Periodic base load: What could it be?

H

Harmonic

Executive Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
6,540
Reaction score
9,786
Location
Cape Town
Since getting a backup system I've been actively trying to reduce the nightly base load of my house. I've managed to get it down to about 90W with only the following running:
  • 5x IP cameras
  • 1x NVR
  • 1x Mikrotik router
  • 3x PoE APs
  • 4x 2-5W LED lights
  • 1x Raspberry Pi
I've noticed consistently that something is drawing about 90W for 10-15 minutes every 30 to 50 minutes. You can see the spikes in the graph below:

1684652837515.png

Anyone seen something similar of have an idea of what it could be? I thought maybe it could be the inverter topping up a little bit used from the batteries but looking at that graph it doesn't make sense. Here's the battery current graph over the same time period:

1684653002102.png

Just for reference, the house doesn't have any electric geysers.
 
That is very good
My night time load is between 130 and 150 watts
My running gear is similar to yours, add VOIP phone system, various audio devices on standby (total 3.5 watts), garage door motor with battery charger
As the gent above says, it can be a fridge. I have 2 Bosch A++ fridges and these each use 85 and 90 watts and obviously come on now and then
 
90w is great my base load is 170w then with fridge and freezer it goes to 290w when they kick in.
 
Harmonic said:
Since getting a backup system I've been actively trying to reduce the nightly base load of my house. I've managed to get it down to about 90W with only the following running:
  • 5x IP cameras
  • 1x NVR
  • 1x Mikrotik router
  • 3x PoE APs
  • 4x 2-5W LED lights
  • 1x Raspberry Pi
I've noticed consistently that something is drawing about 90W for 10-15 minutes every 30 to 50 minutes. You can see the spikes in the graph below:

View attachment 1527427

Anyone seen something similar of have an idea of what it could be? I thought maybe it could be the inverter topping up a little bit used from the batteries but looking at that graph it doesn't make sense. Here's the battery current graph over the same time period:

View attachment 1527429

Just for reference, the house doesn't have any electric geysers.
Click to expand...
It's probably your fridge. Mine does the same.

IMG_1440.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Lol, of course! It must be the fridge. Forgot about it somehow. I'm going to switch it off for four hours tonight to confirm but I think it being the fridge is on the money. Thanks all!
 
chrisc said:
That is very good
My night time load is between 130 and 150 watts
My running gear is similar to yours, add VOIP phone system, various audio devices on standby (total 3.5 watts), garage door motor with battery charger
As the gent above says, it can be a fridge. I have 2 Bosch A++ fridges and these each use 85 and 90 watts and obviously come on now and then
Click to expand...
The fridge in question is also a Bosch A++ so makes sense completely.
 
I can't get under 700W at night. I think the culprit is there's 2 outside lights in the driveway using some very strange massive round light fitting with transformers inside and something called a Philips HP Sodium Ignitor. I don't know if they're considered energy saving or not but the transformer is making me sus...
 
neoprema said:
I can't get under 700W at night. I think the culprit is there's 2 outside lights in the driveway using some very strange massive round light fitting with transformers inside and something called a Philips HP Sodium Ignitor. I don't know if they're considered energy saving or not but the transformer is making me sus...
Click to expand...
Very possible that they're 250W globes. Perhaps easiest to turn them off to check.
 
Speedster said:
Very possible that they're 250W globes. Perhaps easiest to turn them off to check.
Click to expand...
Those old outdoor lights were chompers of electricity. The smallest I've seen is 150w bulbs and it has 2 of them. Normally they are pir so only come on once in awhile
 
Wouldn't mind 90W at all! Best I can get to currently myself is 120W and averaging around 250-300W.

Have some improvements I can think of which I'll get to eventually.

My killer at this stage is the geysers and getting the timing on them right/convincing my wife she doesn't really need to shower twice a day.

First big spike is the geyser that supplies the kids and household with hot water, second is for main bathroom.

