Good morning!!!!

[riptides]

All this talk of electric bills, mine is over 1k right now. I win!

That's total electric on two houses, two outbuildings and a barn. We try and close off the farm house, only residing in the back lower half. I really need to finish the "renovations" on the front. I think that is where we are letting all this cold air come in. Every year I say I am going to do it, and every year about this time I pay for my lack of work ethic. LOL.

 

[rswyan]

Buppies congrats on 41 years of marital bliss ... it's a fine institution ... as institutions go ... :laughing:

Best wishes to all the injured and sick ... heal up and get well quick !

 

[Looking4new]

Happy anniversary Mrs. & Mr. Buppies

Eric, I feel your pain! I've got degenerative disc disease on 3 discs in a row. I gotta be real careful how I twist.

wngsprd, that is NOT what they mean when they say, 'use your head'.
Next time you go into the crawl space, take the lock with you. That wont help your head any, but it will make getting out easier.

 

[Buppies]

Power bills temperature set at 68 bill last month $286 propane $877 but that was for nine months usage. It was cold here last month eight day stretch of below freezing temperatures so in reality not that bad.

Thanks for congrats, will have to see what Miss Holly wants to do today

 

[jbrumberg]

Happy Anniversary Buppies & Wifey. I wish you both many more years together; hopefully healthy and happy ones. Wifey & I have been together 45 years; married 13 years.

4F and calm here. Red sky this AM. Upper and mid level clouds are saying snow is in my future. I only read the NWS/Taunton/MA discussion so far this AM, but snow is in my future Tuesday PM/Wednesday AM and a Winter Storm Warning has already been issued. The NWS snowmap predicts ~7" for my area. What a difference a day makes. The two different scenarios this week that I have been babbling about have become a single system with a Great Lakes Clipper morphing into a coastal storm. The weather geek sites are probably going wild; "food fights" and drama. I have not been there yet.

We took advantage of the substantial FY 2017 Federal and State Rebates and Tax deductions to purchase a new energy efficient wood burning stove (Lopi) and made a significant investment in a solar panel array. It has been an interesting process. It was a really efficient process until the local electrical inspector got his manties in a bunch and started making additional demands about the hookup wiring. Today/tomorrow we should be hooked into the grid and generating electricity. The panel array was set up midDecember. It was snow covered until 3 days ago.

Eric and wngsprd I am sorry to read about your "self inflicted" injuries. I see it as young minds' thinking within aging bodies' acting. Aging is not for the weak at heart. I hope you both recover quickly. Head wounds bleed profusely.

My + thoughts and prayers for all of us especially those "hurting."

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Fortunately there were only a few cattle present to witness this. They later took pity on me and cleaned 2 wheels on the Iseki untill they shone like new. Cows with power washers ? Nah, just the irresistable attraction of tires soaked in poop, then rolled in straw.

So, Eric, did those cows look at you with a **** eating grin when they finished?:laughing:

 

[ronjhall]

So, Eric, did those cows look at you with a **** eating grin when they finished?:laughing:

 

[rswyan]

This month's electric bill was $193.99 ... but it was only an estimated bill.

Their estimate was that we used 1,922 KWH ... vs 1,745 KWH last year (an actual reading)

They also send out a monthly "Home Energy Report" which compares our usage with "neighbors"

They figure we use around 1,350 KWH per month on average, with our "average" neighbors using only 883 KWH and our "efficient" neighbors using 545 KWH ... which I find somewhat puzzling.

Maybe it's older, less efficient appliances or something ... but we don't run a second freezer - just the one in the refrigerator/freezer, tv doesn't get left on when no one is in the room, lights get shut off when I leave the room and to the extent that I notice it, I turn them off when The Woman leaves a room she has been in, I've upgraded a good bit of the lighting ... initially to CFL and eventually to LED (still need to do something about the four 8' T12 fluorescents in the kitchen), the HPS dawn to dusk at the polebarn was shut off last year or the year before, the dawn to dusk light up at the shop supposedly only pulls 13w ... and, due to some sort of flaw/defect, it only works when it's cold out. House is kept pretty warm ... so the heaters in the fish tanks don't run all that much. And we open the windows quite a bit in the spring/summer/fall. No electric HVAC heat (just cooling), and gas water heater.

