Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by SirTanon
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by SirTanon
Our rate isn't the problem. I have a fairly big house - a 2-story one - with one A/C compressor for each floor. When we hit summer heat here, the A/C is pretty much running all the time. We also have 2 refrigerators, 4 desktop computers, multiple laptops, etc.. everything is electric - we have no gas appliances here. Thus, we use a LOT of power. Almost our entire roof is covered with solar panels, so they produce quite a bit of power, thus the big difference.
Obviously our summers aren't like yours but your numbers still surprise me. I heat with gas (and my water is heated with gas) but everything else is electric and my kids aren't small consumers, though we've made conservation efforts like LED bulbs, HE washer and an induction range. Electronic gizmos sound similar to yours including 2x X-boxes, large Bryston amp, receiver, another amp, several desktops, 4 laptops, 3x televisions, a whole other stereo system...etc. We only have the one fridge. I assume it's the AC that is the biggest difference, since we only run a window unit, and not all the time, as it isn't needed.
Keep this discussion in mind when you've got your first full year under your belt, I'm curious, as I'm sure others are, what the overall savings ends up being.
We've had the solar panels installed for about a year and a half now. The savings are as posted above.
As far as why the costs are so high - It is, without a doubt, the A/C system. We have two 1.5 ton (I think, one might be more) compressors outside, and as I mentioned, during summer, they are on much of the time. In winter, they pretty much never run, which is why the electricty costs in winter are so much less. Even before we had solar, our winter electricity bill was only about $80-90 for one month.
Interesting, so your winter consumption, assuming our per kWh rate is similar, is more in-line with mine. So then my savings I calculated earlier are off significantly. Do you get money back in the winter months or is the lower sunlight exposure during that period enough to keep you with a bill?
It's a net-metering agreement, so during the months we put more power on the grid than we use, we get a credit from the power company (APS is the company we have), and then during months when we'd have to pay because we used more than we put on, the credit gets applied to what we'd owe.
Interestingly enough, as Rmay pointed out, during the cooler months, about 50-75% of our bill is fees and taxes, not the actual power usage. They have gotten really bad about it. Our last $90 bill had a "delivery charge" or something like that over $30. Not power costs per kWh, but a delivery fee. Ugh.
