Fuel prices

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Pebble
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by Pebble »

pete75 wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 3:56pm
Pebble wrote: 10 Aug 2022, 3:51pm
pete75 wrote: 10 Aug 2022, 10:52am

The tractor in the first picture is nowhere near as big as any of the houses. It just looks like it because of foreshortening.
you do seem to have a bee in your bonnet on this don't you! My original comment of tractors being nearly as big as houses was a tongue in cheek comment and I woud imagine most woud have understood my exageration

However, and just playing here (so please don't take it too seriously)
Fast Tracs (that yellow tractor) about 5m in lenghth
it was pulling a full size tri axle flat bed (ex haulage) trailer so 13.5m
and it was pulling it on a dolly (add at least another 1.5m)

overall Length approx 20 meters (would be totally illegal for a haulier but rules for farmers is in a parallel universe)
and width 2.55m ?

giving a footprint of 51 sq meters

average house built in UK since 2010 = 67.8 sq meters
so if the average is 67.8 there will be plenty not much bigger than an agric tractor and trailer on harvest duties
67.8 sq metres? Seems rather small. Are you talking about normal houses for that people to live in or Wendy houses.

Not much bigger than a tractor and a trailer. Not the same thing as not much bigger than a tractor.
i will refer you to my earlier comment " My original comment of tractors being nearly as big as houses was a tongue in cheek comment and I would imagine most would have understood my exaggeration"
Biospace
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by Biospace »

Pebble wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 8:14am
pwa wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 4:41am Since hearing Paul Lewis on R4 stating that heating water by electricity costs us about four times what it does to heat it by burning gas, we have dug out a hob kettle and are boiling water on the gas hob for coffee and tea. And when I want a pan of water to cook pasta I am now putting the cold water directly into the pan to be heated on the gas hob rather than boiling water in the electric kettle and then pouring that in the pan. At least these concerns over energy costs are making us look afresh at our energy use habits.
I was going to say from an enviro point of view gas is more damaging (CO2) but a quick look at the figures shows it is greener to burn gas than use electric, makes no sense with all the wind solar and nuclear
Gas 185g co2/kwh

Electric 200-300g co2/kwh (depending if the wind is blowing)
with as of now 322g co2/kwh
https://electricityinfo.org/real-time-b ... ty-supply/

There's something I find mildly crazy using grid electricity or gas to heat water from April to October when there's more than enough solar radiation to do the job for free. Our power and energy grids are things of wonder which allow people to heat their food and houses at the touch of a switch as far away power stations heat water to turn steam turbines to generate electricity by burning oil or gas piped from drillings under the North Sea and elsewhere, with hardwood forests processed (with diesel) and shipped from America (this biomass is labelled 'environmentally friendly') or with controlled nuclear reactions.

The poorest communities in the world enjoy the freedoms of solar hot water, which often means a few truck inner tubes filled with water and left in the sun. Less poverty-struck nations use something a little less basic

solar-water-heaters-on-roof.jpg
but still reasonably straightforwards. Perhaps it's the complexity of the systems we use that more don't bother? Even plumbers struggle with making them work correctly.

Our fundamental electricity needs have plummeted in recent years to the point what was once needed for just two light bulbs will now power a good laptop, phone and multiple lights. Easily catered for in an emergency with a solar panel or two connected to a large leisure battery, and/or small petrol genny in winter. Which would also power up a gas boiler and central heating pump.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmdETutF3IM
Last edited by Biospace on 11 Aug 2022, 4:29pm, edited 1 time in total.
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PedallingSquares
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by PedallingSquares »

mjr wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 12:54pm
PedallingSquares wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 9:18am
al_yrpal wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 7:59am After one has used an induction hob you wouldnt want anything else.
Used,not impressed prefer gas.
I dislike them so much that I make sure any holiday let we use has a Gas hob.
What the heck did you dislike so much about them that you'd rather trust a gas-burner that has probably been abused 7 times since its last service and may well kill you personally as well as slowly kill us all?
Slow,little or no control.Basically not fit for purpose.
Gas is instant and the temperature control is instant.Gas hob/Electric oven.
Biospace
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by Biospace »

I've found the most controllable heat is wood, it can be so gentle across the whole underside of a casserole dish. If the heat grows too fierce on top of a stove, it's very easy to sit a pan on top of a few copper coins.

There's little more satisfying while cooking than to have a variety of wood types and sizes of kindling with which to control the fire, the food always tastes better! When camping, most of our cooking is done on a wood stove - if there's time, from scratch, not simply heating something through.
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mjr
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by mjr »

PedallingSquares wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 4:27pm
mjr wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 12:54pm What the heck did you dislike so much about [induction hobs] that you'd rather trust a gas-burner that has probably been abused 7 times since its last service and may well kill you personally as well as slowly kill us all?
Slow,little or no control.Basically not fit for purpose.
Gas is instant and the temperature control is instant.Gas hob/Electric oven.
I don't recognise that description of an induction hob. Ours is as fast as the kettle and has 11 power steps giving more control than we ever had over a gas burner (our last Cannon hob realistically had full, low and maybe about two useful notches in between). Temperature control is almost as instant: we just have to remember to let the new power setting take effect before changing it again... but worst case, any spills are simply wiped up. Waiting for the hob to cool so you can scrape burnt offerings out of the ring wells is a thing of the past.

