Saving money on electric bill

[laynes69]

Lp is cheap now, but with supply and demand can skyrocket. We bought a new tank this year and paid $.99 a gallon, but 3 years ago we paid $2.99 a gallon. Eventually I want to replace our water heater with a hybrid. Our electric bill is high with all the energy hogs in the home. Old appliances, pool, old well pump and security lights are a few of our problems. Eventually I will phase things out, bit it's going to cost some money.

 

[velvetfoot]

I have no idea of the latest in well pump technology. I've heard in the past about soft start motors to cut inrush current.

My current pet peeve is outside lights left on in the middle of the day. I'm not sure why people leave their porch lights on constantly, even when they're home.

 

[Wisneaky]

I have no idea of the latest in well pump technology. I've heard in the past about soft start motors to cut inrush current.

My current pet peeve is outside lights left on in the middle of the day. I'm not sure why people leave their porch lights on constantly, even when they're home.

We actually keep ours on. We just have a bad habit of forgetting to turn it off. It's an led bulb also, but any little savings would help. I keep saying I'm going to hook it up to one of those timers. Next time I'm at menards I'll get one.

 

[laynes69]

We have a 20 year old deep well jet pump. It takes some time to build pressure so it runs quite a bit. I believe it's either a 3/4 or 1hp motor. The plan is to replace with a submersible pump and do away with the well pit. Our security lights aren't on our meter, but they charge a flat 9 dollar fee for each a month. Currently we are consuming around 1200 kwh a month. What I don't understand however, our elderly neighbors are paying more for 2 people than we are for a family of 5.

 

[Wisneaky]

Lp is cheap now, but with supply and demand can skyrocket. We bought a new tank this year and paid $.99 a gallon, but 3 years ago we paid $2.99 a gallon. Eventually I want to replace our water heater with a hybrid. Our electric bill is high with all the energy hogs in the home. Old appliances, pool, old well pump and security lights are a few of our problems. Eventually I will phase things out, bit it's going to cost some money.

The next thing I'd like to get in a new fridge. Ours is older. But fridges cost so much money. I often wonder if the savings would justify the expense.

 

[velvetfoot]

I'm going to hook it up to one of those timers.

Why not a photocell instead?

 

[BrotherBart]

The next thing I'd like to get in a new fridge. Ours is older. But fridges cost so much money. I often wonder if the savings would justify the expense.

Mine sure did. I don't remember what I measured the current consumption on the old one at but the new one dropped it to 118 watts and half the watts in the defrost cycle of the old one.

 

[Wisneaky]

Why not a photocell instead?

The light is a covered porch so I'm not sure if it would work. It might stay on all the time.

 

[brenndatomu]

The next thing I'd like to get in a new fridge. Ours is older. But fridges cost so much money. I often wonder if the savings would justify the expense.

A few years back I switched from a 1961 Frigidaire to a new Whirlpool, relatively the same fridge (size and style) there was actually very little difference in electric usage. (as monitored by a Kill-A-Watt)
But I don't buy brand new appliances anymore, there are too many deals to be had on CL. Not hard to find 1-2 YO stuff like new condition for 1/4 (or less) of new. We recently snagged a 2 YO 22(ish) CF french door fridge with bottom freezer drawer for $265...like new condition, works great

 

[velvetfoot]

The light is a covered porch so I'm not sure if it would work. It might stay on all the time.

I think some of the timers that replace a light switch can also compensate for the shortening and lengthening days.

 

[Wisneaky]

I think some of the timers that replace a light switch can also compensate for the shortening and lengthening days.

I had one installed on outside garage lights in a place I rented a few years back. I should of pulled it when I moved because I paid for it and I didn't even think about it at the time. I think it was a pretty spendy switch.

