Making your home power
efficient
| A bimonthly consumption of 600-800 units is an optimum level for a
typical Indian middle class household and energy saving measures will
scale it down further. |
Studies indicate that households consume more than 40 percent
of the total energy generated. Most equipment and devices at home consume
energy. But rarely are we aware as to how much energy they consume and how it
can be reduced. An understanding of the main household energy guzzlers and how
they can be more energy-efficient is vital both in our interest as well as in
the interest of the environment.
All our equipments from lamps to heaters are marked by the
amount of energy they consume for very hour of usage. The electrical energy
consumed per hour by any appliance is specified in Watts (W). 1000 W is equal to
1 kilowatt (1 kW), which is nothing but one unit of consumption. The Electricity
Board charges us based on the units consumed.
In a summer month a normal household consumes on an average
about 526 units a month . In a winter month, the same household consumes about
282 units. A break-up of this shows that bulk of the consumption in summer is in
the usage of air-conditioners. It works out to about 53 per cent followed by
fans and refrigerators, which are about 11 per cent each. Television and lights
each consume about 8 per cent of the total energy. A 4-hour usage of computer
consumes another 4 per cent. It is evident that usage of the air-conditioner is
the main source of energy consumption. On a winter day, when no air-conditioner
is used, the fans consume the maximum energy and the refrigerator is the next
biggest consumer of energy at 18 per cent. Water heaters and TV each consume
about 17per cent energy and the lights at our household consume around 15 per
cent energy.
Obviously, the lower your electrical consumption, the lesser
is your electricity bill.
Saving energy at home is fairly simple; it just requires us
to adopt some of the guidelines indicated below:
Air
conditioners:
Use leak proof doors and windows and seal all openings in an
air-conditioned room to avoid leakage of cold air, thereby improving the
efficiency of the air conditioner. Regular cleaning of A.C filters (at least
once a month) also improves the unit efficiency and reduces power consumption.
In case the room to be conditioned has an exposed roof, then under deck
insulation for the room is highly recommended to reduce the heat transmission
from the roof slab. Set your air-conditioner thermostat to 25 Deg C or higher.
For every degree you raise your thermostat setting above 22 Deg C, you can save
up to 5-7% on your cooling costs.
Refrigerators
Defrost the refrigerator once the ice gets more than quarter
inch thick. Regular defrosting helps reduce the power consumption. Avoid placing
the refrigerator near any heat source and locate the refrigerator at least 200mm
away from the wall. Ensure that the refrigerator door is airtight to prevent
leakage. Ideally, set your refrigerator temperature at 2.2 Deg. C. and your
freezer temperature at -15 Deg. C. for energy-efficient operation.
Fans
Replace conventional fans with energy efficient fans. Use
electronic regulators instead of electromagnetic regulators. Lubricate fan motor
bearings periodically and clean fan blades regularly.
Lights
Replace T12 or T10 fluorescent tubes with T8 or T5 energy
efficient fluorescent tubes, which are more than 10 to 30 per cent energy
efficient. Use compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) which are 70 to 80 per cent more
energy efficient instead of incandescent light bulbs. Replacing electromagnetic
ballasts with electronic ballasts in tube lights reduces the energy consumption
by around 20 to 30 per cent. Utilise energy efficient 36W slim tubes instead of
40W tubes. Reduce the wattage of bulbs in areas where less lighting is needed
such as toilets, store rooms etc.
Water
heaters
Lower the thermostat on your water heater since most factory
settings of water heaters are at higher temperatures. A setting of 120°F
provides comfortable hot water.
DEEPA SATHIARAM
JUZER S. KOTHARI
Courtesy:
Property Plus, The Hindu
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How frugal are your
electrical appliances?
| BEE rates energy efficiency of electrical appliances. Check if the
appliances you buy have its label, writes BIJU GOVIND |
Energy-guzzler: Conventional bulbs are not energy efficient compared to
compact fluorescent lamps.
Most people buy home appliances without knowing whether these
will raise or lower their electricity bills. Many have no idea how
energy-efficient are the equipment they buy.
Now, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), functioning under the Union
Ministry of Power, has introduced a labelling system for electrical appliances
to denote their efficiency.
The bureau has undertaken an intensive campaign to save power.
BEE-labelled appliances save energy and ultimately, save money on electricity
bills.
Stars ranging from one to five are awarded for products, such as frost-free
refrigerators, fluorescent lamps and air-conditioners. More stars means better
efficiency. The stars are highlighted in colour on the labels stuck on the
products.
Automatic switches
One of the best ways to save energy is turning off lights when not required.
Automatic devices installed inside lighting equipment can help to save energy.
