cheap power idea -everyone wins

Why we should be using MORE electricity and why it should cost less the more we use.

Now at first glance, you may think that this is an idiotic statement to make. We have all been conditioned [or brainwashed] to believe that using less resources means preserving those resources for the future use. This is true as far as resources go but it also follows logically, that whatever resources we DO use, should be used as close to 100% efficiency as we can get. I don't think anyone can argue with that. The world runs on electrical power. No electricity, no 21st century - we might as well go back to the 18th century. Electricity is a strange beastie; for a start, you can't get more energy out of a system, than you put in. That's a law of physics. Because coal has more total energy locked inside it than anything else [ except oil ], we get back more in electrical power more than it costs to dig it up and burn it.

Secondly - and most importantly, You can't store base load electricity because we haven't yet made the perfect battery that’s dirt cheap and gives us nearly the same energy [ or power ] as we pump into it. We aren’t even close by a country mile. So electricity is something that is used 'on demand'; that is, it must be available 24/7/365 for us to use as we need it. At the moment, we get most of our electricity from coal fired power stations because coal is cheap to mine, easily transported, and the ash produced CAN be used for other processes. I won't get into a debate about environmental issues with coal burning; I just want to qualify the main statement made in this file. Lets see how the process works by starting at the power station itself.

The coal is pulverised to a powder and blown into the furnace. The furnace, heats the water in the boiler to high pressure steam. The steam is piped to the turbines. The turbines are coupled to the generators which turn at exactly 50 cycles/second and make electricity for us to use on demand. These generators are powerful, generating at full load, megawatts [ millions of watts ] to supply everyone, on demand. Notice I keep saying 'on demand' because that’s how the world uses electricity.

If the load is light, the generators are only supplying say 50% of what they were designed to do. The generators MUST still turn at 50 cycles/sec, they must still be ready to instantly take any load that is demanded of them [ up to their maximum ]. Although the load is light, and the work needed to turn the generators is reduced; the boilers must be ready to supply INSTANTLY, the steam pressure required to push the generators more, should the 'load' suddenly jump up. Admittedly, not as much coal is required to maintain a high load steam pressure when that steam is reduced by light load on the power grid; but this reduction is small compared to what is used under full load [ 100% ].

In short, the LESS power that is being drawn from the generator, the LESS efficient the whole system is. You can't shut down a generator like turning off the engine of a car at traffic lights to save fuel. When an electrical load changes, it changes at the speed of light although it may increase gradually - but the actual change is instantaneous.

A generator for power is MOST efficient when it's supplying that power at 95-100% load capacity. In other words, it's doing the most useful work. You get the best results from a system when it's doing the work it was built for. Can't get much simpler than that.

The most efficient power supply system is the one that is constantly supplying 95-98% of the demand placed on it. Since the demand for electricity depends on a plethora of factors, it is impractical to design a system that can be both efficient and supply instantaneous power as it is needed. So we have a compromise, we try to run the generators in such a manner that no matter WHAT load is demanded, the generators can handle it without going into 'overload'. Pretty tricky at best.

So what about the times when their is low demand ?.

The whole system is NOW inefficient and the best system for the user, or users, is to draw power in such a manner, and at such a time when the TOTAL load on the total system is near enough to steady; high low or otherwise. This of course is next to imposable because of the way people and industry work. Now to make the system as close to efficient as possible, we CAN draw enough power constantly to maintain a steady, even and consistent load. We do this by encouraging people to use MORE electricity when heavy industry does not require it [after working hours] and discounting the COST of that extra usage.

The reverse can also apply by discounting the electricity used during peak load times, IF the consumer uses under a specified amount. Once the consumer goes over that amount during peak load, additional rates would apply. Now you may think that this arrangement is next to impossible at the moment since the old metering system simply records what you use in a billing period and NOT when you used it. However, with the advent of new 'smart' meters, the tariff can be changed off site at any time from the supplier. At the very least, the tariff can be changed to reflect a discount rate during periods of light load - we can do this now by changing the tariff from 21 to 33 for all domestic use during certain hours of the day. This encourages domestic use during light load periods and brings the generator efficiency rating up a few notches. The generators are now paying their way rather than making a loss because we want to 'save' electricity; which of course is a nonsense since you can't 'save' electrical power.

Who wins ?

Well, the consumer wins firstly because he can tailor his heavy load needs to a time when there is no heavy industrial need. For this planing, he gets a cheaper rate [lower price / KW hour].

The supplier wins because instead of people reducing their usage, they actually increase the grid load to make the generators more efficient.

The whole grid load is now pulling towards a steady, consistent load 24/7 and this load can now be tailored at the generators to be 95% efficient; all without the swings and dips caused by industry shutting down for the night, and consumers still using less and less to 'save power' during off peak load times.