 

[jb6l6gc]

This has always bothered me. I found a reference online to the doorbell transformer and button lights using 4 watts. A quick calculation shows that over my house's 30 year life-span about 1,000 kwh or $100 has been spent on a door bell that never gets used (gravel driveways and dogs negate the need).
Trouble is, I can't find the transformer for our door bell. It must hidden somewhere between floors or such.

lol mines in the basment wired on top of a light gonna disconnect that crap

 

[Former Farmer]

Why not a photocell instead?

I have our soffit recessed lights on a timer and a photocell. They turn on at dusk, off at 10:00pm, on at 5:00am, and off at dawn. Saves having the lights on an extra 7 hours per day.

 

[semipro]

The next thing I'd like to get in a new fridge. Ours is older. But fridges cost so much money. I often wonder if the savings would justify the expense.

Check here: (broken link removed to https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=refrig.calculator)
The answer might surprise you.

 

[BrotherBart]

For sure. The difference in the electric bill after buying the cheapest same size fridge after my 1985 one crapped out was amazing.

 

[williaty]

Man, I'd love to get our usage down to what you guys are seeing. Just 2 of us in a 1400sqf house, all electric, yet we're always 1,100-1,500 kWh/month That's all electric appliances, with only LEDs, etc, etc.

 

[DBoon]

Just 2 of us in a 1400sqf house, all electric, yet we're always 1,100-1,500 kWh/month That's all electric appliances, with only LEDs, etc, etc.

Hi Williaty, a goal of 500-600 kWh is possible for you. We are also just a two person household, all electric (except for space heating, which is oil), and we manage 400-550 kWh/month, depending on the season (more in the winter). We have a HPWH, low flow everything, front loading washer, new refrigerator, chest freezer, LEDs/CFLs, radon mitigation fan, and optimized pumps for the hydronic heating system, but no air-conditioning. My wife cooks and bakes a lot, so no relief there. We are very diligent at eliminating phantom loads, but otherwise not nutty about consumption reduction and don't feel that we deprive ourselves.

 

[FXRrider]

Been trying to get mine down for awhile now. We had our lowest bill since the spring, 880KHW, $171.00 and that is with the HVAC system running very little. Our winter time bill is usually as high or higher than the summer and we have a LP furnace. Our minimum bill is $56, for just electric. I have got our average KWH usage down from 1700 to 1400 over the last 4 years.

 

[Deezl Smoke]

This is a great thread. Very eye opening for me. I probably should resist participating as I am new here and have no history for you to know what direction I come from. However I will try to state up front that I am only a family of one, and in a very small, 915 sq/ft old run down shack. So I am in no way trying to point fingers or any sort of negativity toward anyone elses situation. Please note that.

After reading the replies so far, I decided to go look at my highest month electricity usage so far. Again, only myself and the dog reside here so.... But it was 32 days of service at 255 kw/hr. This is what really amazed me after viewing some of your usages. Again, sorry to beat that horse, but I do understand many here are larger families etc. Not comparing for any other reason than my own curiosity. I really did not know how much it might take for a larger dwelling and to support a family. I feel quite lucky to be getting by on what I do.

I have no door bells, but I did not know that they might draw power when on standby. So thanks for that info. Learned something new today.

I do have a "kill a watt" meter, but so far have not used it but on the coffee pot and a couple out door items. I think I best use it to see how much my desk top draws when not in use.

My pellet stoves are rated at about 450 watts start up and about 70 watt usage when running. I should confirm that with the meter and see how close they are.

I have all led light bulbs, including the motion flood at the entry door. Perhaps I can replace that setup with a lower draw system of some kind? I had the chance to go with an on demand water heater about 6-7 months ago and I should have done so, but chickened out and just replaced it with a high efficiency electric. But I did lower the gallon size since it is only myself here. Still, may have to see if I can sell it and go with the on demand. I can adjust my usage of hot water timing with simple daily life style changes if I can save some energy.

Does solar fit in this thread anywhere? Or should that be a thread on it's own?

Thanks.
Don.

