ENERGY MATTERS

[PanBiker]

My new lighting is up in the kitchen, 6 x 10w 240v fire rated LED ceiling downlights. We went for 3000 K warm white, the lamps are integral to the fittings. They are guaranteed for 3 years and have a 50,000 hour life over 100,000 switching cycles. Each comes with 4 different coloured bezels which can be changed to match the decor, white, brass, chrome and brushed steel which is what we have fitted. The arrangement gives the equivalent of about 480w of GLS lighting. So that end of the kitchen is now running at 60w rather than the 200w from the former halogen spot lamp lighting bar.

[Stanley]

Sounds good Ian.
Yes, I expect a penalty from running electric motors in the shed but it has never been as noticeable before.... I shall examine the statement....

[Stanley]

See THIS for a report on what the prospect is for this winter. Some of us have been banging on for a while about the terrible mismanagement of UK energy policy. I have forecast cuts and voltage reductions eventually. This is the first small dark cloud on the horizon, customers are going to have to pay for the measures that have to be taken to pay generators to be on standby. The gap between supply and demand is at a ten year low and the CEGB is spending £36million to avert trouble. The governments (all of them) have demonstrated that they are not fit to run a booze up in a brewery!

[Pluggy]

The predicted lowering of my energy bills when my daughter and granddaughter moved out has been confirmed. EDF reduced my monthly Direct Debit by £11 s month. I'm expecting it to go down further when it kicks in properly. Its quiet in our house these days. Too quiet sometimes it seems.

[Stanley]

That figures.... It must be a shock for youngsters when they first become responsible for their own bills.....

[Pluggy]

She isn't averse to coming cap in hand to her old man......

[Stanley]

That's what we are here for!

[Thomo]

One year ago we moved our energy deal from Eon to Scottish Power, having got fed up of the increasing amount we were being asked to pay each month, we pay by direct debit. For the past year we were asked to pay a set amount by Scottish Power for a fixed term annual deal each month, this was less than Eon wanted. We have just renewed our deal with Scottish Power and will be paying £54 per month less, this could have been £66 less, but we opted to pay a bit extra in respect of this; At the end of the past year we were £347 in credit, so we were overpaying, £200 has been returned to our bank at our request. Given that last year our energy use due to cold weather was high, I expected higher payments this year, not so, we are still in credit and our outgoings are considerably less.

[Tizer]

I see the Government is going to drastically cut back subsidies for home and business solar power schemes, but I'm not sure whether it applies to current installations or only to new ones.

[Stanley]

I've just booked the appointment for my free installation of smart gas and leccy meters.... 22 September.
On the old fashioned side, I got a coal delivery this morning at the old price as it was all they had in stock until their next delivery.

[Pluggy]

I see the Government is going to drastically cut back subsidies for home and business solar power schemes, but I'm not sure whether it applies to current installations or only to new ones.

Its just for new installations, its triggered a dash to get them installed before the cutoff. I would suspect the majority of the million or so existing installations are Tory voters and they'd be pretty miffed if they they lost their FITs.

[Stanley]

I've always been in favour of people being encouraged to install generating capacity of any description. I wonder how, in the long run, investment in micro-generation compares Kw for Kw with grandiose schemes like nuclear power stations. After all, they are all carbon neutral in the long run.

[Tizer]

One of the problems for solar on rooftops is the lack of control over surrounding structures or trees that can shade the panels. It's not right for us because we don't have suitable roof area but if we had installed solar it would now be shaded by the willow trees that have grown up across the road on the south side of the house in the last 10 years. Nobody owns the strip of land and none of the authorities will do anything about the trees. Even where councils are responsible for trees they claim they don't enough money to maintain or fell them, and farmers are no longer pollarding willows because they don't want the wood and non-farmers who have bought up farms don't want to spend any money on it.

[Stanley]

One of the most noticeable changes between old pics of Barlick and the present is the increase in the number of trees over the last century. 500 years ago Barlick was famous for its old mature woods but they gradually shrank until WW2, they seem to be coming back again!
At the moment the best energy saving device in this house is my thick Lanz waistcoat. The front room is down to about 66F now and at floor level even lower. I am resisting heat for as long as possible! I live mainly in the kitchen and keep the door closed to the rest of the house so I get the benefit of waste heat from the fridge, cooking and washing. This gives me 72F and is comfortable thank you but when I move to the front room I need the Lanz!

[Stanley]

The heating cracked up during the night..... the heating season is upon us!

[Big Kev]

The heating cracked up during the night..... the heating season is upon us!

Mine too...

[Stanley]

Kev, what is the name of the Morso stockist at Burnley? I'd like to have a sealant set in stock and a window glass.

[plaques]

I've always used Milligan's on Plumb St. Milligan. He generally has most things I want.

[Tizer]

Here in Somerset we too had the coldest night since Spring.

[Big Kev]

Kev, what is the name of the Morso stockist at Burnley? I'd like to have a sealant set in stock and a window glass.

I got my glass and seals from Milligans.

[Stanley]

Thanks for that Kev. They supply the smokeless fuel I get from B&D as well....

[Stanley]

I lit the stove in the front room yesterday, everything was ready, fully cleaned out, flue checked, a new seal fitted on the door and the whole stove blackleaded. No problems, the only temporary problem was that as the stove got hot (I wanted a hot fire to waken the flue up after the summer) the blacklead smoked for a while but it soon cleared up. I have a feeling that it might not go out again until spring.....
Nice and comfortable in the front room last night, 72F, just right...... Jack's dog food is cooking on the stove this morning so it's saving leccy as well as gas.

[Tizer]

.. Jack's dog food is cooking on the stove this morning so it's saving leccy as well as gas.

I wonder why I think of Wallace & Grommit when I read things like that? It conjures up an image of Jack standing in front of the stove stirring the pan while you sit in an armchair reading a newspaper with a headline saying something like `Dog food prices to rise'.

[Stanley]

Not so far from the truth Tiz! Jack definitely has the same management technique as Grommit....

[Stanley]

The stove has settled down nicely now that the flue is thoroughly warmed up. I am back into my morning ashing out routine. Only running it low, 72F in the front room and no CH cutting in. Just right.... The Spring maintenance and the new door seal are paying off!