This is a carrot and stick approach where-as at the moment there is NO carrot, just a big stick in the form of outrageous power bills.

Some people [ myself included] have taken the steps of putting lightly used appliances on a permanent lower tariff. The spa, the pool, washing machine, dishwasher, air conditioning, pond pumps. This is fine but with my method, the standard tariff can NOW be changed on everything else.

You see at the moment, tariff 33 is ON, except during times of heavy load but your normal rate on everything else never changes even when there is next to bugger-all load on the grid.

It seems fair and just to switch EVERYTHING to tariff 33, when there is light load.
When the load is heavy, switch OFF the low tariff appliances [ hot water etc etc ] and switch OVER the rest to normal rate [21]. From a power engineers point of view [And I one in the family] this is the way to go to make the whole system more efficient.

Lets take an example if this system is implemented. I have a spa which I want to use BEFORE 6pm. I know that as long as I take my spa before this time, the rate I am being charged to heat and run it, is T33 [ Low tariff ] but when 6PM rolls around, my tariff will change to T21 [ Normal tariff].

Because I didn't have to go through the expense of additional house wiring to hook the spa to a permanent circuit on T33 at the switch board, my spa does not stop but simply is charged at the T21 rate from that time just like everything else in the house.

Additionally, if I have appliances that CAN be turned off when the tariff changes, I can simply put them on a store bought timer [ Bar fridge, dishwasher and the rest ].

A smart portable, plug in Tariff sensor would be even better - when your plug in tariff sensor sees the change, it simply switches the appliance OFF but monitors the power in the house hold circuitry in case the tariff changes back. This would be more EFFICIENT than a timer since the supplier can turn the tariffs over at any time really, if the load is excessive. Result is complete tailoring by the consumer of what appliances run on what tariff when it changes state.

Another example - I watch my plasma TV to see the news at 5PM instead of 6PM because I know that the TOTAL tariff is T33 before this time. At 6PM I turn OFF my plasma TV [ or the tariff SENSOR plugged into the power point does - OR NOT!!] then I go to the Bedroom and watch my shows on the little portable. I HAVE TOTAL control over what I spend when I run appliances at peak load times. An addition hidden saving is the fact that when the tariff sensor turns your plasma TV off - it turns it OFF!!!, not in wastfull stand-by mode.

As it stands at this point, I can STILL implement a system that does just what I have described - but it costs a little money to do it.

I have T33 circuits, an electronic meter which shows T33 and T21 constantly. When the T33 is turned off, the appliances [ on separate cable runs from the switch board ] turn OFF. To run my plasma TV on T33 AND T21 when T33 turns off, I simply devised a change over circuit and used an UPS to power the TV.

By running a cable from the T33 circuit which can handle the load without tripping the breaker, I have 2 power points next to each other behind the TV. T33 PP and T21 [ normal ] PP. The T33 PP is red, the other is normal white - so I know which is which.

The TV is powered by a cheap UPS but powerful enough to handle the TV load. Between the UPS and the power points, I have a heavy duty relay box with 2 changeover contacts. This box has 2 male plugs where I plug 2 short leads in and connect to the 2 power points. The TV is running from the UPS. While T33 is active, the relay supplies this power to the UPS. When T33 disappears, the relay changes the power over to T21 [ normal household power ]. Because the UPS is designed to supply power without interruption for as little as even 1 minute, the TV stays on. The only indication that T33 has gone is the relay switching over in a few milliseconds.

I can only do this NOW because the rules for T33 connection HAVE BEEN CHANGED!. You no longer have to 'hard wire' appliances into T33 circuit but can use a Power point. Thank you for showing some common sense, Energex.

If my own tariff change idea was implemented, I need not bother with all this jiggery-pokery to run certain appliances on BOTH tariffs. As a matter of fact, your energy supplier WOULD have a brand NEW marketing product - the plug in tariff sensor and switch; an additional money spinner.

I've been in electrics for 44 years, with 8 years university education in electronics and general electrics. I've made devices that don't exist yet because I needed a device to DO what I wanted to be done. I have a relative who is a power station engineer. I'm no johnny come lately in the electrical game.


Overall advantage of this system is blatently obvious. No more expense and time wasting having new wiring run to the switch board. No more adding another meter to the switch board by your supplier, no more adding ANYTHING because the tariff is changed by the supplier to the ONE meter that monitors everything. The ONLY requirement is that the one and only meter must be one of the new electronic ones [ I have one already installed ]. The responsibility of tariff regulation of appliances now rests solely with the consumer [ as it should be ] who buys as many plug in tariff sensor switches as he requires.

God damn - everyone wins.

NEXT STAGE [KEEP DREAMIN]

NEW TARIFF SWITCH PLUG IN. [TSP] SCENERIO

I just bought several TSP's for my home so I can program various appliances to save power.

