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Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: Alex133 on February 29, 2012, 07:57:02

Title: Cost of running heated propagator
Post by: Alex133 on February 29, 2012, 07:57:02: Wondered how much it costs to run a heated windowsill propagator? Be difficult without it but guess the costs could run up quite a bit over 3 weeks to a month of use.
Title: Re: Cost of running heated propagator
Post by: goodlife on February 29, 2012, 08:06:56: If you post some electrical information about your propagator, I'm sure some clever dickey will calculate a cost for you. ;D I can't claim being one and its too early to get my head around such a things.. ::) (my excuse for lazy brains ;))
Title: Re: Cost of running heated propagator
Post by: pumkinlover on February 29, 2012, 08:08:29: If it has got the wattage on you should be able to work it out.
If it is like mine it has not got a thermostat so it will be on 24/7.
Title: Re: Cost of running heated propagator
Post by: daveyboi on February 29, 2012, 08:35:44: Mine is 13watt and a quick calculation at 11p per unit for being on 24 hours a day for 24 days is just under 90p.

(Note mine is thermostatically controlled so doubt it would use that much in a month but it would depend on room temperature where it was sited)
Title: Re: Cost of running heated propagator
Post by: northener on February 29, 2012, 08:58:09: Get yourselfs a 24hr timer you know the ones with little segments you push in or out? 1 hr on 1 hr off cuts cost by half .
Title: Re: Cost of running heated propagator
Post by: galina on February 29, 2012, 09:55:55: Quote from: daveyboi on February 29, 2012, 08:35:44
Mine is 13watt and a quick calculation at 11p per unit for being on 24 hours a day for 24 days is just under 90p.

(Note mine is thermostatically controlled so doubt it would use that much in a month but it would depend on room temperature where it was sited)

We pay more for daytime electricity and less for economy 7 at night. Mine works out roughly 1 kilowatthour every 3 days, 10 per month. Costs just under 3 pounds for the time the propagator needs to run here. As it is located indoors, any excess heat helps to keep the house warm (in a small way). Overall the cost is not worth worrying about. Thank you for getting us to think about the cost, have never bothered here and should have. This was very useful.
Title: Re: Cost of running heated propagator
Post by: Aden Roller on March 01, 2012, 00:42:01: This year I have the use of my Dad's thermostatically controlled proppothingy.

Being ~~mean~~ ~~broke~~ early retired and on a pension I intend to use the propagator in the conservatory during the day as its warm there. At night, when environmental temperatures drop, I'll bring it into the house as it's warmer - providing it's not too heavy fully loaded. Hopefully this will help reduce running costs.

I'm told 1000w costs around 10p an hour if that's any help in calculating running costs.
Title: Re: Cost of running heated propagator
Post by: daveyboi on March 01, 2012, 06:46:27: In the spring of 2010 I had a meter on my soil warming cable that is in my coldframe.. Glass size is 18" x 24" so about 3ft x 2ft overall size.

(http://daveyboi.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/coldframe_thumb.jpg)

I used it for about 5 -6 weeks and at the beginning it was on 24 hours a day but as things warmed up I put it on a timer so it was off from about 8am to 5pm and right at the end off about 5am on at 8pm.

( I suppose I should of bought a thermostat ;D )

Anyway it used 29 units in the end. It was a 20 foot parasene cable.