Harry’s Garage

[V8Granite]

We have 2 air smell remover things rubbing and a de-humidifier in the garage 24/7.

What you got? I leave my Meaco DDL8 on constantly in the garage - on its lowest setting which is just 330w - but with its target point set to 60% RH it’s sitting on standby as much as it’s on unless we are putting cars away wet.

I just got a Probreeze 10L piped to drain permanently. Ours is set to 60% aswell and from around October to March it’s kicking up to full power multiple times a day. Single skin brick garage and wooden roof. They seem to last about 2.5/ 3 years running flat out.

Dave!

[mik]

His underfloor heating and double/triple insulation sound great, but remind me never to ask Harry to explain how a fridge works….

[V8Granite]

Food goes in, food comes out, simple!

Dave!

[Brannen]

I like that everyone has glossed over the new M5 video (apart from the one comment) to talk about something else. I feel like that sums up the car for me.

[GG.]

I think GG is erroneously using his annual kWh figure as the cost. What I didn’t quite work out was if that was his total usage or just the excess used over what he generates from the solar and wind turbine.

This may be possible I was half listening and to be honest none of it was interesting enough to go back and watch again.

I know that my parents place up in yorkshire has a utilities bill probably running to half that figure and they don't have a pool / farm / outbuildings so seemed believable.

[Jobbo]

I think GG is erroneously using his annual kWh figure as the cost. What I didn’t quite work out was if that was his total usage or just the excess used over what he generates from the solar and wind turbine.

This may be possible I was half listening and to be honest none of it was interesting enough to go back and watch again.

I know that my parents place up in yorkshire has a utilities bill probably running to half that figure and they don't have a pool / farm / outbuildings so seemed believable.

I was fully listening and he did say something about 22,000 at one point I think, without stating whether it was £ or kWh, so I'm not in any way criticising you. I did a double take then realised it was consistent with his total usage.

[GG.]

I think GG is erroneously using his annual kWh figure as the cost. What I didn’t quite work out was if that was his total usage or just the excess used over what he generates from the solar and wind turbine.

This may be possible I was half listening and to be honest none of it was interesting enough to go back and watch again.

I know that my parents place up in yorkshire has a utilities bill probably running to half that figure and they don't have a pool / farm / outbuildings so seemed believable.

I was fully listening and he did say something about 22,000 at one point I think, without stating whether it was £ or kWh, so I'm not in any way criticising you. I did a double take then realised it was consistent with his total usage.

It was easy enough to find the bit - you were indeed correct 22,000 units and a total bill of £5k p.a. for electric (but has no gas or other costs) plus he's also charging cars on that. It looked like it had halved the bill from before the solar installation. All in all, pretty impressive really if you can afford the initial outlay which means you probably don't get your money back for a while.

[KiwiDave]

I just had a look at my spreadsheet for this, set up since we had solar. We consume on average 11,800 units per year (assuming a unit is a standard measurement which applies to UK and NZ (?)) but we paid £1700 last year for electric, of which £1120 was the power itself. On top of this we also use the 9kg gas bottle to run the main stove top, of which we'd do maybe 4 or 5 a year.

Interesting for me to see the difference in costs between the UK and NZ on this.

[Jobbo]

I just had a look at my spreadsheet for this, set up since we had solar. We consume on average 11,800 units per year (assuming a unit is a standard measurement which applies to UK and NZ (?)) but we paid £1700 last year for electric, of which £1120 was the power itself. On top of this we also use the 9kg gas bottle to run the main stove top, of which we'd do maybe 4 or 5 a year.

Interesting for me to see the difference in costs between the UK and NZ on this.

Are taxes and stuff about 50% on top of the electricity cost in NZ? A unit over here is a BTU still, I think, so maybe not the same as a unit in NZ. Though maybe it is, empire and all that

I don't think gas comes in 9kg bottles over here either; generally I only see 5kg and 13kg ones. I'm impressed that you can run your stove on 9kg bottles; I guess you always keep a full spare available.

[V8Granite]

Our Campingaz 2.75kg bottle has cooked every camping meal for about 8 weeks of camping cooking at least 2 meals for 4 a day.

I feel a bit stupid having a spare

Dave!

[mik]

We consume on average 11,800 units per year (assuming a unit is a standard measurement which applies to UK and NZ (?))

A unit over here is a BTU still, I think, so maybe not the same as a unit in NZ.

My power bills are all in kWh. Electricity (obvs) and gas (the meter measures cubic metres consumed, but converts that to kWh for the bill). Our electricity use is similar to yours Dave (assuming you are using kWh) but that's with one EV charging at home, and heating via gas.

[Jobbo]

We consume on average 11,800 units per year (assuming a unit is a standard measurement which applies to UK and NZ (?))

A unit over here is a BTU still, I think, so maybe not the same as a unit in NZ.

My power bills are all in kWh. Electricity (obvs) and gas (the meter measures cubic metres consumed, but converts that to kWh for the bill). Our electricity use is similar to yours Dave (assuming you are using kWh) but that's with one EV charging at home, and heating via gas.

Ah yes, I knew my bill was all in kWh but don't have gas and my old house had an old (really old) meter with a spinning disk that read the traditional units. There was a conversion on the bills. That was a 'unit' in the traditional sense; it's quite possible that NZ still uses those of course.

[Jobbo]

Just going back to the M5 review, I wasn't expecting his overall conclusion to be so positive. The steering and stability doesn't seem all that good, it's noisy which is quite unexpected for a big executive saloon and he didn't seem particularly enamoured with the interior. That drive through Wales clearly swayed his opinion. I don't want one. I'd rather have a Merc E53 AMG.

[mik]

@KiwiDave A quick google search suggests the average NZ price for electricity in 2024 was $0.3306, which is approx £0.15 per kWh.

UK average last year was around £0.255 per kWh.

So around 70% more expensive over here.

[Jobbo]

What is the main source of fuel for NZ electricity generation?

[mik]

Wallabies?

[Carlos]

What is the main source of fuel for NZ electricity generation?

75%+ stable renewables, I think they are world leaders in hydro power.

[Rich B]

Wallabies?

i think they’re a non-native pest over there, so probably all for using them as fuel!

[V8Granite]

What is the main source of fuel for NZ electricity generation?

75%+ stable renewables, I think they are world leaders in hydro power.

Similar to Norway then at 88%. Sadly the green cunts are blocking the hydros being updated and are trying to put windmills all over the countryside. If you have the ability to do Hydro it’s a wonderful power source and even battery like in nature as you can turn it on and off at will and regulate the load supply.

Dave!

[jamcg]

A unit over here is a BTU still, I think, so maybe not the same as a unit in NZ.

My power bills are all in kWh. Electricity (obvs) and gas (the meter measures cubic metres consumed, but converts that to kWh for the bill). Our electricity use is similar to yours Dave (assuming you are using kWh) but that's with one EV charging at home, and heating via gas.

Ah yes, I knew my bill was all in kWh but don't have gas and my old house had an old (really old) meter with a spinning disk that read the traditional units. There was a conversion on the bills. That was a 'unit' in the traditional sense; it's quite possible that NZ still uses those of course.

The old spinning disk has meters were imperial, the measured in cubic feet. New metric ones use cubic meters