Water In; Water Out

[skent]

We are running two 23 cu ft freezers (need this since we butcher and process all our own beef/pork/chicken), two 19 cu ft refrig., electric water heater, well pump, heat pump, electric dryer. We have time of use rates (wattmeter on house had a clock) and get billed differently for energy used off peak ($0.035 per Kwh) 11pm thru 7am, mid peak ($0.083) 7am to 11am and 8pm to 11pm, and peak rate ($0.165 per Kwh) 7 am to 8 pm. Occasionally BGE changes the times and seasonally from winter to summer the times and rates change.

The absolute lowest monthly bill I've EVER gotten was $85.00 (May96). (I know this from research I've been doing on switching to wood heat. . . but thats another thread.) Absolute highest was $266.00 (Jan98)

Steve

 

[Bird]

SHF, I'd like to figure out how he's doing that, too.

Cost per kilowatt? My last bill would figure out to $.07/kwh for the "energy charge". Then we have a "customer charge" of $7.50 a month just for having a meter, and $15.00 a month for a second meter (never could figure out why you pay more for the second one), plus tax, so the total was actually $.0815869/kwh. I guess it really isn't too bad for a total electric house (1,456 sq.ft.) with central heat/air, dishwasher, refrigerator w/ice maker, washing machine & dryer, TV, computer, lights, etc. and with another refrigerator and freezer in the shop in addition to lots of lights, fans, and air compressor.

Bird

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

Bird,

With that much electrical, its probably not that bad. We get hit $5.00 whether we use a watt or not. My bill holds pretty much steady but jumps up a little when I get to use my shop. (Air compressor, welder, saws and other toys). I'm paying about $.08 per kilowatt plus the $5.00, so it sound like were running neck and neck on price. (I'm just happy it isn't California). I had a buddy that got his bill down to $13.00 years ago, but he had to give up his washer, dryer, fridge and use only lights and TV. I can't figure out how he's doing it, but the last 3 months in a row that bill has been about $16.00. (And I know its right, because his power company comes and reads the meter.)

SHF

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>his power company comes and reads the meter</font color=blue>

I thought maybe he was like us; we read our own meters./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Of course, the power company is "supposed" to check them every 6 months, but in reality it's less than once a year.

Bird

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

Bird,

I gotta read mine too. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif But he's on the OTHER power company. And they're fancy pants. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif They're also about a penny cheaper per kilowatt. Still, not enough to justify $16.00. My company is now offering power cards and off site meter reading. A power card works like those long distance phone cards you can get at the supermarket. You apparently shove it into a box in your house and get the power to turn on. Off site metering has some kind of connection to the power company so their COMPUTER knows how much power you are using ALL THE TIME.

SHF

 

[Bird]

SHF, with all the "electronics" and gadgets we have today, who knows what the metering will be like in the future. I don't know about the electric metering, but I know some natural gas companies have a system whereby each meter has some kind of transmitting device and all they have to do is drive down the street with a computer in the truck and it records all the meter readings (and they don't necessarily have to even be on the street the meter's on).

Bird

 

[Alan L.]

The cloudiness in my water is not air (sometimes get that too), but at this point nothing settles out of it. When it used to get really bad, sand and mud would settle out. We still have mud in the bottom of our toilet tanks. If I draw up a glass of water and set it on the cabinet overnight it looks the same the next day with no settling. Right now the water is clear and has been most of the time for the past month, so I'm getting my hopes up that it won't be a problem.

I'm with Grayson-Collin Coop and my electricity is running about 7 cents per KWH, including fuel charges. Its about 10% lower than the rates I had in town with TXU Electric. I just got another bill and it was $182 ($139 last month).

My gas bill was ZERO and my water bill was ZERO. Trash bill was $18.

Alan L., TX

 

[jinman]

Yep, 100' minimum to the nearest spray head is the requirement. Also, it must be 50' from any stream or even a deep erosion ditch. The inspector stepped off the distance to an eroded area on my place. It was 65' /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

JimI

 

[Bird]

Alan, I sure wonder what it is in the water if it's not air, and it doesn't settle out.

<font color=blue>My gas bill was ZERO and my water bill was ZERO. Trash bill was $18.</font color=blue>

My gas bill was zero also, but my water bill averaged $44.50 a month last year, and our weekly garbage pickup is $12 a month.

Bird

 

[LarryT]

Bird, not that it will be the same next month, but this month here in San Diego County, I paid about 0.14/kWh. I guess we're lucky to have it at all! We also pay $1.49/gal for propane and $1.99/gal for regular (cheapest) gasoline. Nobody ever said it was cheap living in Calif. However, I'm here by choice and plan to remain here.



Larry...