Maybe you could try a holiday rental with an induction hob like a Gorenje or a Bosch so you can try a decent one with low risk?
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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al_yrpal
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by al_yrpal »

A cheap poor saucepan can make an induction hob very slow. I bought a cheap John Lewis pan and it was terrible. I took it back for a refund, perhaps PS experienced that?
Having had both gas and Neff induction I know an induction hob boils things in a fraction of the time of gas, is almost infinitely variable, and its simple to clean.
To replace our gas Aga hobs whilst its switched off we bought a 2 burner Vonchef induction hob that sits on a worktop and works from a normal 13 amp socket. Its terrific.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
Pebble
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by Pebble »

Biospace wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 4:21pm
There's something I find mildly crazy using grid electricity or gas to heat water from April to October when there's more than enough solar radiation to do the job for free. Our power and energy grids are things of wonder which allow people to heat their food and houses at the touch of a switch as far away power stations heat water to turn steam turbines to generate electricity by burning oil or gas piped from drillings under the North Sea and elsewhere, with hardwood forests processed (with diesel) and shipped from America (this biomass is labelled 'environmentally friendly') or with controlled nuclear reactions.
possibly a bit pushed to achieve that here in Scotland, weeks of persistant low cloud are not uncommon at any time of the year, an water hot enough for a brew at 6am
pete75
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by pete75 »

Pebble wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 4:12pm i will refer you to my earlier comment " My original comment of tractors being nearly as big as houses was a tongue in cheek comment and I would imagine most would have understood my exaggeration"
Sounded far too Jeremy Clarksonish for my liking.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
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PedallingSquares
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by PedallingSquares »

mjr wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 5:03pm Maybe you could try a holiday rental with an induction hob like a Gorenje or a Bosch so you can try a decent one with low risk?
Tried,off the top of my head,a Bosch,a Neff and a Zanussi and I just don't get it at all.I think they're worse than the old thing my gran had in the 70s with the coiled ring.Not as bad as those electric plate hobs though.
We stayed at a place in the Cotswolds and it had a Neff induction hobs and very specific instruction for cleaning the pans...NO DISHWASHER!
TBF they were nice pans for a rental,also had good knives too which isn't common either.But I digress the hob was still not my cup of tea.
hemo
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by hemo »

Dual fuel biil for last month was £74 and four previous were cheaper. my gas was £15 yet only £7 was for actual gas used for the month. The public are being taken for aride with the standard daily charge, a quarter of my leccy charge wasn't for energy used.
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Sweep
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by Sweep »

gbnz wrote: 10 Aug 2022, 4:18pm
Mick F wrote: 10 Aug 2022, 8:58am
There is no way that our bills will come anywhere near £4,200 pa.
I
+ 1. I only put the heating on for two ten minute spells around Christmas last year and a few 1 minute bursts January - February to make sure the pipes didn't freeze. It's possible the bill may triple this year and who know's, perhaps it'll be £90 over the winter :shock:.

It's rather like my petrol and/or diesel bills, they've totalled £0.00 per annum for a few years now.
very abstemious for sure. So with the winter support paid direct to your supplier fuel account are you expecting to be quids in?

where are you by the way? ie how cold will it get?
Sweep
gbnz
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by gbnz »

Sweep wrote: 12 Aug 2022, 7:54am [So with the winter support paid direct to your supplier fuel account are you expecting to be quids in?

where are you by the way? ie how cold will it get?
Yep, should make a fair bit from fuel payments this year. I'm up on near the moors in Northumberland, where it rarely gets that cold. Maybe -7 on a bad day and a dusting of a foot or two of snow back in the 80's.

Nothing like attending primary school in Canada, where the school would only close if it dropped below -25, or the snow was over 15' depth. Obviously we were always warned not to touch metal outside in the winter, as your skin would peel off due to instant freezing :? We don't even have to wear snow trousers in Northumberland and the house taps don't need to be left running, to prevent freezing.
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Sweep
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by Sweep »

pwa wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 4:41am Since hearing Paul Lewis on R4 stating that heating water by electricity costs us about four times what it does to heat it by burning gas, we have dug out a hob kettle and are boiling water on the gas hob for coffee and tea. And when I want a pan of water to cook pasta I am now putting the cold water directly into the pan to be heated on the gas hob rather than boiling water in the electric kettle and then pouring that in the pan. At least these concerns over energy costs are making us look afresh at our energy use habits.
interesting - I always had the idea for years that gas was cheaper than electricity but had the vague idea that the difference had narrowed over the years. Didn't realise it was actually four times. I never thought the gap was that big in years of old.
I have used a small kettle on a gas hob for quite a while for teas and coffees - also allows me to just heat one cup full very easily - just measure it and chuck it in the kettle.
Sweep
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Sweep
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by Sweep »

mjr wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 5:03pm Temperature control is almost as instant: we just have to remember to let the new power setting take effect before changing it again... but worst case, any spills are simply wiped up.
er temp control asfast BUT you have to REMEMBER to LET THE POWER SETTING TAKE EFFECT.?
Something doesn't follow there.
plus the spills (boiling over I assume) you refer to pretty much says there's a delay
Sweep
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Sweep
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Re: Fuel prices

Post by Sweep »

gbnz wrote: 12 Aug 2022, 8:43am
Sweep wrote: 12 Aug 2022, 7:54am [So with the winter support paid direct to your supplier fuel account are you expecting to be quids in?

where are you by the way? ie how cold will it get?
Yep, should make a fair bit from fuel payments this year. I'm up on near the moors in Northumberland, where it rarely gets that cold. Maybe -7 on a bad day and a dusting of a foot or two of snow back in the 80's.

Nothing like attending primary school in Canada, where the school would only close if it dropped below -25, or the snow was over 15' depth. Obviously we were always warned not to touch metal outside in the winter, as your skin would peel off due to instant freezing :? We don't even have to wear snow trousers in Northumberland and the house taps don't need to be left running, to prevent freezing.
minus 7 sounds pretty damn cold to me.
I know you reffered to pipes above but aren't you worried about your pipes bursting?
Sweep
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