Cut peak power costs with smart scheduling, LED upgrades and Shelly load control.
Estimate possible savings from LED lighting, hot water scheduling, dishwashers, heat pumps, spa pools, pool pumps and EV charging. Then see which loads could be controlled or shifted outside expensive peak power times.
High-impact energy saving checks around your home.
This page helps homeowners spot common causes of high power bills and understand which upgrades or schedules may be worth looking at first.
Hot water timing
A 3kW hot water element running during peak rates can add up quickly. Smart lockout schedules can shift heating to cheaper times.
LED lighting upgrades
Replacing old 50W halogens with 10W LEDs can cut lighting load by around 80%, especially in homes with many downlights.
Heat pump usage
Heat pumps use most power at start-up or when working hard. Pre-heating, sensible settings and clean filters all help.
Spa pools
Spa heating and filtering can quietly become a major load. Timers and smart scheduling can reduce expensive peak-time running.
Pool pumps
Pool pumps often run for hours per day. Shifting pump operation outside peak windows can reduce monthly running costs.
EV charging
EV charging is one of the biggest flexible loads in a home. Night-rate charging can be much cheaper than peak charging.
Shift the big loads, not your whole lifestyle.
Hot water cylinders, pool pumps, spa pools and EV chargers are often the easiest loads to move away from peak power times. With the right relay, contactor or timer setup, your home can quietly run more of these loads when electricity is cheaper.
Smart power savings estimator.
Open the sections that apply to your home and enter your power rates. The calculator estimates monthly and yearly savings from shifting flexible loads away from expensive peak power periods.
Enter your power rates
A Shelly Smart Relay can be programmed to lock out your hot water cylinder during expensive peak power times, so it only heats when electricity is cheaper. This can reduce running costs without replacing the cylinder.
Electric underfloor heating feels great, but if it runs during peak power every day it can quietly become expensive. A timer, thermostat or smart relay can help pre-warm the floor outside peak rate periods.
Clothes dryers can use a noticeable amount of power, but many loads do not need to run during peak times. Delayed start, smart plugs where suitable, or simple habit changes can reduce the cost per load.
Using delay start can shift dishwasher cycles away from peak power periods. The saving per cycle is smaller than hot water or EV charging, but it still adds up over time.
The calculator assumes about 20 minutes at higher load, then reduced inverter running once the room approaches temperature. Actual use varies with room size, insulation, outdoor temperature and set point.
Spa pools can use a lot of power for heating and filtration. Smart scheduling can reduce peak-time usage by shifting heating or circulation periods to cheaper electricity rates where suitable.
A Shelly Smart Relay can schedule your pool pump to run outside peak power periods. Pool pumps often run for several hours a day, so shifting this load can reduce monthly power costs.
If your EV charger does not have a built-in timer, a smart relay or load-control setup can help schedule charging outside peak power times. Charging overnight can be significantly cheaper than charging during peak evening rates.
This calculator is an estimate only. Actual savings depend on your retailer, power plan, equipment, household habits, installation setup, weather and usage patterns.
Energy saving ideas worth checking first.
Tap each section to expand.
Want to know where your power is going?
CO Electrical can help with LED upgrades, heat pump servicing, Shelly smart monitoring, hot water control, timers, fault checks and practical advice for homes around Te Awamutu, Waipa and Cambridge.