 

[williaty]

Solar (or any alt-e) should be the last thing you look at. You save more dollars per dollar spent by conservation. Generation is very expensive in comparison. Plus, if you conserve first, then the size/cost of the solar system you need is MUCH smaller.

 

[Where2]

Solar (or any alt-e) should be the last thing you look at. You save more dollars per dollar spent by conservation. Generation is very expensive in comparison. Plus, if you conserve first, then the size/cost of the solar system you need is MUCH smaller.

^^^^ Exactly! (and I've got a 4.4kW solar array on my roof). I'm in the midst of putting my TED 5003 (and it's little brother the TED 1001) back in service today. It's like a whole house Kill-A-Watt which installs in the breaker panel.

 

[maple1]

This is a great thread. Very eye opening for me. I probably should resist participating as I am new here and have no history for you to know what direction I come from. However I will try to state up front that I am only a family of one, and in a very small, 915 sq/ft old run down shack. So I am in no way trying to point fingers or any sort of negativity toward anyone elses situation. Please note that.

After reading the replies so far, I decided to go look at my highest month electricity usage so far. Again, only myself and the dog reside here so.... But it was 32 days of service at 255 kw/hr. This is what really amazed me after viewing some of your usages. Again, sorry to beat that horse, but I do understand many here are larger families etc. Not comparing for any other reason than my own curiosity. I really did not know how much it might take for a larger dwelling and to support a family. I feel quite lucky to be getting by on what I do.

I have no door bells, but I did not know that they might draw power when on standby. So thanks for that info. Learned something new today.

I do have a "kill a watt" meter, but so far have not used it but on the coffee pot and a couple out door items. I think I best use it to see how much my desk top draws when not in use.

My pellet stoves are rated at about 450 watts start up and about 70 watt usage when running. I should confirm that with the meter and see how close they are.

I have all led light bulbs, including the motion flood at the entry door. Perhaps I can replace that setup with a lower draw system of some kind? I had the chance to go with an on demand water heater about 6-7 months ago and I should have done so, but chickened out and just replaced it with a high efficiency electric. But I did lower the gallon size since it is only myself here. Still, may have to see if I can sell it and go with the on demand. I can adjust my usage of hot water timing with simple daily life style changes if I can save some energy.

Does solar fit in this thread anywhere? Or should that be a thread on it's own?

Thanks.
Don.

I'm not so sure an on-demand is the way to go. We have an 80 gallon conventional electric water heater, it only costs around $20/mo (@ 0.18/kwh) to run for our family (which varies between 3 & 5 now). Just make sure your tank is well insulated & you have heat traps plumbed in. Ours supposedly came with traps built in to the inlets, but I plumbed others in anyway, and it also now has 4" of fiberglass around it.

Did you price how much an on-demand costs? Installed? They usually require very big breakers & wiring, for starters. Unless you meant gas.

 

[mass_burner]

Only comparative if you now add the gas and the electric bill together.

And all other costs/break even period included.

 

[mass_burner]

This has always bothered me. I found a reference online to the doorbell transformer and button lights using 4 watts. A quick calculation shows that over my house's 30 year life-span about 1,000 kwh or $100 has been spent on a door bell that never gets used (gravel driveways and dogs negate the need).
Trouble is, I can't find the transformer for our door bell. It must hidden somewhere between floors or such.

Ha, I found my transformer by accident while doing my basement re wire project. It was in the joist bay in the same area where most of the outdoor wiring leaves the house.

Do they make an updated efficient model?

 

[semipro]

Ha, I found my transformer by accident while doing my basement re wire project. It was in the joist bay in the same area where most of the outdoor wiring leaves the house.
Do they make an updated efficient model?

I'm sure they do but since I don't need one I really haven't looked into it.
This guy apparently replaced the standard transformer with some sort of switching supply. (broken link removed to http://www.johnsavesenergy.com/PhantomPower2.html#.VlxNq7-Vm62)
BTW, the site referenced above would probably interest most of you on this thread.