house electric question

[EddieWalker]

I don't think the cost to leave the light on is really the problem, but her leaving them on all the time is what is driving you crazy.

I get a little **** sometimes, so take this with a grain of salt.

I'd make it so the lights and TV wouldn't work anymore. She can't leave them on it she can't turn them off. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Of course, this will probably backfire and she will make somehting you really want not work either. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Good Luck!

 

[markct]

hmm so my two 1500 watt halogen light i got off ebay that i was planning to put on the front of the garage for those late evening projects that of course either wont fit in the garage or usualy the garage is just too full of junk, the lights may end up costing me a bit to run, im not sure what our rate is there but figuring at 10 cents a kwh two 1500 watt lights would be 3000 watts so i would be looking at about 30 cents and hour to run them,so say i work under them for 4 hours one night, im looking at $1.20, not too bad, but if i forget and were to leave them on all day, that would be about $7.20 ouch! i may have to rethink this plan, i am sure i wouldnt forget and leave them on, they would be pretty noticable, but even so 30 cents and hour will add up.

 

[scott_in_ny]

hey all,

geez, i guess that i sound like a cheapskate and wifebasher but that is not the case.

i did not realize that the lightbulbs etc were not that big a draw. but on the other hand when its the 2 lights in each kids room.then 3 in the den the two in the den bathroom,the den closet.3 in the living room. one in the dining room. the 8 downlights in the kitchen. the one at the desk. the 9 downlights in the master bedroom.........

you get the idea? this all adds up. times that by 30 days a month....12 months a year......that adds up.

i am going to now go and really try and figure where all my electric is going. i am going to get all the wattages from appliances and figure this out.

my electric bill is usually in the $200.00 to $300.00 a month.
i have propane stove,hot water heater.
oil heat.
i am just trying to make sure i still have some drinkin' money at the end of the month. ha ha ha

i hope i dont sound like a miser.

thanks all
scott

 

[texbaylea]

Just install X10 switches for all those lights and then you can hit "all off" on the remote when it begins to bug you. Then she could just turn back on the light where she is at the moment. Nah, that might start WWIII, particularly if she is perched you know where and she has to turn the bathroom light back on.

Vernon

 

[Freds]

Yikes, that's a good sized bill, Scott.
I moved to the country a few years ago and my electric bill jumped up $25/month. I have more efficient appliances and don't leave the lights on as much. Same electric co. I called the electric co. and they said incandecent bulbs don't amount to much like has been shown with the formula. They said my big power user was the well pump and I also pay $6 for my area light/month. I've talked to others and they said if my pump uses $19-20/ month something is wrong, but at any rate:
Do you have a well pump? is the water running a lot kicking it on?

I have a 24 run kennel with 2 furnaces, 1 boiler, grooming driers going on the weekend (big draw), well pump, septic pump, lots of fluorecents on during the day and a few bulbs at night and my highest bill is usually around $200 (commercial rates) during the winter. It's about $130 if I have the A/C on in the summer half the month.

I think your burning a lot of juice somewhere, Scott.

 

[BobReeves]

My wife does the same thing, I will come in from the shop after dark and every light in the house will be on with her asleep on the couch.

I just go around and turn them off, know about that brain crosswired stuff Junkman speaks of so I don't even go there.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Man, that sure seems like a lot of juice for non-elec appliances. I'd be looking for something fairly large that's running a lot. Things that come to mind: a submersable well pump with a leaking pipe in the well that effectively recirculates a portion of your water; a freezer with totally iced-up coils; one or more frig's with poor compressors or low on freon or iced condensor; maybe an old inefficient furnace blower motor; maybe left the electric meat smoker on since it was used last; the constant use of supplemental electric space heaters. ... dunno, sure like to see you have more beer money though.
Cheers!

 

[billbill1]

What works really well for me is to have the wife pay the bills and never look at them, I don't know if I should get mad or not!! Works for me!!

 

[Evasive1]

I do not think you have an unrealistic complaint..

My neighbor is one of those with every light on in the house all the time. Their house is about 800 sq. ft smaller than ours yet their bill runs about $150 more a month than ours.

Another thing is teaching the kids to turn out the lights and the TV after themselves helps to teach responsibility.

Hey, anything I can do to save energy has to be good for the country. As they say every little bit helps and adds up.

 

[RalphVa]

Lights and tv cost little to nothing to run.

I figured the cost of our swimming pool pump, which is near a hp (0.746 kw). Costs only about $1/day to run it about 12 hours a day (on a timer).

I'd put that tractor heater on a timer. You really only need it to come on about an hour before you need to start the tractor.

My wife's car is on a timer to kick on the engine heater on her 1983 Benz.

Timers take very little electricity to run. They're just little clocks.

Ralph