SNC1D You will investigate the electrical consumption in your home over the course of TWO days (48 hour period). The Data Sheet needs to be submitted along with the answers to the questions. Write all your answers on the DATA SHEET provided. 1. Start by locating your electric meter on the outside of your home. Record the 1 st /initial meter reading in the space provided on the data sheet. 2. Record the appliances that are used throughout the 48 hour period, their power rating and for how long they are used. A data table is provided for you on the Data Sheet. If you are unable to see or access the power rating, please see the table posted on the website. Use another sheet of paper if you use more appliances than there are spaces in the chart. You may need to enlist the help of family members to ensure accuracy of all appliances used. 3. Complete the last column on the data table by calculating the energy consumption for each appliance and calculate the total energy consumption for all the appliances (bottom of chart on data sheet). 4. After the 48 hours, record the 2 nd /final meter reading in the space provided on the data sheet. 5. Determine the actual energy usage in your home by subtracting your initial meter reading from your final meter reading in the space on the data sheet. 6. Determine the cost of this energy usage. Find out what the average cost per kwh is for your region. Write all your answers on another sheet of paper. 1. What was your actual energy consumption? What was your total estimated energy consumption? Compare the values. Are they fairly close or is one higher than the other? Discuss any discrepancies and provide some possible reasons for the difference. 2. Explain in detail how your family s daily energy usage would change: a) throughout the week b) throughout the year 3. Identify at least two ways that you and/or your family could reduce energy usage in your home.
4. Ghost loads" and appliances on standby are devices that people commonly forget to include in their calculations. These devices typically consume a small amount of energy (<1W) but are running 24 hours a day. Examples of typical ghost loads/standby devices would be AC adapters, clocks, VCRs, TVs, microwaves and printers. Many of these devices require power to maintain their clocks running (e.g. VCR, TV and microwave). Although the amount of energy consumed on an hourly basis is small, the fact that they run all day can easily add as much as 100 Wh per day. a) Complete the chart on the data sheet for your kitchen, family room, bedroom and a room of your choice (it must have ghost loads /standby devices present). Carefully check all outlets to see what the ghost load /standby devices are in that room and list them in the chart. Using the information on the following site, http://standby.lbl.gov/ summary-table.html, which lists the standby power for various devices, calculate the amount of energy used by each device for a day, week, month and year. Kitchen Room Device Power (kw) for 1 day for 1 week for 1 month for 1 year Family Room Bedroom Your Choice TOTAL:
b) Calculate the total cost of running these ghost loads /standby devices. (Note: Are your units Wh or kwh in the chart?) kwh x $0. /kwh = $ c) How could you reduce the use of ghost loads/standby power devices in your home? 5. The times of off-peak, mid-peak and on-peak change throughout the year. Why do you think that is? (http://www.hydroone.com/tou/pages/default.aspx) a) What is the price of electricity (http://www.hydroone.com/tou/pages/default.aspx) for the following times: off-peak, mid-peak and on-peak? b) When purchasing an electrical device, what are two financial costs you need to consider? Are there any environmental considerations you would make? Explain your reasoning.
SNC 1D Data Sheet Name: Meter Readings: 1 st (Initial) Meter Reading: 2 nd (Final) Meter Reading: Date: Time: Data Table: Date: Time: Appliance Power (kw) Estimate Time (hours) (kwh) Power X Time Example: 1.5 hours Clothes Dryer 5.0 kw 1.5 hours 5.0 kw x 3.0 h = 15 kwh Lights Refrigerator Television Computer Showers or Baths TOTAL: Actual Consumed: 1 st meter reading 2 nd meter reading (Final) - (Initial) = kwh Cost of Electricity Consumed: kwh x $0. /kwh = $
Power Ratings of Various Appliances NOTE: Try and find the power ratings for appliances. If you absolutely cannot, then use the values in this table. Appliances Average Power (watts) Average Usage (kwh) Room Air Conditioner 750 Clothes Dryer 3000 Coffee Maker 900 Computer Monitor and Printer600 Electric Kettle 1500 Incandescent Lights 60 (each) Microwave oven 1000 Television 80 Toaster 1000 Refrigerator Dishwasher Freezers Ovens 3000 Domestic Hot water Top loading washing machine Baths or Showers 50 kw per month 2.0 kwh per load 50 kwh per month 0.05 kwh per litre of hot water 2.0 kwh per load 4.0 kwh per bath/shower