Yay – i will have cold water and more fruit the last 2 months of our Summer. I haven’t had a fridge for 10 months but now a mate has moved into a semi-furnished garden flat so needs somewhere to store her fridge – that’s me, resident fridge storer:)

It got me to thinking about my home electricity usage and how the price increases (i live in Knysna) and the fridge addition will affect me and my landlords (as i’m in a cottage running off their electrical board – particularly problematic in Winter as heaters in the main house and boiling water for tea, either side, tends to trip the power). I was wondering if the fridge would cause trips but was pleased to discover that it uses considerably less than a kettle or my computer (and is only on for a fraction of the day).

•  200w – CFL bulb 20w x 10hrs
•  120w – bulb 60w x 2hrs
•  600w – kettle 1900w x 1/3 hrs
•  800w – fridge 160w x 5hrs
• 2680w – computer 134w x 20hrs
•   50w – hi-fi x 9w x 4hrs
•   10w – cell 9w x 1hr

Usage: 4460 x 30 = 133. 8kwh
+ 12% leeway (playing safe for errors and smaller uses such as charging my camera batteries weekly or trimming my goatie)
Total – 150kw

On the 2013/2014 prices, if the house and i are using less than 350kwh collectively R0.97 per watt: 150w x R0.97 = R145.50

If house and me using more than 350kwh collectively R1.31 per watt: 150w x R1.31 = R196.5kwh

My figures may not make much comparison to middle and upper class income groups as my usage is different to most i.e. i have a gas geyser – currently out of gas 🙁 – and no microwave, stove, television or washing machine etc. So i encourage you to do some googling and find out what you’re using in your household. It’s no use only complaining about electricity increases. You need to drop the load yourself.

Download iPowerSA’s
Energy Usage Calculator

Here are some examples of the range of nameplate wattages for various household appliances (taken from energy.gov):

• Aquarium = 50–1210 watts
• Clock radio = 10
• Coffee maker = 900–1200
• Clothes washer = 350–500
• Clothes dryer = 1800–5000
• Dishwasher = 1200–2400 (using the drying feature greatly increases energy consumption)
• Dehumidifier = 785
• Electric blanket (Single/Double) = 60 / 100
• Fans Ceiling = 65–175
• Window = 55–250
• Hair dryer = 1200–1875
• Heater (portable) = 750–1500
• Clothes iron = 1000–1800
• Microwave oven = 750–1100
• Personal computer
• CPU – awake / asleep = 120 / 30 or less
• Monitor – awake / asleep = 150 / 30 or less
• Laptop = 50
• Radio (stereo) = 70–400
• Refrigerator (frost-free, 16 cubic feet) = 725
• Televisions 19″ = 65–110
• Televisions 27″ = 113
• Televisions 36″ = 133
• Televisions 53″ – 61″ Projection = 170
• Televisions Flat screen = 120
• Toaster = 800–1400
• Toaster oven = 1225
• VCR/DVD = 17–21 / 20–25
• Vacuum cleaner = 1000–1440

Some interesting reads for the dedicated:

• Energy Usage in Your Home
• Knysna tariffs, charges & fees for 2013/2014
• Homepower Standard Tariffs Brochure

Thanks to Mama Taxi for allowing use of their cartoon. You can find more at www.mamataxi.co.za.