word power

Watts & Watt-Hours

Derivation: The watt as a unit (technically one joule per second) For any electrical load with a constant energy draw, you
was originally proposed in 1882 to honor James Watt, a British can measure the wattage and then multiply by the hours of
engineer who invented an improved steam engine, and coined the use. For instance, if your favorite desk lamp draws 20 watts
term “horsepower.” (you’ve already upgraded to an efficient compact fluorescent
When Americans measure how fast and how far a vehicle bulb) and you use it four hours a day, the energy load is
is traveling, we use a rate of miles per hour and a quantity 80 watt-hours per day.
of miles. When we measure water flowing, it’s in gallons Appliances that cycle on and off—such as your
per minute and gallons. When we measure refrigerator, washer, or coffee maker—take
electrical energy use, the rate is watts and the a different approach. Plug the appliance
50 60 70
quantity is watt-hours. 40 Watts 80
into the meter and leave it for a few days
If you don’t know the difference between 30 90 or a week. When your test period is done,
a mile and a mile per hour, you’ll never 20 100 divide the KWH consumed by the hours the
understand distance and speed. Get the basic 10 110
appliance was plugged into the meter, and
distinction between watts and watt-hours into multiply by 24 to get KWH per day. Then
0 0 0 0 120
your head and you’ll be on your way to Watt-Hours
visit the American Council for an Energy
understanding how you use electrical energy Efficient Economy and Energy Star Web
Watt = Rate of Energy Use
in your home—and how to reduce the waste. sites for energy-efficient appliance electrical
Watt-Hour = Quantity of Energy
A typical inefficient American home uses consumption, so you can decide whether it’s
the energy equivalent of between 25,000 and 100,000 watt- time to upgrade your appliances to more efficient ones.
hours (25–100 kilowatt-hours; KWH) of electricity each day, If you want to get a handle on our home’s energy usage,
depending on its size, number of occupants, location, heat understanding the difference between a watt and a watt-hour
source, etc. Most analyses show that heating and cooling use is the first step. Then you need to buy a meter and get to work
45 to 55 percent of a home’s energy. Water heating comes in on finding out where your watt-hours are going. Determined
second, using 13 to 21 percent. Refrigeration may use 5 to homeowners can cut their energy use by one third or more by
8 percent, lighting 7 to 10 percent, and other appliances and implementing energy efficiency and conservation measures.
electronics, 20 to 30 percent. Give yourself a goal to reduce your energy use, and start
But what’s more important than where the energy goes in identifying and eliminating those wasteful watt-hours today!
some fictitious “typical” home is where it goes in your home.
And there’s nothing you can read here that will tell you Access
that—you need to measure it! Ian Woofenden, PO Box 1001, Anacortes, WA 98221 •
To measure electrical energy usage of appliances in your [email protected]
home, you need a meter that measures watts and watt-hours.
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy •
Several manufacturers make such meters, including popular
www.aceee.org
brands such as the Kill A Watt meter from P3 International,
the Watt’s Up meter from Electronic Educational Devices, and Energy Star • www.energystar.gov
the Digital Power Meter from Brand Electronics.
“Finding the Phantoms: Eliminate Standby Energy Loss,”
Buy one of these meters today, and you can begin to
Joe Schwartz, HP117
sleuth out where your electricity dollars are going—appliance
by appliance. Plug your meter into a wall socket, and start Watt/Watt-Hour Meters:
checking appliances with it. Read the watts display, and you Digital Power Meter • Brand Electronics •
will see the rate of energy use for the appliance you’re testing. www.brandelectronics.com
If your TV is drawing 10 watts even when its power switch is
Kill A Watt • P3 International • www.p3international.com
off, it’s using 10 watt-hours per hour, or 240 watt-hours per
day. (See Joe Schwartz’s article on phantom loads in HP117 Watt’s Up • Electronic Educational Devices •
for more information about how to identify and eliminate www.doubleed.com
small, hidden loads like this.)

116 home power 119 / june & july 2007