electricity comsumption strategy to keep the condo cool

[filipef]

I am a newbie when it comes to staying in a condo.

Due to some circunstances, my first one or two months i will have big expenses, so i have to take a more careful look on bills, like the electricity one.

I now stay in a condo facing north and i have been told that's better to keep it cooler. 

However, of course it gets too hot sometimes, so i have to combine the need of making it cool with the need of electric consumption saving.

Sometimes i keep the door slightly open, so the air can circulate. Some other times, i close all doors and backout curtains too, avoiding light and heat to come in.  In extreme case, i turn air con on, but i am aware it will reflects on the electric bill, if i am not frugal on that point.

This condo also has a celing fan, but i know nothing about it's consumptiom. Does any one know?

Any other strategy i should consider?

 

[Micky2]

Get used to the heat….. avoid going in and out of air-con buildings as much as possible. Ride a motorcycle or baht buses.

Get a condo or an apartment with openings on at least two sides, several floors off the ground. Leave the air-con off, open it up and let the breeze circulate. Sleep naked, without a blanket.

I learned to live without air-con in the several years I lived in Thailand, and was much healthier for it.

[Kandinski]

22 minutes ago, filipef said:

Any other strategy i should consider?

The difference maintaining a comfortable temperature versus suffering like a convict in Bangkok Hilton is likely less than 1 ST but OFC,  U2Y.

[Thomaz73]

34 minutes ago, filipef said:

now stay in a condo facing north

That's a good start.

Fans use next to no energy compared to AC. What I typically do is cool the bedroom down a bit before bed time using AC. Then fan for sleeping. Works a charm for me. I think my bill was around 3-400 baht last month. 

[Kale]

Fans during the day and aircon for sleeping.  I sleep on top of the blanket under the bedsheet.  I don't need the aircon nearly as cool when I do that.  Some guys don't use any cover at all but I can't get used to that.

Edited February 13, 2023 by Kale

[Rocketboy]

Get a fan I did and saw quite a reduction in my electric bill.

[Laawman]

If you do use a/c, then keep it to about 26 or 27. Come April, it's going to get a lot hotter.

[frantick]

Yes, a floor fan, much better than a ceiling fan. When really hot, I run the air for 15 minutes, room stays cool for a couple hours. 

[Arnie85]

Make sure your ceiling fan is spinning the right way. One way cools the other one heats. 

[Leo_Bia]

Get a couple of decent fans (they will pay for themselves) leave the aircon off, and acclimatise.

[filipef]

34 minutes ago, Arnie85 said:

Make sure your ceiling fan is spinning the right way. One way cools the other one heats. 

Sure, and south of Ecuador is the opposite, as not many know

[wadman]

As mentioned, get (at least one) floor fan. Open the balcony door, place the fan right up to it (blowing air into the condo), to draw in cooler air from the outside. Works especially well at night, when it's actually cooler outside. 

If/when it gets too hot to sleep without ac, I still leave the balcony door open with the fan there. I turn on the ac, and set it on a timer for 1 hour. 

[Rocketboy]

18 minutes ago, wadman said:

As mentioned, get (at least one) floor fan. Open the balcony door, place the fan right up to it (blowing air into the condo), to draw in cooler air from the outside. Works especially well at night, when it's actually cooler outside. 

If/when it gets too hot to sleep without ac, I still leave the balcony door open with the fan there. I turn on the ac, and set it on a timer for 1 hour. 

You have screen doors?

[Rocketboy]

2 hours ago, Laawman said:

If you do use a/c, then keep it to about 26 or 27. Come April, it's going to get a lot hotter.

26, 27 that would be hot air blowing from my aircons! 

Edited February 13, 2023 by Rocketboy

[jaynewcastle]

I've only once stayed in a place where I had to pay the electric, that was a 75m studio apartment in Karon, Phuket last year in Jan 2022 for 5 days

It wasn't a top floor apartment & didn't get direct sun at all after about 10am, & my electric bill was just over 100bt a day

Only had the AC on when I was in the room, but I like it about 22c

I'm always surprised when I see people say their electric bill for the entire month in Thailand is only 500bt or so

 

ps - my electric bill for last month in the UK (whilst I've been on holiday) was only £32/1280bt and the only thing I have on using electric is a 180cm tall fridge/freezer, everything else is turned off whilst I've been away. 

[vivid2]

3 hours ago, Arnie85 said:

Make sure your ceiling fan is spinning the right way. One way cools the other one heats. 

I think some folks think that you’re making a joke with this statement, but it’s true, and it makes a big difference in comfort levels if you spin it the way it was designed.  In hot weather the fan should turn counterclockwise to create a downdraft; and it should turn clockwise in the winter to create an updraft. 

https://www.hunterfan.com/blogs/hunter-blog/ceiling-fan-direction-for-summer-and-winter

[Thomaz73]

1 hour ago, jaynewcastle said:

always surprised when I see people say their electric bill for the entire month in Thailand is only 500bt or so

One aspect of this could be some places charging above "government rate" pr unit. That's a quite common thing. I don't think I have ever been above 500. And that includes some AC hungry ladies. 

[Pat56]

You can get portable AC type units at electrical dealers.

You put cold water in them and they have a fan built in to waft the cool air about the place.they work quite well in small areas and use a fraction of the electricity that an ac uses.

If you put ice in the water tank also it can get decidedly cold in a small room.

I can't remember what they are officially called but a hunt around any decent electrical shop should turn a few of them up.Im not on about an actual portable AC,that will save you nothing,the units I'm on about is a fan and a water tank combined only.you could also try putting a bucket of ice and cold water Infront of a regular fan and that might give a similar effect.

 

Edited February 13, 2023 by Pat56

[wadman]

8 hours ago, Rocketboy said:

You have screen doors?

No, what does that have to do with it? 

[lantern]

• 
   

I can't remember what they are officially called

 

Evaporative air conditioner. 

[Rocketboy]

5 hours ago, wadman said:

No, what does that have to do with it? 

Thanks for your No answer to my question! 555

Edited February 14, 2023 by Rocketboy

[Leo_Bia]

1 hour ago, lantern said:

Evaporative air conditioner. 

Thanks.

Would like to try one of these, but looking at Lazada there seems a confusing difference in price between them all.

Any recommendations would be most welcome.

[Rocketboy]

5 minutes ago, Leo_Bia said:

Thanks.

Would like to try one of these, but looking at Lazada there seems a confusing difference in price between them all.

Any recommendations would be most welcome.

Maybe Powerbuy, HomePro or Numchai.

[Leo_Bia]

4 minutes ago, Rocketboy said:

Maybe Powerbuy, HomePro or Numchai.

Thanks, but I was thinking more of model recommendations.

Those stores are fine for a browse, but I would always buy online now.

[ingo67]

My AC is normally on 14 hours night time, more in March and April, set at between 25-26C, Daikin Inverter, total electric with TV, Fridge Freezer, etc always less than 1000 Baht per month for a condo. Costs nothing to stay cool in Thailand, you'd blow more on a quiet night out in Tree Town.