Going on the Grid-How much?

[fitter1]

Congratulations Ken.

So did that old Right of Way reduce the connection distance quite a bit, or did the utility finally get reasonable with their charges ?

Rgds, D.

No, the distance is the same and price is still shy of $20k. Also, if they don't hit ledge they will rebate me close to $2k.
I received the contract today. Just have to sign and return with full payment. Yes it hurts to pay out this coin, but I don't believe or don't want to believe they are gouging me. I'll have to get a new camera and post some before and after pic's....Ken

 

[mike69440]

Last month we made 300KW than we used, it was a light month only about 1500KW hours used. When we use the stock heaters a lot, the KW can be 2400-2500KW. With the meter charge, distribution charge, and about 5 more silly charges they add, it looks like a Cable TV or Cell Phone bill!

Our bill was $93, typical bill for that about of KW would have been a bit less than $250.

 

[TractorGuy]

If I was already off grid I would spend that 20K to bolster that system.

If you could get by with a solid 10KW generator the MEP-803A military surplus units are dang good. I picked up a 2007 model last December. I got lucky and won the bid on it for $975 which turned into $1185 after fees and tax. By the time I built a good load bank to test and exercise it and all the stuff to hook to the house I was right at $2000 in the whole deal. Most of the good ones go for over 2 grand at auction but that is still a deal for a 1800RPM Diesel that will run at 10KW 24/7 in any weather. You can pick up a sorted unit ready to run for under 4K if you aren't into taking a chance on a unit that has been drained and decommissioned. I just completed my 3rd monthly test run for 2 hours at 40 amps and it just purrs like a kitten. Consumes about .7 GPH.

Obviously you can't run a generator of any type 24/7 but with a decent solar system with battery storage you can live pretty comfy with little to no expense after the initial setup.

 

[fitter1]

Up in the NEK of Vt., in my opinion, solar bites. Unless you have a $20-30k system in panels and batteries. Regardless you will be running a generator for hrs. to maintain your batteries. NO sun, no free power. I have looked at and listened to those mep generators and they stink like **** and are to noisy but are great units. I still may buy one for back up. Also there is no cell service up here and I need to put in a land line for safety reasons. K

 

[boggen]

little late to state. but cost to put the wires in the ground vs on poles. with statement of easements and other hookups, and clearing of trees. along with statement of you putting in your own vs power company....

putting in the ground might be better. if you own the poles, and wire from road to home.

how ever if power company putting in, and they own the poles and wire from road to your home (up to the meter). and if something happens they are responsible for dealing with down wires / tree cutting etc... maybe a different story.

for years had lots of issues with trees nailing power lines and causing brown outs, to just killing power all together. and there are some others folks that needed to get the power put in ground vs on poles. every time a big wind storm would come through, the wind would whip the lines causing them to short out.

generally if in ground they will take shortest route between what is on the road to your home. if your driveway follows that path, then get a trench off in a ditch.

mowing / weed eating around fence lines and poles, just another chore to do that takes extra time.

 

[fitter1]

I am rethinking about going underground up my driveway because there will be a transformer on the last pole 30ft from the camp . Under ground it would be at bottom of drive. Again this will have to be encased in concrete. I don't want to listen to a humming trans. next to bedroom window,let alone an explosion.

 

[mike69440]

If I was already off grid I would spend that 20K to bolster that system.

If you could get by with a solid 10KW generator the MEP-803A military surplus units are dang good. I picked up a 2007 model last December. I got lucky and won the bid on it for $975 which turned into $1185 after fees and tax. By the time I built a good load bank to test and exercise it and all the stuff to hook to the house I was right at $2000 in the whole deal. Most of the good ones go for over 2 grand at auction but that is still a deal for a 1800RPM Diesel that will run at 10KW 24/7 in any weather. You can pick up a sorted unit ready to run for under 4K if you aren't into taking a chance on a unit that has been drained and decommissioned. I just completed my 3rd monthly test run for 2 hours at 40 amps and it just purrs like a kitten. Consumes about .7 GPH.

Obviously you can't run a generator of any type 24/7 but with a decent solar system with battery storage you can live pretty comfy with little to no expense after the initial setup.

One thing about the military generator's is that a 10KW Military generator is not rated 10KW peak, 8500 W continuous, its rated 10KW at 8500 Ft altitude, so it is more like 13KW continuous at sea level and God knows what it is for peak KW.

 

[aczlan]

One thing about the military generator's is that a 10KW Military generator is not rated 10KW peak, 8500 W continuous, its rated 10KW at 8500 Ft altitude, so it is more like 13KW continuous at sea level and God knows what it is for peak KW.

Yep, it has a "Prime" (ie: the load it can power 24x7x365) rating of 10KW at 8500' and at something like 120F ambient. Just a little different than a box store genset that is rated for 10KW peak (for 30 seconds in the freezer on the test bench before it blows up).

Aaron Z

 

[Sysop]

Perhaps I'm just stupid. How does a generator produce more electricity at a given elevation? I understand how, through the density of the air, a combustion engine has more power at sea level than high elevation, but how does a generator? They're made to produce "up to" a certain level of current at a fixed RPM, as long as the engine has power to turn at that RPM, adding more power to the engine does nothing for you. Changing the RPM changes the voltage, but that's not what you're talking about. Please explain.

 

[aczlan]

Perhaps I'm just stupid. How does a generator produce more electricity at a given elevation? I understand how, through the density of the air, a combustion engine has more power at sea level than high elevation, but how does a generator? They're made to produce "up to" a certain level of current at a fixed RPM, as long as the engine has power to turn at that RPM, adding more power to the engine does nothing for you. Changing the RPM changes the voltage, but that's not what you're talking about. Please explain.

Less oxygen in the air at higher altitudes means that a non-turbo engine will produce less power as it has to burn leaner to keep the same air to fuel ratio and that means that it cannot make as much power.
A turbocharged engine will feed in more air to compensate, so it doesn't care what altitude it is at.

Aaron Z