Genesis 4 hours free power shout

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tdgeek

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#2061171 23-Jul-2018 19:04

SBQ:

I'm aiming to draw over 20kw/hr peak (12kw/hr continuous) on my Power Shout tomorrow (6pm to 10pm). The preferred store of power I use is the concrete slab heating.

Better use it before I lose it - July will end soon.

If there was no free hours of power, what would you use?

My point is you might use a lot of free power, but in real life you only save what you would normally have used.

My one hour daily with EK, the HW both elects are on (have solar HW). Dishwasher and washing machine if there is a lot, both are not daily. Turn heatpumps up then turn off. That saves me power of two heat pumps (at usual temp) for one hour, plus 1-2 hours after as well.

tdgeek

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#2061174 23-Jul-2018 19:09

SBQ:

Pumpedd:

Nothing is ever free. We are paying way to much for our energy in this country. Sooner see a reduction in tariffs rather than seeing people get so excited with a free $2 of power!!!

I see the free power use from a different perspective. It's a great way for the lines and electricity providers to "Stress test" and it's not like everyone has their power use of free power hours at the same time.

IMO, I find NZ has far too many power retailers for the population of the country. Too many that leads to inefficiencies so users are only dreaming that power prices will be cheaper. I mean you can choose as many different power retailers in NZ as petro stations for your car.

Electric Kiwi isn't cheaper because they don't do a discount so you try to cramp most of your electricity use at 1 hour in the 'off peak' period. I'm not sure how this suits the typical family as meals are cooked at specific times of the day.

I found it was 6.7% cheaper than genesis where we were on. The hour of free power is always 12-15% so thats my discount. It has been up to 31%, but typically 12-15% as I dont live by it as we used to. I should use that a bit more

nickb800

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#2061179 23-Jul-2018 19:13

@SBQ 20kw/hr = 83 amps. Hope you've got three phase or an otherwise beefy connection, otherwise you're likely to blow a pole fuse?

@AndrewNZ I saw that article - but it wasn't clear if it was individual houses blowing their fuses, or whole streets? Seems unlikely that a significant number of houses on one street would be on the same retailer AND nominate the exact same free hour of power. In which case it would be stupidity to keep cranking your heaters etc if you blow your pole fuse each week

andrewNZ

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#2061201 23-Jul-2018 19:25

nickb800: @SBQ 20kw/hr = 83 amps. Hope you've got three phase or an otherwise beefy connection, otherwise you're likely to blow a pole fuse?

@AndrewNZ I saw that article - but it wasn't clear if it was individual houses blowing their fuses, or whole streets? Seems unlikely that a significant number of houses on one street would be on the same retailer AND nominate the exact same free hour of power. In which case it would be stupidity to keep cranking your heaters etc if you blow your pole fuse each week

It's both pole fuses and street supply failing.
The area is essentially 100% students, so the likelihood of them all nominating the same hour in the evening is high.

The electricity network is designed based on maximum demand, not maximum possible draw.

SBQ

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#2061252 23-Jul-2018 20:09

tdgeek:

If there was no free hours of power, what would you use?

My point is you might use a lot of free power, but in real life you only save what you would normally have used.

My one hour daily with EK, the HW both elects are on (have solar HW). Dishwasher and washing machine if there is a lot, both are not daily. Turn heatpumps up then turn off. That saves me power of two heat pumps (at usual temp) for one hour, plus 1-2 hours after as well.

In the realm of space heating, the difference could be going from comfortable to extremely comfortable (in airline speak, traveling Economy vs 1st Class). Heating 1 room at a time vs heating the whole house.

Realistically 1 hour on EK of free power won't cut it. Wash loads take longer than an hour to use. 1 hour of heat pump use is hardly sufficient if you have 2 or 3 rooms that require heating (not to mention at different times of the day ; EK biggest drawback in the free hour of power is OFF Peak hours only).

nickb800

@SBQ 20kw/hr = 83 amps. Hope you've got three phase or an otherwise beefy connection, otherwise you're likely to blow a pole fuse?

Yes on 3 phase power. But 3 phase is not all that is meant to be if you want to go solar EV panels as NZ does not do 'net metering' so you're disadvantage on which phases import / export.

tdgeek

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#2061397 23-Jul-2018 22:11

SBQ:

Realistically 1 hour on EK of free power won't cut it. Wash loads take longer than an hour to use. 1 hour of heat pump use is hardly sufficient if you have 2 or 3 rooms that require heating (not to mention at different times of the day ; EK biggest drawback in the free hour of power is OFF Peak hours only).

EK is 30 hours per month, every month.

nickb800

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#2061426 24-Jul-2018 06:59

andrewNZ:
nickb800: @SBQ 20kw/hr = 83 amps. Hope you've got three phase or an otherwise beefy connection, otherwise you're likely to blow a pole fuse?

