills from air to water.

Adjustment in thinking needed.

Toots · 17-09-2019 7:59pm

I'll have to get added to the whatsapp group! I'm not sure would they be comparable to me because their houses are all 5 bed 3 floors, I'm the first of the bungalows to be moved in, the others aren't finished yet.

Are the air to water systems not as energy efficient as they claim to be?

coylemj · 17-09-2019 8:38pm

You have consumed 549 units in 15 days which equates to a constant (24x7) consumption of 1.53 kW. Seems a bit high and by my reckoning would result in a monthly bill of over €200.

John.G · 17-09-2019 9:47pm

Toots wrote: »

I hope I've posted this in the right place, I wanted to see if the electricity use seems very high. We just moved into a new build and we read the meter on 26th of August and it was 1037, then on 10th of September it was 1586. Does that seem quite high? We lived in an apartment before, and wouldn't have used anything like that.

The house is a 2 bed bungalow, about 80sq m and A3 rated. It has one of those air to water heating systems. 2 adults and 2 kids living here, and we would be out of the house until about 3pm most days, then when we are home it would be just normal usage ie watching TV, washing machine every second day, then oven and or hob for the dinner.

Would this be a normal amount or does it seem on the high side?

You averaged 36.6 Kwh/day which is extremely high IMO, 10 to 15 kwh/day would be more the norm. You wouldn't have required much space heating during this period but your A2water system may be used to supply the hot water as well but still should not remotely add up to this consumption except there is a fault with it or you are using a electric immersion to supply all your hot water needs. This immersion is sometimes included in the A2water so would advise getting this checked out ASAP.

Toots · 18-09-2019 7:17am

The a2w system supplies the hot water as well. We haven't had the radiators on since we moved in because the house is boiling, but whenever we turn on a hot tap we have hot water, and it never seems to run out (like I could fill a bath and then go in and do the dishes and there would still be loads of hot water)

We just got our bill and it's €283 for 50 days, electricity only. In our old place we paid about €100 per month for electricity and gas so it's significantly higher, and we had the heating on a lot in our old place because it was freezing.

John.G · 18-09-2019 8:44am

Well either your hot water consumption is extremely high or the efficiency of the A2W heat pump is very low say 1.0; the same as a electric immersion.
If one takes a average hot water consumption of 60 Litres/person/day @ 40C then the daily elect consumption if producing this water from a electric immersion is 4*60*(40-10)/860, 8.4 kwh/day, this should still only bring your consumption to a max of ~ 23/24 kwh/day and IF the A2W heat pump is working normally and produces this water at a COP ("efficiency") of ~ 2.5 then your hot water heating requirement should be met by ~ 8.4/2.5, say 3.4 kwh/day.

Some heat pumps display the kwh consumed so have a look and it will tell you a lot.

Also, if the hot water is produced by the A2W heat pump, it is usually at a temp of 40/45C with occasional (weekly) boosting to 60C for legionella protection, this increases the COP of the heat pump.

Toots · 18-09-2019 2:21pm

I wouldn't say our hot water consumption is that high at all - 2 short showers per day, then every second day it would be 3 showers, plus one sink full of hot water a day for washing dishes.

I'll have to have a look and see if it's showing the kWh consumed. I'm almost afraid to touch it, it's the most complicated looking thing! Also we're renting the house so that adds to my fear of fiddling with it in case I damage it

John.G · 18-09-2019 2:35pm

You might post any info from the heat pump itself that you can easily see, make/model etc.

Toots · 18-09-2019 10:37pm

John.G wrote: »

You might post any info from the heat pump itself that you can easily see, make/model etc.

I've taken a picture of the info panel on the unit that is outside the house, and also of the control panel on the tank/cylinder thing. If the info isn't showing up clearly I can get more tomorrow during daylight.

Toots · 18-09-2019 10:39pm

The make is Samsung and the model number is AE050JXYDEH, just in case the image is a bit unclear.

awec · 18-09-2019 10:41pm

Does the house have an electric immersion as well as the heat pump, and it's possibly on by accident?

ted1 · 18-09-2019 10:42pm

How new is the house ?

Toots · 18-09-2019 11:23pm

There's only the big cylinder with the heat pump controls on it. Would an immersion be separate?

The house was only completed in May, we're the first people to live in it.

John.G · 19-09-2019 6:55am

The only meaningful suggestion I have right now is to switch it off completely for a full 24 hour period and check youe electricity consumption.

Can you move this thread to renewable energies/heat pumps and I'm sure someone there may be able to comment/assist.
Overall I would suggest that either your landlord or yourself get someone in from "Samsung" to give it the once over.

awec · 19-09-2019 11:13am

Toots wrote: »

There's only the big cylinder with the heat pump controls on it. Would an immersion be separate?

The house was only completed in May, we're the first people to live in it.

It would probably be attached to the cylinder, and there'd be a switch for it somewhere.

550kw in two weeks - too much?

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