2 hours free electricity WWYD?

[Soontobe60]

Today I have got 2 hours of free electricity via Octopus. If you had 2 free hours, what would you do with it?

I’m doing the following:

• as much laundry as I can using the dryer
• cooking a beef rendang, apple pie, and a load of roast spuds
• batch cooking individual meat pies
• turning the gas heating off and using an electric heater
• vacuuming everywhere then washing the vacuum head afterwards (IYKYK)

Turn everything off.

If I'm going to destroy the environment by inflating my carbon footprint, I at least want to be charged for it so I feel less guilty.

I'm going to charge my car, wash bedding then tumble dry it, run a cleaning cycle through the dishwasher and heat my living room with the electric fire.

We had this once so we both had long hot showers, charged the car, our washing machine take 3+ hours so didn't bother with laundry hoovered the entire house.

It's a reward for turning off during peak usage hours when the grid is under most pressure.

To be fair, you have to save energy on two hour-long sessions to gain a free hour. If people are using their free hours to get their washing done then they are just shifting their consumption. It's not like they're washing clean clothes for fun.

I've got my 2 hours from 1-3pm today. Not sure that we'll do much different. Cars are already charged and we only pay 3p/kWh overnight. Solar power running and it's sunny, so doubt we'll be using much anyway.

Vacuum cleaners use a fair bit of power.

You could overheat your house electrically say to 25C and they it would take ages to cool down.

You could use the immersion heater to get a free tank of hot water (if it still works because you haven't used it for years and it is now probably covered in scum).

The negatives are all this excessive consumption crammed into a small time could knacker your electrics, especially if the wiring is not in good shape.

I'll be using the washer at normal time and then the dryer then, thanks to that DH.

It really isn't. Free at the point of delivery, sure. Paid for at a different time of the day.

Google AI is your friend. It was able to tell me when my oven and washing machine used the most power over pyrolitic cleaning (oven), maintenance washes (dishwasher and washing machine).

We have sunshine and a lot of wind here, so sheets are going out to dry. Towels are getting a wash, finishing 5 minutes before my free hour, followed by a short wash of t shirts etc (both can have a go in the drier if need be).

Roast for lunch (incl yorkies)

Immersion heater on (we’ve all just had showers).
Dehumidifier on
Fan heaters on
Powerbanks recharging

I might mow the lawn and do some vacuuming if I’m feeling keen.

I’ve not managed more than £1.60 in a single weekend happy hour, but it gets the laundry done and the appliances clean/defrosted.

tbh we save a lot more money by not using a tumble dryer at all. We have a very small one for emergencies we use once every few months.

What do you mean by this?

I get free elec with EDF regularly. I use it for batch cooking and getting the laundry done and/or dried depending on how many hours.

Basically choose anything that involves heating something, those are the most expensive (alongside charging the car if you have an EV).

Then they should offer you free electricity 24/7, 365 days a year provided you turn everything off 24 hours a day 👍

I don’t know where you live but where I live it is dry and very windy. Washing will be drying very quickly on the line.

I'm afraid that if you don't understand the principle of rewarding people for powering down when the grid is under pressure and costs the most to produce, with a free hour to use when supply is plentiful, I can't help you. Have a great day.

😂

Oh I understand it perfectly well, I just don't think it's particularly considerate that I have to power down at a time of their choosing to be rewarded with free electricity at a time of their choosing. It's inconvenient, hence why I'd rather have the option to do it whenever it suits.

You don't have to. It's entirely your choice, obviously.

Octopus are paying US to use electricity today 😂

Washing machine on, tumble dryer on, car will be fully charged, casseroles in the oven, and a Victoria Sponge will be baked.

I would do more baking, but we're away next weekend, so it wouldn't get eaten.

Its not that hard. You pay more at a different time of day in exchange for a couple of hours free. It balances out. Large organisations are not stupid. They are run for their shareholders, not their customers. Nothing is free, it is paid for elsewhere. But it incentivises customers to act in a way that suits them.

Goodness me, it is blowy out there (and I am a long way from the storms today). I’ve had to double peg everything and reckon it will be dry within the hour.

I’d much rather customers have free leccie than have to pay the windfarm owners to NOT generate electricity. The National Grid badly needs updating.

It does seem quite hard for you to understand, to be fair.

Hope you feel better soon.

How do you know? Not had anything from Octopus and there is nothing on the app.

We use rechargeable lamps / bulbs - definitely get those all charged up, in fact anything in the house that can be charged