Electricity usage

[JRH02]

When we chose the place to build and retire we knew it would be off grid. If there was power available we'd have hooked into it but there was no option for that. Same for any utility - including a decent (1 bar+) cell signal. No county services or mail/deliveries. So it was solar. This was 15+ years ago.

Solar is my hobby now, although there's not much to do anymore. The biggest maintenance item is to fill the tank and change oil on the generator when there has been several days of heavy overcast. When this project developed we had no idea of what would happen with electrical rates, electric cars, dirty petroleum and all the other stuff. We just changed the way we live to suit and I can tell you it wasn't any big deal, for us anyway. We get by without AC when its 105f without discomfort. We don't allow hair driers or curling irons/straighteners when visitors are here. They would be OK but its our way of letting them know there are limits here.

You know when we have problems? Dealing with city people. We have an address given by the county offices but USPS doesn't recognize it. So insurance, financial, even a pharmacy, driver license/plates and much more all tilt because EVERYBODY has an address, right? And if their 'system' doesn't recognize it you trying to get away with something on the sly. Our insurance agent used our legal description to meet Homeland Security's identity requirements. The bank manager shrugged and said "I guess we can do that too?" Bwahhh-hahh. I just have to laugh.

So count your blessings for that power/utility bill because you have no idea of the problems that come up in our modern society if you can't get one.

 

[Dftodd]

Add kids and dogs, coming in an out all day..... I can add to that list....like dogs opening a sliding door on 95 degree day while no one is in the house and the ACs are going wide open.

I had campground for many years and RVs can suck some power, My bill would 3000-3500 in the summer per month.

My latest electric bill was $250 this month for the camper.

It's been 100° out, direct sun on the camper, and 2 - 110vlt ac units running non stop from sun up to sun down.

 

[Dftodd]

Just looked at the bill today and 50 cents is baseline with 62 cents per kWh over base usage.

Add to that city taxes, etc…

I’m sure a dollar a kWH is in the future…

it’s already $80 a month for natural gas hot water and Saturday gas clothes dryer… at 2.46 base and 2.98 per therm natural gas not including city taxes and fees.

Ouch.... when I had natural gas in an apartment, my gas bill in the winter was about $150/ month.

Summer time, my gas bill was $30. That was for a gas hot water heater, gas stove, and gas dryer.

 

[ultrarunner]

Relative by marriage was building their home on a small hilltop parcel gifted to the couple by her builder father… he said he is getting older and if they plan to build better start soon… only child and grandchild… nice guy but already in his mid 70’s…

They started with the county in 2019 and then Covid struck… just moved in this year…

A neighbor said no problem running power along the property line and they thought all was good… his wife decided no one should build above them and said they would loose privacy… husband apologized but no sign off to run power… even offered 20k but hard no.

The are off grid now with solar, battery, generator.

The generator gets more exercise time than demand time…

Paso Robles is very sunny and seldom cold but it can be very hot and dry in the summer… so extra attention to insulation and orientation.

Looking back they are glad to be off grid because the cost to run power down their drive and to nearest access was quoted at 100k… the neighbor route was under 10k.

I have home solar and have always produced excess…

The 50 and 62 cent kWh is from the parents nearby home.

 

[JRH02]

"Looking back they are glad to be off grid because the cost to power down their drive and the to nearest access was quoted at 100k… the neighbor route was 10k."

A bit before we started this project a group of 3-4 part time cabins asked the PUD to set poles and run wire from the nearest point (1/4+ mile). The price came in at $125,000 if the 'connection assistance grant' from the Gov accepted the application. It was denied. The cost became $250,000. They are about 1/4 of the way to us and not in a straight line. Needless to say I have paid off my solar investment many, many times over at the moment I first pushed the 'on" button.

 

[ultrarunner]

I’ve got to make the drive to check out the build because last time I was there it was the access road going in… they asked me to help find a used Kubota tractor for the site works and buildout…

 

[grsthegreat]

Just looked at the bill today and 50 cents is baseline with 62 cents per kWh over base usage.

Add to that city taxes, etc…

I’m sure a dollar a kWH is in the future…

it’s already $80 a month for natural gas hot water and Saturday gas clothes dryer… at 2.46 base and 2.98 per therm natural gas not including city taxes and fees.

Yeiks…… with taxes, use fees, line fees and infrastructure, were paying $0.12/kwh. The actual electrical cost is really $0.068/kwh.

The rest are fees. Were a small elect coop, so all costs are spread over entire base.

Even after swapping all lights to led, were still power hogs. Thanks to my wife. Between canning, food dryers, 4 freezers, misc refers, ac in summer we ate up 1,838 kwh last month. We used way less power before she retired.

 

[ultrarunner]

Amazing the variance in delivered cost per kWh across the country…

 

[dj1701]

My usage was 34kwh per day in western NY. I was able to drop is to 7kwh per day. Those air conditioning units are hogs. Last bill was $366 highest I have ever saw it.

 

[Carl_NH]

In the 3100SF house we average 14KWH a day in summer and 20KWH day in winter months and pay $.25KWH (elec dryer, gas stove, oil boiler for heat and DHW).

The garage has a 7.2KW solar system on its own service entrance, which generates 8100 KWH a year and they pay us same rate for over production as we pay for the house. So effectively we pay for 1500-2000 KWH a year or $500 plus the $30/month meters/connection fee.