What is your average utility cost per month? - Page 3

gasstingy · 12-20-13, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stefanc

No water/sewer/gas bill.

I'm working on a build it solar-style hot water tank now that will be fed from a coil on the woodstove and from three 3x8 hot water panels on the roof. I have an airTap that will be used as a backup also feeding the tank. Even if the backup runs all the time, I should be saving a bunch over the current heater.

This looks to me like you must have a well for water?

Do you have a thread on the hot water setup? I've spent some time over at build it solar myself and am interested in that too.

stefanc · 12-20-13, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gasstingy

This looks to me like you must have a well for water?

Do you have a thread on the hot water setup? I've spent some time over at build it solar myself and am interested in that too.

Yes, we've got a well and septic system.

I haven't started a thread yet because the project has been going really slow since I've been very busy during the summer. Once I get further along I plan on starting a thread.

gasstingy · 12-23-13, 05:31 PM

Now that the thread was bumped, I took a look at the year to see how we did. To set the background: We have updated a few things since last year, so it wasn't just being careful that got us where we are. We have a gas water heater and we have a septic system.

First real change happened 12/17/12 when we were finally commissioned by our utility to operate our solar arrays. We have 1050W array 6 x 175W Sharp with Enphase Inverters and we have 24 x 240W Sharp with an SMA 5000. I don't know how well I am pleased with the choice of this Sunny Boy as I've never seen output above 5110W, where I have seen the little Enphase array over 1050W when really clear & cold. My installer said something about low voltage dropping out if we used a 6000 instead of the 5000.

Next, after an energy audit to verify I wasn't making a huge mistake again, we removed our 3.5 ton {oversized from day 1} 12 SEER AC unit with its 77% efficient gas furnace and replaced it with a 2 ton SEER 19 variable speed Maytag with a 10 HSPF heat pump for heat. This was on 7/19/13 and on 7/23/13 we added 10" more cellulose insulation so we would be closer to optimum sizing on the 2 ton unit.

So, for electricity, we spent $161.69 Jan thru Mar and then the Electric Cooperative figured out how to prepare a bill with a renewable energy system. I had lobbied them for two and a half years to get it approved and was the very first one connected, so this wasn't too big of a surprise. Since then we've ran a credit the remainder of the year money wise. We consumed 4971 kWh of electricity and we made {from 12/17/12 thru 12/16/13} 9,176 kWh. As they only are required to pay me once a year by TVA rules, I expect to get the first check in April of 2014. Currently they owe me $1,095.58 but I expect that number to taper off in Jan and Feb and then start improving in Mar.

For gas, we used exactly 500 ccf and spent $613.96.

For water, we used about 20,000. I don't know 20,000 of what, it may be hundreds or thousands of gallons. I do know we only exceeded the base charge 3 times during the year. We spent $159.66 for the year, or $13.31 monthly.

Garbage is billed separately at $46.32 per quarter, or $14.11 monthly.

Next year I anticipate the gas bill to average about $15.00 a month and the water to stay the same. I don't expect to use more electricity over the course of the year than we generate, so if they credit us next month we may pay some before the weather improves enough for us to go back to generating a surplus. I LOVE SOLAR ENERGY!

stevehull · 12-23-13, 06:03 PM

I am the winner - or looser depending.

Two houses (total 4000 ft sq), barns, barn office, home office and summer irrigation of pastures. About $220 per month ($0.09/kWhr).

About 3700 heating DD and 1900 cooling DD. Summer well use (irrigation) is a killer and looking to put in a 10 kW PV grid tie system when I can come up with the $.

Steve

12-23-13, 06:03 PM	#24
stevehull Steve Hull Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: hilly, tree covered Arcadia, OK USA Posts: 826 Thanks: 241 Thanked 165 Times in 123 Posts	I am the winner - or looser depending. Two houses (total 4000 ft sq), barns, barn office, home office and summer irrigation of pastures. About $220 per month ($0.09/kWhr). About 3700 heating DD and 1900 cooling DD. Summer well use (irrigation) is a killer and looking to put in a 10 kW PV grid tie system when I can come up with the $. Steve __________________ consulting on geothermal heating/cooling & rational energy use since 1990

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12-23-13, 05:31 PM	#23
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	Now that the thread was bumped, I took a look at the year to see how we did. To set the background: We have updated a few things since last year, so it wasn't just being careful that got us where we are. We have a gas water heater and we have a septic system. First real change happened 12/17/12 when we were finally commissioned by our utility to operate our solar arrays. We have 1050W array 6 x 175W Sharp with Enphase Inverters and we have 24 x 240W Sharp with an SMA 5000. I don't know how well I am pleased with the choice of this Sunny Boy as I've never seen output above 5110W, where I have seen the little Enphase array over 1050W when really clear & cold. My installer said something about low voltage dropping out if we used a 6000 instead of the 5000. Next, after an energy audit to verify I wasn't making a huge mistake again, we removed our 3.5 ton {oversized from day 1} 12 SEER AC unit with its 77% efficient gas furnace and replaced it with a 2 ton SEER 19 variable speed Maytag with a 10 HSPF heat pump for heat. This was on 7/19/13 and on 7/23/13 we added 10" more cellulose insulation so we would be closer to optimum sizing on the 2 ton unit. So, for electricity, we spent $161.69 Jan thru Mar and then the Electric Cooperative figured out how to prepare a bill with a renewable energy system. I had lobbied them for two and a half years to get it approved and was the very first one connected, so this wasn't too big of a surprise. Since then we've ran a credit the remainder of the year money wise. We consumed 4971 kWh of electricity and we made {from 12/17/12 thru 12/16/13} 9,176 kWh. As they only are required to pay me once a year by TVA rules, I expect to get the first check in April of 2014. Currently they owe me $1,095.58 but I expect that number to taper off in Jan and Feb and then start improving in Mar. For gas, we used exactly 500 ccf and spent $613.96. For water, we used about 20,000. I don't know 20,000 of what, it may be hundreds or thousands of gallons. I do know we only exceeded the base charge 3 times during the year. We spent $159.66 for the year, or $13.31 monthly. Garbage is billed separately at $46.32 per quarter, or $14.11 monthly. Next year I anticipate the gas bill to average about $15.00 a month and the water to stay the same. I don't expect to use more electricity over the course of the year than we generate, so if they credit us next month we may pay some before the weather improves enough for us to go back to generating a surplus. I LOVE SOLAR ENERGY!