@AndrewNZ I saw that article - but it wasn't clear if it was individual houses blowing their fuses, or whole streets? Seems unlikely that a significant number of houses on one street would be on the same retailer AND nominate the exact same free hour of power. In which case it would be stupidity to keep cranking your heaters etc if you blow your pole fuse each week

It's both pole fuses and street supply failing.
The area is essentially 100% students, so the likelihood of them all nominating the same hour in the evening is high.

The electricity network is designed based on maximum demand, not maximum possible draw.

Interesting, still wouldn't have expected that many to all be on EK, but there you go. Wonder if the linesman just sit there and wait til 1 minute past the next hour before replacing the fuse lol

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SBQ

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#2061562 24-Jul-2018 10:15

tdgeek:

EK is 30 hours per month, every month.

How does that translate to savings if you can't use those free hours effectively? Genesis every month gives me the 12.5% discount. On a winter bill of say $300, the discount would be well more than the free 30 hours from EK each month. As mentioned before, in the summer months the power consumption 2/3rds less so not gonna save much unless you have to run AC.

Setting all my timers to go on a 6pm tonight!!! I should take a photo of the smart meter LCD display showing peak kW draw.

tdgeek

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#2061609 24-Jul-2018 11:02

SBQ:

tdgeek:

EK is 30 hours per month, every month.

How does that translate to savings if you can't use those free hours effectively? Genesis every month gives me the 12.5% discount. On a winter bill of say $300, the discount would be well more than the free 30 hours from EK each month. As mentioned before, in the summer months the power consumption 2/3rds less so not gonna save much unless you have to run AC.

Setting all my timers to go on a 6pm tonight!!! I should take a photo of the smart meter LCD display showing peak kW draw.

I can use those hours effectively as they are used 100% by my dishwasher and washing machine and heatpumps. In fact my two heatpumps I get 6 hours free

They run to say midnight on cold nights, my daily free hours is 9pm to 10pm. So i should save two hours. But I turn them up for the free hour, then turn them off at 10pm, saving 3 normal hours X 2

If my free hours is worth 15% thats a 15% saving, plus the 6 odd % it was on the kWh rate. It has been as high as 31%, but 12-15% if I dont go out of my way. So I get 100% effective use every day. Summer, I may set it to 4pm to 5pm, and do a pre cool, dishes, washing.

tdgeek

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#2061613 24-Jul-2018 11:07

And my top HW element goes on at 9pm for the hour as s free boost. Solar HW isnt cutting it on these winter days, so I can turn on bottom element, so next day the sun or cloudy can get most of it back to temp if its warmer, and this avoids a temporary boost if needed. The other temp boost at 4pm is often not needed. So it gets plenty of use

SBQ

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Master Geek

#2061972 24-Jul-2018 22:06

Just past 10pm and i've surely raped it. Initial load off smart meter just before 6pm (150w from my son using the computer still). Hot water tank still not fully heated (bath tub washed).

https://imgur.com/C46fDDX

Almost peak load (dryer wasn't on)

Peak

https://imgur.com/tnVtRlK

tdgeek

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#2062007 25-Jul-2018 07:17

SBQ:

Just past 10pm and i've surely raped it. Initial load off smart meter just before 6pm (150w from my son using the computer still). Hot water tank still not fully heated (bath tub washed).

https://imgur.com/C46fDDX

Almost peak load (dryer wasn't on)

https://imgur.com/tnVtRlK

I noticed my lights were fading last night... :-)

Pumpedd

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#2062068 25-Jul-2018 10:08

SBQ:

Pumpedd:

Nothing is ever free. We are paying way to much for our energy in this country. Sooner see a reduction in tariffs rather than seeing people get so excited with a free $2 of power!!!

I see the free power use from a different perspective. It's a great way for the lines and electricity providers to "Stress test" and it's not like everyone has their power use of free power hours at the same time.

IMO, I find NZ has far too many power retailers for the population of the country. Too many that leads to inefficiencies so users are only dreaming that power prices will be cheaper. I mean you can choose as many different power retailers in NZ as petro stations for your car.

Electric Kiwi isn't cheaper because they don't do a discount so you try to cramp most of your electricity use at 1 hour in the 'off peak' period. I'm not sure how this suits the typical family as meals are cooked at specific times of the day.

Nonsense...it is a marketing ploy...simple! People should work out what they are actually saving with the free hour, and of course the effort that goes into maximising its use.

itxtme

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#2062124 25-Jul-2018 10:36

and of course the effort that goes into maximising its use.

This!! I see people on here that invest heavily in all sorts to make use of the free power, or similar on spot pricing. They are passionate about it, and it shows - for me however I just dont care enough. I will turn on the central heating for my free hour, but that about as much effort as I am willing to put in!

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