From there on I cover most of what we need during the day from PV (pool pump, washing machines, etc.). Geysers heat up during the day using evacuated tubes and get a top up in the evening if they aren't at 55c.

Then everyone starts using hot water
a43ca88d8b4f49d895b46a271ab48f66.jpg
 
Arzy said:
Wouldn't mind 90W at all! Best I can get to currently myself is 120W and averaging around 250-300W.

Have some improvements I can think of which I'll get to eventually.

My killer at this stage is the geysers and getting the timing on them right/convincing my wife she doesn't really need to shower twice a day.

First big spike is the geyser that supplies the kids and household with hot water, second is for main bathroom.

From there on I cover most of what we need during the day from PV (pool pump, washing machines, etc.). Geysers heat up during the day using evacuated tubes and get a top up in the evening if they aren't at 55c.

Then everyone starts using hot water
a43ca88d8b4f49d895b46a271ab48f66.jpg
Click to expand...
No smart timer? That's probably the quickest and cheapest fix. Run it midday for a few hours, 30-60 minutes after everyone showers in the evening and 30-60 minutes before everyone showers in the morning...
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
No smart timer? That's probably the quickest and cheapest fix. Run it midday for a few hours, 30-60 minutes after everyone showers in the evening and 30-60 minutes before everyone showers in the morning...
Click to expand...
That basically what I am doing trying to figure out how to cut down further. Each geyser basically runs for 90 minutes a day max now
 
Lupus said:
What are you running? I mean my Xbox on standby is that
Click to expand...
Mikrotik router, Wi-Fi AP, 2x Raspberry Pi, one for solar assistant, one for AdGuard home.
When the fridge turns on, it jumps to about 90w.

The above is pure idle. When I turn on the PC, TV or anything else it starts chowing. This is basically my draw during the day if I'm not at home.

Edit: Here's the draw when the PC and fridge are both on, with all of the above.

1684670442154.png
 
Grieta Thanburg said:
Mikrotik router, Wi-Fi AP, 2x Raspberry Pi, one for solar assistant, one for AdGuard home.
When the fridge turns on, it jumps to about 90w.

The above is pure idle. When I turn on the PC, TV or anything else it starts chowing. This is basically my draw during the day if I'm not at home.
Click to expand...
Yeah daytime when nobody is home is always low. It's basically just routers, fridges and stuff on standby.

What's your night time base when you're sleeping? That's when outside lights etc start pushing things up...
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
Yeah daytime when nobody is home is always low. It's basically just routers, fridges and stuff on standby.

What's your night time base when you're sleeping? That's when outside lights etc start pushing things up...
Click to expand...
I only recently bought a property, and it's brand new. It still needs lots of work, such as burglar bars and security gates...

I certainly don't want to be the only one in my street lighting up my house during loadshedding in the middle of the night, showing everyone walking by I have solar with no security. :X3:

For now my night pull is the same as my day idle for this reason.
 
Arzy said:
Wouldn't mind 90W at all! Best I can get to currently myself is 120W and averaging around 250-300W.

Have some improvements I can think of which I'll get to eventually.

My killer at this stage is the geysers and getting the timing on them right/convincing my wife she doesn't really need to shower twice a day.

First big spike is the geyser that supplies the kids and household with hot water, second is for main bathroom.

From there on I cover most of what we need during the day from PV (pool pump, washing machines, etc.). Geysers heat up during the day using evacuated tubes and get a top up in the evening if they aren't at 55c.

Then everyone starts using hot water
a43ca88d8b4f49d895b46a271ab48f66.jpg
Click to expand...
Yea if a person could have a bigger tank or 2 inline tanks

You could defer the load to next day, could have the second geyser temp set high too

That geyser could be set to only run via timer/dry contacts while sun is out and battery is full
ie a dump load that is where i want to go with my setup

ie a second tank is cheaper than the battery to power it after hrs

The bigger the tank the longer you can timeshift
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X