High electric bill

VintageReefer

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It's funny the quote we got was 75,000 (original price 98,000. Our electric bill is 400-500/month. We would have qualified for a tax credit bringing the cost down, so to actually 'save' money, we would need about 10 years (calculated by the vendor). He also then said 'of course after 10 or so years, the panels may need reparing/replacement, but that generally they should last 25-30 years. In the end we decided against it since we probably won't be in this house in 10 years.

In 10 years the tech could be 10x more efficient and 1/4 the price. Who knows
 

areefer01

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Leave California?

If so they better do it quick. Exit California tax is coming.

OP - if you own the home then solar + batter storage is the only way to save. Tiered billing as you know. I know it is a scary up front cost but anything else isn't worth it anymore. The recent change to net meter 3 is of no help to those generating positive power due to the low buyback.

May sound stupid but I factored in the electricity cost into my yearly reefing budget. Wood working I can turn everything off and be done. Reef, well, some things are always running so sort of stuck.
 

Lbrdsoxfan

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Believe me. I want to do anything to lower it.

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What are you powering, South of Market, Jesus. I'm at only 1100 sq ft and the worse months of summer I see only 400-500$. You work from home?
 

reefsUP2

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hello reefers!!

My electricity bill has been a lot higher lately. I live in California with 30 cent per kWh!

I added an energy monitor the other day and it cost me $1.5 per day to run my tank! I imagine it would be $2 per day in the winter. It’s only a 90G tank with 3 XR15s and no skimmer.

My electric bill used to be $100-$150 before my tank and now it’s $220-$350 with only 2 adults and 1 toddler in a newly built home.

What’s your guys electricity bill with the tank??
The more kWh you use the higher bracket they place you be mindful of the peak hours as well. Thats the part us Californias have to deal with especially Edison
 

ReefHunter006

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What are you powering, South of Market, Jesus. I'm at only 1100 sq ft and the worse months of summer I see only 400-500$. You work from home?
Wish I could figure it out. The tank is about $300-$400 a month.

Thermostat is set at 76.

Both are out of the house for work.

California is annoying.
 

blecki

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The electric company thinks I grow pot.

So does the county water utility.

And half my neighbors who think that grow lights are blue instead of red.

No solar here. Even if they got enough light through all the trees, they'd just end up covered in debris and pine tar.

I'm easily paying $250 a month in electricity and water to keep the tank running.
 

cilyjr

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Yep - people wreck an entire community with their nonsense - then flee and try to turn where the flee into the same place they fled. Insanity.

Here's the deal, this is a thread for those of us dealing with a particular problem, high electric bills.

These comments are designed to be "Internet funny" not helpful.

We all know the left, and the right have all gone crazy, that's for face book.

So let's get back to solving high electric bills with alternatives.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on my using the tankless water heater. Specifically the NR-501 OD-NG. The noritz rep seemed to think my plan was pretty feasible.

Trust me, as a New England transplant who hasn't shoveled snow in 7 years. Nobody here, wants to be where you are.
I apologize for letting this derail the discussion.
 

14 foot reef

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Here's the deal, this is a thread for those of us dealing with a particular problem, high electric bills.

These comments are designed to be "Internet funny" not helpful.

We all know the left, and the right have all gone crazy, that's for face book.

So let's get back to solving high electric bills with alternatives.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on my using the tankless water heater. Specifically the NR-501 OD-NG. The noritz rep seemed to think my plan was pretty feasible.


I apologize for letting this derail the discussion.
I almost went tankless, then I looked at the "Real" power numbers. Not that efficient.
Look into this technology, second benefit if its in your crawl space. It's a dehumidifier too.

One of my best purchases.

 

cilyjr

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I almost went tankless, then I looked at the "Real" power numbers. Not that efficient.
Look into this technology, second benefit if its in your crawl space. It's a dehumidifier too.

One of my best purchases.

heat pumps are electric so it will negate trying to lower electric. My gas bill is about 60 a month The addition of the tankless water heater will raise my gas bill about five bucks a month and will lower my electric bill about 50 bucks a month.

We sell heat pumps, both water heaters and HVAC systems. All the time out here. But it does not help the customer unless they have solar already.
 

14 foot reef

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heat pumps are electric so it will negate trying to lower electric. My gas bill is about 60 a month The addition of the tankless water heater will raise my gas bill about five bucks a month and will lower my electric bill about 50 bucks a month.

We sell heat pumps, both water heaters and HVAC systems. All the time out here. But it does not help the customer unless they have solar already.
Makes sense. I was on Propane, so I had to rid my 20 year old gas water heater, it was insanely expensive
 
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BeanAnimal

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Here's the deal...
I apologize for letting this derail the discussion.
Here's the deal, it is an open conversation. If you don't like the comments then ignore them or report them or send a DM instead of posting a public screed that just creates more of distraction.

The energy costs that we are discussing are directly related to state and local policy and driven by political, social and and environmental factors, even if we don't get into (for good reason) the actual politics of any of it.

I wasn't joking when I said "leave California", nor was I joking when I responded to the comment regarding many who flee the mess they created bringing the same mentality to their new home. It is contextually relevant to the prices every one here is posting.


Tankless water heaters?
They work in moderate climates but are not well suited to high delta T.
They cost exponentially more and are extremely expensive to maintain due to burner fouling.
They fair very poorly with intermittent demand (clothes washers, dishwashers). They must be power vented, which is fine for a tight building envelope where the furnace or existing storage water heater is power vented, but it is another cost if replacing a convection vented storage heater.

Electric models to replace electric tank water heaters. Same issue, they can't do large Delta T and are expensive to purchase and install (due to current demands). They don't make economic sense in most cases for the small savings in operating cost (heat loss to stored water).

Smaller point of use electrics (in place of whole home tank style electric) may make sense from a convenience of installation standpoint (lower current requirements) but are still not cost effective.

Like anything else here the "EPAs" efficiency comparison numbers are mostly nonsense based on idealized testing parameters and also don't take into account the cost of installation, maintenance or the fact that the typical tankless install delivers lower temperature water than the storage tank style.

That is my take.
 
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cilyjr

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I wasn't joking when I said "leave California", nor was I joking when I responded to the comment regarding many who flee the mess they created bringing the same mentality to their new home. It is contextually relevant to the prices every one here is posting.
Just so I understand you correctly, you believe that a landmass the size of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia all think the same?
 

Reefering1

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Just so I understand you correctly, you believe that a landmass the size of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia all think the same?
Close enough. They still vote for leaders over there? If so, then the people choose their representation(which then created that environment for these absurd rates)..
 

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