Leaving the electric water heater on all day is something that almost everyone does with the idea of having hot water at any time and not having to shower with cold water because it hasn’t had time to heat the water. However, it can also cause the device to use electricity during hours when no one needs to use it, resulting in extra consumption that is later reflected in the bill, especially considering the current price of electricity.
Well, electrician Sergio Llorente has decided to do a test to see how much consumption can change simply by programming the water heater. Something simple but that many people overlook or do not pay attention to.
“In my specific case, I would be wasting 30 euros every month if I don’t schedule it,” he says after comparing what one person spends with the other.
To carry out the experiment, he used an 80-liter, 1,500-watt thermos, connected to a consumption meter. It maintained exactly the same temperature in both cases so that the only difference was the number of hours it remained on.
First he left it running 24 hours a day and then programmed it for seven hours divided into three periods.
From consuming 11.22 kWh to about 3.745 kWh
The difference was important. And with the water heater connected throughout the day, the meter recorded 11.22 kWh of consumption. Taking as a reference a price of 0.15 euros per kWh, the cost would be around 1.68 euros per day.
When Sergio limited operation with a programmer, consumption fell to approximately 3,745 kWh.
That is, as the test did, the difference was close to one euro each day, which after a month would mean about 30 euros in savings, nothing more and nothing less. Depending on the cost of electricity each day, of course, and without taking into account other appliances. A saving that could be increased even more by following some tips or advice to save with the consumption of the thermos.
This is explained in a very easy way, since you just have to see that when the water heater is connected all the time, the resistance starts working again every time the water loses temperature, even if there are several hours before someone goes to take a shower. And this is avoided with the hour program, which will only activate the resistance when we say or need it.
It is not about turning it off without any criteria
Now, the solution is not just based on unplugging the thermos every time we remember.
The key is to adapt its operation to the real habits of each home. If showers in a house tend to be concentrated in the morning and evening, the device can be programmed to preheat the water and remain off for much of the rest of the day.
Of course, those 30 euros difference are not a guaranteed amount for any home.
The savings will depend on factors such as the size and insulation of the thermos, the selected temperature, the number of people living at home, hot water consumption and the price of electricity.
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Even so, Sergio’s test leaves a fairly clear conclusion: if the appliance is heating water during hours when no one is going to use it, part of that consumption could be avoided simply by adjusting its schedules.