Things that I know suck juice: The Woman will use the hotter setting on the dishwasher for the dry cycle ... because she wants them DRY when she opens it up (I always use the "energy saver") Clothes dryer is electric and she will use the heated settings ... mostly because she's in a hurry ... I mostly use the timed dry and (unheated) air ... particularly in winter.

Is our power consumption all that far out of line with what you all use ?

 

[buckeyefarmer]

RS, El Jalapeno's sounds good, i am anxious to get well enough to go get some mexican food. And nice view.

Wngsprd, OUCH, better change that door latch..

Buppies, Happy anniversary

9° and sunny. Another night sleeping on couch and in chair. I slept in bed once since nov 27th. Back is starting to hurt when on couch. Tonight will try both meds together again, see how that works out.

 

[DABSGT]

Gray cloudy sky's with light snow flurries 13 degrees.
Buppies Happy Anniversary to you and the Briide
If anyone from OSHA reads this mornings posts Hard Hats will be required in crawlspace's
Rip nice you had a little break, Kale is one of my families favorites

 

[buckeyefarmer]

My power estimate was $209. I remember when it was always under $100, same house...
I'm on potomac edison, a First energy company, probably same as RS is on. They are based in Akron, oh.

 

[jbrumberg]

rswyan- Our electric bill this month was ~$80 which is our average Winter use Our house is solar oriented; A/C is our biggest electric cost. We had an "energy audit" and all our incandescent light bulbs were replaced with CFL and LED lights. We heat with wood in conjunction with a propane gas central heating system, cooktop, and dryer. All or electrical appliances are "Energy Star" rated except our old oven, and I usually use our outdoor charcoal grill for roasts, etc.

I do not understand how they figure out those "Home Energy Reports." Every month our average daily usage goes down from the previous year. This month it is down 18.8% from last year's consumption and the way I read that neighborhood comparison we are energy hogs. I do not know if they are including homes with solar panels in the comparisons.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Good Morning!!!! 49F @ 5:45AM. Overcast. Slight chance of an afternoon shower. High 59F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.

Looks like we're in for a wet week, with just a little sun on Wednesday and Saturday to break things up. Drizzle and showers, the kind of rain that soaks in and does some good, so I'm not complaining.

If I ever get to the point where all the rest of my hair falls out, those around me will be treated to a view of what must look like the craters of the moon. I haven't been very careful where I've put my head over the years, and seem to bang and slice it regularly. Back in the days of recreational cave exploring, we all wore hard hats, and mine saved me many divots. I should probably dig it out again for those attic and under vehicle missions. Hope that scalp wound heals quickly and cleanly, Wng...

You were right about the other hub, Drew. About 2/3 of the spline was worn away on it as well, so my repair bill will be doubled. I learned yesterday that
Kubota does a pretty good job at price controls, and even the best deal on ebay was only a few dollars short of what I think I'll see at the dealer. But at $175 each, I'd save sales tax, but shipping would probably take it right back. At least it's an easy fix, no more than ten minutes a side. Just finding and setting the torque wrenches for the axle nut and lug bolts will be most of that.

With the side-by-side down I had to improvise to get the garbage can up and over the hill to the cul de sac yesterday evening. Used the forks on the tractor and a ratchet strap, which worked nicely. But when I hopped down off the tractor to take the can off, the engine died, and then wouldn't start back up. The battery was weak when it started, but the clicking sound I got wasn't from the starter relay, it was one of the safety cutouts. Water came pouring out of the seat when I put it back down, no surprise since the tractor sits outside and we've gotten a fair amount of rain lately. Bouncing up and down on the seat, lifting it and working the button on the occupancy sensor, and working the clutch pedal back and forth didn't help, so I made the quarter mile hike back to the garage for a short length of wire to jumper the seat sensor. The quarter mile back was mostly uphill, and a reminder that I should be walking it more often to help work off some of those holiday calories. The jumper didn't make any difference though. Now I was in a real fix, as the tractor was blocking the entrance to the driveway, and the fog had come back so thick I couldn't even see the house from fifty feet away. By that point I was pretty disgusted with the thing and thought about leaving the key in it and walking away, hoping someone would come and steal it in the night. Decided to give it one more try, and when my foot bumped the go pedal the darn thing started right up. It seems that the pedal had gotten stiff and wasn't returning to the center position, which activated yet another safety cutout.:duh: Learn something every day. A few minutes with a can of spray grease back at the garage had it freed up again, and served as yet another encouragement to get started on the barn. Just need to figure out how much it'll cost to insure it once built...

