F A C T S F I L E

Your Electricity Use :

A Ready Reckoner
Getting that electricity bill is always a heart-stopper for most. You’re
clueless how you consume so much; maybe even blame the department
on an inflated bill. Do you really know how much is your daily use?
Just follow this gadget by-gadget guide to get an idea as well as to save
on your electricity bill, by Advocate Anju D Aggarwal.

LAMPS  First think of what you want to take out before

If used for 30 hours, a 25 watt lamp will consume
0.75 units; a 40 watt lamp will consume 1.3 units; a
60 watt lamp will come to 1.8 units; a 75 watt lamp
will take 2.25 units; and a 100 watt lamp will consume
3 units. Just a single lamp in a room would mean it
has to be at least 100 watts. But if you have 2 lamps
and a reading lamp, you can reduce the number of
units by using only the right amount of light (eg. table
lamp for reading).
Reflecting shades and clear glass chandeliers, rather
than ground glass or opal (milky) fittings, help save
electricity as they use bulbs of lesser wattage. Also,
opt for a dimmer in the living room and bedrooms.
Not only can it economise on electricity, but also helps
prolong the life of the bulb.
Never install lamps where vibration or violent
swinging by breeze or outside wind may occur. It
tends to fuse quicker. Fluorescent tubes instead of
incandescent bulbs help save on electricity. A 40 watt
tubelight will give the same light as a 60 watt bulb.
And the modern day energy-savers are a good
investment in the long run.
REFRIGERATOR
A small refrigerator consumes 40
units and a big refrigerator
consumes (approx.) 70 units per
month. To help save on electricity
and thus cut costs, follow these tips:
 Don’t put hot food immediately
into the fridge; allow it to reach room
temperature first.
 Avoid keeping the fridge near the gas or any heat-
radiating appliance.
you open the fridge door.
 Also, try filling it up as a half-empty fridge
consumes extra power.
FANS
A 36" ceiling fan with a 40 watt capacity consumes
one unit in 25 hours; with a 50 watt capacity it
consumes 1.5 units in 30 hours; and a 48" ceiling
fan of 50 watts capacity also consumes
1.5 units in 30 hours. A table fan —
2", 14", 16 “ — of 40 watts
capacity consumes 1.2 units in
30 hours.
Ceiling fans are more
economical than table fans as
the air disperses wider.
Contrary to popular belief, fans
do not proportionately consume
less when they run at slower speeds;
the wattage more or less remains
constant for all speeds. An average
10x12’ room needs a 48" fan. Get a smaller
fan for a smaller room. Also, it is better to have more
fans in a larger room vis-à-vis one big fan.
COMPUTERS
Turn off your computer when not in use. A computer
in 24 hours consumes more electricity than a
refrigerator. If you have to keep your computer on,
then turn off the monitor. The monitor alone uses
more than half the energy used by a computer.
Battery chargers, such as those for Laptops, cell
phones and digital cameras draw power when they
are plugged in. Pull out the plug and save.

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 F A C T S F I L E
ELECTRIC IRON its location etc. determine the size of the machine
you should buy.
A 500 watt electric iron will consume 15 units in 30
hours; a 550 watt iron will take up 16.5 units and MIXER
a750 watt iron will use 22.5 units for the same period.
A 50 watt small mixer uses 1.5 units
In order to save on electricity, first arrange all the
and a 200 watt big mixer 6 units in
clothes to be ironed and then switch it on. Similarly,
30 hours. Never run a mixer
when one or two clothes remain, switch off the
without any food in its bowl. Use a
current.
plastic spatula rather than a metal
spoon inside the bowl. If the
GEYSER, STORAGE HEATER, machine jams, remove the bowl,
IMMERSION ROD loosen and empty its
A 2Kw (2000 watt) geyser contents and use
consumes 60 units in 30 hours; water to loosen wet
a single phase 3Kw (3000watt) ground material.
geyser will burn up 90 units and
a 3 phase 6Kw (6000watt) OVEN
geyser will guzzle 180 units in A two plate, 3Kw (3000 watts) oven consumes
30 hours. approx 90 units and a three plate (5 KW / 5000
watt) oven guzzles almost 150 units in 30 hours.
In 30 hours, a 550 wattage
While the oven is being heated refrain from opening
Immersion rod consumes 16.5
its doors often and keep it away from a cool place
units; a 1000 wattage one eats up 30
like a window as it takes more time to get heated.
units and a 1500 wattage rod uses 45 units. Of the
Double walled, multiheat, thermostatically controlled
three, geysers are the safest against shocks. Open
ovens may appear costlier, but have cheaper
the tap first and then switch on the geyser if it’s instant.
running cost.
Even while switching off, first turn off the geyser and
then close the running water tap. If steam emits While buying an oven, choose one whose bare
through the safety valve in the storage heater, turn element is not exposed and the interior is vitreous-
on the taps and switch off the electric supply through enamelled.
the main switch.
WASHING MACHINE
TOASTER
A 200 watt washing machine and a clothes-drier
A 1000 watt toaster uses one unit per hour. Less and a spin-drier of the same wattage will consume
complicated toasters means less maintenance. six units in 30 hours. An independent permanent
Automatic toasters are more convenient, but for this connection to earth is absolutely essential.
facility comes at a cost.
While tallying your electricity bill, take into account
AIRCONDITIONER the units consumed and calculate as per the
A one tonne air electricity tariff applicable in your area. To this, add
conditioner (AC) will the electricity duty and other charges and the rent
consume one unit in 40 of the metre charged. This
minutes and a one-and- information comes in your
a-half tonne capacity AC electricity bill or else you
will need only 30 minutes can obtain the same
for the same. A wide from the company which
range of models are supplies electricity to
available. The size of the you.
room, the number of
times its doors are (For consumer queries,
opened, number of contact the author at:
persons using the room, anjudaggarwal@rediffmail.com)

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