Idea for a betting pool

M

mikefamig

Senior Member
I think that we should start a pool. Each of us would ante up a dollar and post a copy of our electric bill each month and the bigeest one wins!
 
I'm joking but I was just day dreaming about what it costs to run an automated home. The electric suppliers must love all of the new gadgets coming out each day. We spend almost $300/month which includes a pool in the summer, electric hot water heater, several pc's, several set-top TV boxes, plama TV's, security system etc etc. 
 
So am I about average? Are you guys spending more? less?
 
Mike.
 
A bit over $400 here in the summer but I have an unfair advantage (sarcasm) in most of that is air conditioning in the Nevada summers.
 
I think if you want to do this correctly, one should list the power/current draw on their HA/Security components and amount that is on (so KW's per month) as the total overall bill would depend more on geographic location of the home and methodology of heating/cooling (all electric vs gas/electric for instance).
 
BraveSirRobbin said:
A bit over $400 here in the summer but I have an unfair advantage (sarcasm) in most of that is air conditioning in the Nevada summers.
 
I think if you want to do this correctly, one should list the power/current draw on their HA/Security components and amount that is on (so KW's per month) as the total overall bill would depend more on geographic location of the home and methodology of heating/cooling (all electric vs gas/electric for instance).
Click to expand...
 
Spoken like a true technician.
 
This thought occurred to me as I was working on the security system that I have always been the kind of guy who goes around turning lights off to save electricity and burn wood pellets to save heating costs and here I am installing the elk with a small pile of UPB parts at my feet getting ready to be installed and I had to chuckle at myself.
 
Mike.
 
About $150/month summer and winter. About $90/month spring and fall.  A/C is prime load in summer but I have a workshop with electric heat in the winter. Keep it set as low as 'stat will go at 6C (42F) just to keep the dew and rust  off the tools. Set u when working in there.
 
Run about 12-22 kWh per day, with 3.6kW of PV, after subtracting.  PV covered with snow in Dec-Mar usually. Energy comes to about $30 but delivery and taxes make it $130.
 
55 - 65 kwh.day here with hot water heat. I really need to convert that water heater to tankless hot water fired with lp gas.
 
Mike.
 
PGE.PNG
 
This year has been better since we replaced the HVAC last year and we're 100% LED now.  I'm saving money now to do solar before next summer.
 
Posted Today, 12:02 PM

55 - 65 kwh.day here with hot water heat. I really need to convert that water heater to tankless hot water fired with lp gas.

Mike.

 
Forget the Tankless if you have hydronic floor heating They don't work well with heating systems. The main problem is the burners will not go low enough BTU rating.
 
The system needs to feather the mix and the tankless requires a certain BTU draw to turn on at all. It takes a certain flow and enough temperature rise to entertain the smallest burner section it can light up. My system tries to get a set water temperature by increasing the water draw through the heater until the desired temperature is achieved. Finally the BTU requirement is enough to light up the burners and then it is too much heat and the control backs the heat draw back down. This cycles ad nauseum and wears out the control system in the tankless heater. I have gone through two of them in 6  years and the new one (two years old?) is beginning to growl with the purge fans. Never again. Get a proper boiler or a regular tank water heater. It will be cheaper in the end. This same problem applies to solar water heat too. You can't "top off" the temperature from solar panels because there is not enough temperature differential.
 
The 200,000 BTU is nice but the tankless companies are beginning to publish information how to add a tank to hold reserve heated water now. That has to tell us something.
 
LarrylLix said:
Posted Today, 12:02 PM

55 - 65 kwh.day here with hot water heat. I really need to convert that water heater to tankless hot water fired with lp gas.

Mike.

 
Forget the Tankless if you have hydronic floor heating They don't work well with heating systems. The main problem is the burners will not go low enough BTU rating.
 
The system needs to feather the mix and the tankless requires a certain BTU draw to turn on at all. It takes a certain flow and enough temperature rise to entertain the smallest burner section it can light up. My system tries to get a set water temperature by increasing the water draw through the heater until the desired temperature is achieved. Finally the BTU requirement is enough to light up the burners and then it is too much heat and the control backs the heat draw back down. This cycles ad nauseum and wears out the control system in the tankless heater. I have gone through two of them in 6  years and the new one (two years old?) is beginning to growl with the purge fans. Never again. Get a proper boiler or a regular tank water heater. It will be cheaper in the end. This same problem applies to solar water heat too. You can't "top off" the temperature from solar panels because there is not enough temperature differential.
 
The 200,000 BTU is nice but the tankless companies are beginning to publish information how to add a tank to hold reserve heated water now. That has to tell us something.
Click to expand...
No hydronic floor heating here. I only have domestic hot water and heat the house with oil and wood pellets. I've heard very good things about instant hot water heaters.
 
Mike.
 
Mike.
 
My visitors complain about it constantly for showers. From a long distance of piping the shower gets too hot and they turn it down. The minimum flow isn't met and the tankless shuts off. The temperature gets turned back up but you get the "cold water sandwich" then.
 
Don't believe what you hear about tankless. It only has a smaller tank. I wouldn't do it again for the extreme cost of installation and maintenance. With a smaller house and short plumbing runs it may work better. Have you read about needing to flush them with vinegar once or twice per year to clean the scale out?
 
I recently moved from a NYC borough to Westchester. 
 
In NYC, with a hot tub, I was averaging $350-$450 a month (never got a break - need to keep the hot tub running in the winter and A/C in the summer). Window unit AC's (2 in the house + 1 portable in the basement). My Westchester house is also twice the size of my old house. I have central AC in the new house.
 
Since moving to Westchester, my bill has dropped into the low to mid $200's.
 
LarrylLix said:
My visitors complain about it constantly for showers. From a long distance of piping the shower gets too hot and they turn it down. The minimum flow isn't met and the tankless shuts off. The temperature gets turned back up but you get the "cold water sandwich" then.
 
Don't believe what you hear about tankless. It only has a smaller tank. I wouldn't do it again for the extreme cost of installation and maintenance. With a smaller house and short plumbing runs it may work better. Have you read about needing to flush them with vinegar once or twice per year to clean the scale out?
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input. I haven't done any research and never heard of a minimuc flow being needed to fire the burner. I have much to learn before making a decision. Do you mind me asking how many square ft your house is? I only have ~2000 square on two levels.
 
Mike.
 
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