Hope everyone's week gets off to a great start!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

This month's electric bill was $193.99 ... but it was only an estimated bill.

Their estimate was that we used 1,922 KWH ... vs 1,745 KWH last year (an actual reading)

They also send out a monthly "Home Energy Report" which compares our usage with "neighbors"

They figure we use around 1,350 KWH per month on average, with our "average" neighbors using only 883 KWH and our "efficient" neighbors using 545 KWH ... which I find somewhat puzzling

I get the same energy report crap. They can only look at your elecric usage, with no comparison to house size, alternate heating methods, etc. Your "efficient" neighbors probably use gas heat, or have a small house, burn wood, etc

I was estimated at 1923 kwh, at $209.

Last yr was est at 2295kwh, at $241.

Last actual bill for dec was 2012, 1949kwh at $197.

I'm estimated every other month, so its hard to compare, so i also do a 2 month look. Back in 2008 - 2011 they would sometime estimate up to 5 months before an actual bill. Then firstenergy took over.
Before 2004 they only billed every 2 months, and my bills were in $150 range for 2 months.

First full yr in my house 1998, used 9524 kwh, $697 for the year. 2017 was 20,276kwh $2174.

I have more efficient appliances now, led bulbs, more efficient hwh, etc.... So where does it go? I burned oil then, now all electric with the geo.

I did add on garage and rooms over garage.

My 12 month sliding average has gone down from 2057kwh last yr to 1689kwh this year. Mild winter last yr helped, as did both boys gone to college now.

 

[rswyan]

RS, El Jalapeno's sounds good, i am anxious to get well enough to go get some mexican food. And nice view.

I'm hoping it happens quickly for you.

Another night sleeping on couch and in chair. I slept in bed once since nov 27th. Back is starting to hurt when on couch. Tonight will try both meds together again, see how that works out.

I can empathize with your situation on your back, at least to some degree.

I can't sleep on my back (will drown from post-nasal drip into my lungs) or on my belly (limited movement in my neck) ... and at this point my hips are bad enough that sleeping on my sides is getting to be somewhat problematic ... even with a 3" memory foam topper on the mattress.

If I fall asleep fairly quickly I'm usually good ... at least until morning.

If I don't fall asleep right away though, then I'm flopping from side to side ... as it doesn't take too long before whichever hip I'm on to start hurting.

Not a lot of fun.

My power estimate was $209. I remember when it was always under $100, same house...
I'm on potomac edison, a First energy company, probably same as RS is on. They are based in Akron, oh.

Yup ... Ohio Edison here ... another First Energy company.

Our bill did note that the average daily temp last was 31F, and this year it was 23F ... so I'm sure that accounted to some degree for the higher estimated usage.

 

[ronjhall]

Electric company shows what temperature was in same period last year. Average temperature for last year was 34.55°. This year it was 11.78°. Last year we were in AZ. during the same time period. So there is no cost comparison. Bill total for both gas and electric was $89.12.
But I did have a $1300.00 fuel bill for motorhome to get there and back. Electric and Propane for MH while in AZ ran about $110.00 each month.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

This month's electric bill was $193.99 ... but it was only an estimated bill.

Their estimate was that we used 1,922 KWH ... vs 1,745 KWH last year (an actual reading)

They also send out a monthly "Home Energy Report" which compares our usage with "neighbors"

They figure we use around 1,350 KWH per month on average, with our "average" neighbors using only 883 KWH and our "efficient" neighbors using 545 KWH ... which I find somewhat puzzling.
...

Is our power consumption all that far out of line with what you all use ?

My utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, doesn't calculate a yearly average, but they do give us a web page to look at monthly use.