The instructions say that it has been pre-programed for Queensland power but I can buy a small program box [ which is about the same size as the TSP] to change the mode according to which state I'm in and sense the respective tariff pulses.

My units don't need to be changed as I bought them through Energex at a discount rate instead of my local electrical retail store. Instructions say that the flat pack plug in unit is preprogramed for T33 and T21 detection.

3 lights are on the front; one red, one green, one orange which tell me which
tariff my household power is on at any given time and whether power is off for the appliance.

The orange led tells me I am on the high rate [T21] and the green led tells me my domestic supply is on the low rate [T33]. The red led tells me the appliance is switched off at this plug pack [ selectable ].

Under the 3 leds are 2 push buttons. One labeled 'rate' and the other labeled 'auto'
When I first plug into the power point and power is applied to the flat pack; all three leds flash several times to tell me its working properly; then [ depending on the rate I KNOW is on - say T21 - high rate]

I press both the rate button and the auto button simulaneously ONCE. The low rate led comes on but I am not on the low rate at this time, I am on the high rate - so I press BOTH buttons again to toggle the flat pack. The high rate led comes on.

Instructions say that once the correct rate is established for the flat pack, no further intervention is required as when the rate changes; the flat pack will see the signal and toggle the leds automatically from high rate led [orange] to low rate led [green].

Now I have to decide whether I want THIS appliance to switch off when the rate changes.

I want the appliance to switch off when the rate changes from T33 [ Low rate ] to T21 [ high rate ].

I do this by momentarily pressing only the rate key once. The low rate led [green] flashes a few times while the 'off' led [red] is on steady. When the low rate led stops flashing - the 'off' led' goes out. I have now just programed the flat pack to turn off when the low rate led 'green' is off. If the tariff is 'toggled' to the high rate, the low rate indicator goes out - the appliance is switched off and the 'off' led is eluminated.

On the next appliance, I don't need it to be turned off at any time, so I just dont fit a TSP flatpack on it's powerpoint [main fridge].

The next appliance, I need to have a choice as to whether I might need it on all the time OR switch off when the rate 'toggles' I go through the motions as with the first plug pack.

This instruction, as before, tells the flat pack to turn the appliance off when the rate toggles.

Now I want to turn it off [ or on ] using a button on the flat pack. If I push the 'auto' switch TWICE, the plug pack turns off - the red led turns on to tell me it has cut power to the appliance and will NOT turn on again until I press the 'auto' button again.

While the TSP is manually off, it STILL monitors and stores the tariff toggle so it can resume its program when I manually turn the TSP on again. To turn the TSP on again [ and supply power to the appliance ] I momentarily push the 'auto' key ONCE. The TSP resumes its program.

But now I want to have the power on this appliance on ALL THE TIME. Instead of removing the TSP from the power point and plugging in the appliance directly, all I have to do is push and HOLD the auto button until the high rate [orange] led starts flashing. I release the auto switch and the power is maintained to the appliance until I change the program.

Oh Crap -I've changed my mind and want the appliance to turn off when the rate toggles. All I have to do is push the auto switch ONCE as before and the flat pack resumes its program. Piece of cake.

My TSP's have button standby batteries in case of power failier so that every TSP 'remembers' it's state.

I also bought some cheaper TSI's [Tariff state indicators] which look like the TSP's but are smaller and have just 2 leds and one button on them. These little cuties can be pluged into powerpoints all over the house to instantly tell you what tariff is being applied to the whole house. They make GREAT little night lights too, what a bonus.

When I plug them in, one of the leds [orange or green] comes on. To toggle the leds because the wrong tariff led comes on, just push the button once. From then on, when the tariff changes on the whole house, the leds 'flip'. These suckers also have a standby button battery inside then so if power fails and returns, the leds don't 'flip' to the wrong tariff.

Power failiers in the middle of the night can be easily noticed because the 'button' stand by batteries power the circuit to make both TSI leds slowly flash alternatly. When power is resored, the TSI circuit remembers it's last state and that led comes back on again.

I now have total control over every appliance in the house without dedicated tariff circuits and extra meters and all the bull shit that goes with it. My biller NOW doesn't have to send me a bill with 2 meter readings and 2 different charges. Just one bill with -

Total KW used, total money spent, TOTAL HOURS ON T21, TOTAL HOURS ON T33 [WHICH SHOULD BE THE SAME FOR EVERYONE WITH ELECTRONIC METERS SINCE EVERYONES HOUSEHOLD IS ELECTRONICALLY SWITCHED BETWEEN TARIFFS].

From THIS bill, knowing the hours on each tariff, I can easily calculate how much money I used on both tariffs, and thus, the savings. Mistakes in the bill can be more easily detected, since the cost for each rate is known and the hours on each rate is quoted.

I'll be glad when some WANKER in the industry puts all this forward and makes these god damned units.