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Electric propagator

valerierobertsvalerieroberts Posts: 726
in Tools and techniques
Electric propagator 55 cm long. The one that sits on the window sill.  Can anyone give me an idea how much this cost in terms of electricity to run for 24 hours. I always place it on polystyrene so that it’s got help to keep warm. It’s in an Unheated porch facing south. I plan to put it on in February. Thanks Valerie 

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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,313
    It won't cost much.
    How much depends on the wattage of the propagator and the length of time the heating is on, and what you pay for a unit of electricity.
    Assuming the wattage is 100W and that the propagator is heating for 15 hours a day and that a unit of electricity is 20p (you'll find the cost per unit on your bill), your daily cost would be around 30p.

    100W x 15 hours = 1.5Kwh
    1 Kwh (1 unit) is 20p so 1.5 units will be 30p
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • valerierobertsvalerieroberts Posts: 726
    Thanks @Pete.8 this propagator has been my main starter for seeds for the last 20 years, it doesn’t owe me anything. As the years go by the price of electricity has gone up so much that it is now something to take into consideration. Valerie 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,313
    Very true Valerie - I've been checking my appliances to find which are the most expensive to run.
    I bought something similar to this many years ago
    https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Monitor-Backlight-Electricity-Consumption-Analyzer/dp/B085S7Q1T4/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=kwh+meter&qid=1643195640&sprefix=kwh%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-5
    You plug this gadget into the socket and them plug the appliance into it and it will tell you how many units of electricity it uses.
    The cost per unit is on your bill so it's just a matter of multiplying the 2 together to give the cost.

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • valerierobertsvalerieroberts Posts: 726
    @Pete.8 I can manage approx 30 p a day, especially for the joy it gives me seeing the sturdy plants with so much hope for the future crop. I’ve got a lighting system now though that is LED to cut the cost of the lighting. Thanks for the information. Valerie 
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