ELECTRIC-TOWER CUTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22314, 26 April 1947, Page 4

ELECTRIC-TOWER CUTS

Sir, —I have spoken to a number of people who have this month’s electric-' ity account and, without exception, their accounts are all up approximately 7s. Can you tell me where the power saving comes in and just who is doing the power saving if the housewife s bill is larger? nqT UND ERSTOOD. Sir—One hears quite a few people vociferously complaining mat .men

electricity accounts are showing an increase despite the tact that their electric hot water services are cut. For their benefit here are the facts:— Assuming they have a 1000 W element in their heater, this would consume one unit per hour, or on the average 732 units per month for a total cost of 12s (id, about one-fifth of a penny per unit—a remarkably cheap service. The Power Board is forced to reduce power consumption, so hot v/ater services are cut. The consumer .then boils water in a kettle or on an element which we will presume consumes 1500 watts, or one and a half units per hour. The stove rate is one penny per unit or approximately five times higher that of the water-heating rate. Result: Reduced power consumption with more revenue to the board. CONSUMER. Sir, —I could not help being struck by the thinness of the argument advanced in your leader to account for the inequality of the power cuts. With regard to the essential services on the Mangapapa feeder:— (1) If the Cook Hospital has not yet installed its own standby power supply it is high time we had some changes on the Hospital Board as well as on the Power Board.

(2) The Derby street pumping station: I am sure this could be overcome by some emergency measure, e.g., a petrol engine could be installed. (3) I am reliably informed that the aerodrome radio station is completely independent, having its own emergency power plant for supplying both lights and radio communication. Now for some other constructive criticism. _For four years we endured an absolutely unnecessary shut-down on street lights. Now that it is necessary they blaze away every night. The temporary removal of waterheating is I consider, the least annoying of the power cuts (yes, I’m a man) particularly when one considers the enormous amount of power that can be saved The main disadvantage is that the Power Board is loath to discontinue such a lucrative side of its business (possibly the same applies to street lights). Most of the power consumed is used in maintaining the water hot (heat loss),,not in heating cold water, so that it' must be much more economical of power to heat the water ns required. Yet the installation of Zipp heaters is not permitted and has not been for some time. The reasons our power bills are no smaller, despite the restrictions and voluntary economies, are difficult to explain but, in my opinion, the reasons are as follows: (1) The voltage has been consistently below 230 volts; (2) the meters on the switch boards are current actuated devices and read ampere-hours not watt hours; (3) all devices which use a healed metal wire °r metal filament pass more current when cold or relatively cooler —which a U boils down to this: It takes more ampere hours to boil a given quantity of water at 200 volts than it does at 230 volts, but the same number of watt-hours; but our meters measure ampere-hours and the voltage is assumed to be 230. Hence if the voltage has been consistently 10 per cent, below normal the cost per unit (as read on the meter) should be proportionately reduced. “.CONSUMER?”