Consider fixing infrared or motion sensors, automatic timers, dimmers and
solar cells to switch on or off lights.
Dirty tube lights and bulbs reflect less light and can absorb half the light;
so, dust your lamps regularly.
Fluorescent tube lights and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) convert
electricity to light up to five times more efficiently than ordinary bulbs do,
reducing power consumption by 70 per cent.
Ninety percent of the energy consumed by an ordinary bulb is given off as
heat. Replace your electricity-guzzling ordinary bulbs with more efficient
types. A 15-watt CFL produces the same amount of light that a 60-watt
incandescent bulb emits.
Ceiling or table fans, not air-conditioners, should form the first line of
defence against the summer heat. Ceiling fans cost about 30 paise an hour to
operate, whereas running an air-conditioner sets you back by Rs.10 an hour. One
can reduce power consumption by air-conditioners by 40 percent by shading
windows and walls. Plant trees and shrubs if you have enough space on the
premises of your house, BEE says.
A good air-conditioner will cool and dehumidify a room in about 30 minutes;
so, use a timer and leave the unit off for some time.
Keep doors to air-conditioned rooms closed as often as possible. Clean the
air-conditioner filter every month. A dirty filter reduces airflow and may
damage the unit. Clean filters enable the unit to cool down quickly and use less
energy.
Refrigerators are another high power consumption appliances.
Make sure that these are kept away from sources of heat, including direct
sunlight, radiators and appliances such as oven and cooking range.
When it is dark, place a lit flashlight inside the refrigerator and close the
door.
If light is seen around the door, the seals need to be replaced.
Make sure that the rubber door seals are clean and tight. They should hold a
slip of paper snugly. If the paper slips out easily, replace the seals.
Space for airflow
Refrigerator motors and compressors generate heat; so, allow enough space for
continuous airflow around the refrigerator.
If the heat cannot escape, the refrigerator’s cooling system will work
harder and use more energy, say BEE guidelines on tips for saving energy.
Allow hot and warm food to cool and cover them well before putting them in
the refrigerator to save energy and reduce condensation.
When dust builds up on a refrigerator’s condenser coils, the motor works
harder and uses more electricity. Clean the coils regularly to make sure that
air can circulate freely.
Efficient cooking
Microwaves save energy by reducing cooking time. A microwave oven cuts energy
cost by 50 per cent compared with a regular oven, especially for small
quantities of food. Microwaves cook food from the outside edge toward the centre
of the dish. Hence, if you are cooking more than one item, place larger and
thicker items on the outside.
Many homes now have computers. Turn off the system when not in use. A
computer that runs 24 hours a day uses more power than an energy-efficient
refrigerator do.
Setting computers, monitors, and copiers to sleep-mode when not in use helps
cut energy costs by approximately 40 per cent.
Chargers
Battery chargers, such as those for laptops, cellphones and digital cameras,
draw power whenever they are plugged in and are inefficient.
BEE says that screen savers save computer screens, not energy.
Start-ups and shutdowns do not use any extra energy, nor are they hard on
your computer components. Logging off computers not only reduces system wear but
also saves energy.
Courtesy: Property
Plus, The Hindu
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Get that wiring right
The maze of electrical wiring that power a dwelling comes
across as a rather baffling paraphernalia for the uninitiated. It illuminates
the home and runs appliances of all sorts and a little understanding of how the
wiring criss-cross the nook and corner and the functions of other trappings that
come with it.
Whenever taking up the work, do ensure that you call in a skilled electrician
. This is important since a skilled electrician will take right care in
spreading the labyrinthine network of connectivity while following the Indian
Electricity Rules (IE Rules) in wiring.
Insist that the entire wiring system is taken up with quality, that is ISI
mark, house wiring accessories as the safety of the entire family is involved.
Let there be no compromise on this count.
Cable/wire plays a vital role in the house wiring system and you can use
specific configuration of 99.97 per cent pure copper wire. These cables are low
conductor resistance and thus save power and offer a cut in electricity bills. A
separate fuse or Isolator/MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker) for each circuit or
room for power circuit is required. It throws a ring of protection for building
wiring from over load or short circuit. Do not use multiple plug system for your
domestic appliances. Depending on the domestic appliances and future connecting
load, give minimum provision for power sockets in your wiring installation.
Provide separate lines for telecommunications, Internet, TV Ariel, DC cable
and similar other provisions at home. Another key aspect is to have an ELCB
(Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker) which protects against potential electric
shocks. It opens/trips the circuit instantly, cutting the power in 1/40th of a
second.
N.S.R.H.V. SUBBA RAO,
Electrical Engineer,
National Academy Of Construction.
Courtesy: Property Plus, The Hindu