Big months here are July, August, and September, running 1000 - 1200 kWh each, then back down to half that in winter. I heat with a wood stove, but it has a blower on it and I run a ceiling fan and a pair of floor fans to move the warm air around. Like you, I turn stuff off when I'm not using it, and I've gone to mostly LED lighting, and I don't burn any outside lights overnight, so there's not a lot of room left to cut back anywhere. But also like you, I've got a shop full of power hungry tools, and I'm sure that the welders and big motors, especially the ones running on the phase converter, really gobble up the juice. My use falls right in line with "similar houses" identified by the utility, but significantly higher than "Efficient Similar Homes". This place was built in '07 and has tons of insulation, but it gets no shade in the summer to help with cooling, and I'm sure the winter winds help steal the heat away as well. The web site offers a home energy analysis, and makes recommendations for saving energy. If I implemented them all (I'm already doing most of them) , I'd save a whopping $85/year! I think the real cause of high energy bills is the high cost of energy.:duh: I found one source online that said rates have gone from $53.80/MWh in 1999 to $129.34/MWh in 2015, an average annual increase of about 5.6%. This was for a commercial rate; residential rates are historically much higher. The rate of increase is almost double that of inflation, in spite of what is supposed to be tight government regulation/oversight. I don't know what to tell you, RS, other than from the looks of things, we're going to continue to pay more and more each year in spite of all our efforts to use less energy!

 

[jbrumberg]

rswyan- I can relate to the upper respiratory challenges and with my peripheral/general neuropathy I can not get comfortable even with a SelectComfort bed. I toss and turn until I pass out. I wake up with the dorsal fin "mohawk" hair look.

I have Eversource as my electricity provider.

My Average daily use last month was 13kWh and last year was +15kW.

"..... we're going to continue to pay more and more each year in spite of all our efforts to use less energy!"- RNG

One reason we decided to go solar. We still will get taken advantage by Eversource- They will pocket the difference charge-wise as to what we will use and what we will produce at any given moment. We'll only see "credits" on our electric bill. We will get monthly(?) check from the federal energy producer collaborative.

We invested considerable $ with hopefully a 7 year payback timeframe.

 

[rswyan]

I get the same energy report crap. They can only look at your elecric usage, with no comparison to house size, alternate heating methods, etc. Your "efficient" neighbors probably use gas heat, or have a small house, burn wood, etc

Yup ... house size probably a big part of it - if it is truly a comparison with the "local neighborhood" ... we have one of the largest houses in our local neighborhood ...

And I'd guess that many of them have more modern and efficient furnaces and AC units (30 years old) than we do.

I think it's around 4200 or 4400 sq ft ... and it is not particularly energy efficient, heating or cooling wise.

I was estimated at 1923 kwh, at $209.

Last yr was est at 2295kwh, at $241.

Last actual bill for dec was 2012, 1949kwh at $197.

I'm estimated every other month, so its hard to compare, so i also do a 2 month look. Back in 2008 - 2011 they would sometime estimate up to 5 months before an actual bill. Then firstenergy took over.

We've only had two estimated electric bills in the 13 months: this last June and this month.

They upgraded our meter and I think they can remotely read it now from a distance, without actually having to look at it. Gas company did the same thing with their meter a while back. The reason we may have gotten an estimate this past month may have been due to bad weather ... they couldn't get close enough on the appointed day due to snow or something.

Before 2004 they only billed every 2 months, and my bills were in $150 range for 2 months.

First full yr in my house 1998, used 9524 kwh, $697 for the year. 2017 was 20,276kwh $2174.

I have more efficient appliances now, led bulbs, more efficient hwh, etc.... So where does it go? I burned oil then, now all electric with the geo.

I did add on garage and rooms over garage.

My 12 month sliding average has gone down from 2057kwh last yr to 1689kwh this year. Mild winter last yr helped, as did both boys gone to college now.

Yeah ... I can imagine two less people in household could make a big difference, and the mild winter probably made a big difference with the geothermal usage.

You have electric coils for assist when the temp goes below a certain point ?

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

I spent a lot of time in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and visited Madrid several times. "Strange collaboration" is putting it kindly. One part Native American, one part cowboy, one part Old Mexico, and about five parts Hippie. If NM ever legalizes marijuana, look for Madrid to really boom!:laughing:

They technically have legalized it, there are so many quacks out there that write a script for "medical cannabis". It is amazing who, and how many, people have medical marijuana cards. You have described Madrids population to a tee!