WA HOO FarmerChick

[Marianne]

That's where I read that!! He's got a pretty interesting site. Love the little calculators he has.

I think the thing that shocked me was that there wasn't that much difference in energy usage with the range/stove over a slow cooker/toaster oven. Still don't know about that one, ya know?

 

[FarmerChick]

really because I bought a nice toaster oven and use it in place of the oven...thinking I was saving alot of elec. I barely turn on the oven anymore.

oh man



and Duke is raising rates. So for all I saved, now they are billing higher soon.


I may have to just give this up. Get a part time job and put that paycheck straight to a high power bill. just run all the darn elec. I want and say the heck with it.

 

[Marianne]

NO NO NO NO, never give up! Never surrender! (is that how it goes?) Just think of what you would be paying if you didn't do all your energy saving things.

I had to make concessions:

DH would go get a battery for some tool...dead. I got the 'look'. (note to self: take batteries off chargers before unplugging said chargers.)

DH would turn on the TV to watch a show he'd set to record. Halfway through the show... Poof, all over. There's 'the look' again. (note to self: make sure everything's recorded before flipping surge protecter to power down tv, etc)

DH would run an extension cord from the shop, through the dog yard, with 6 cats under foot the entire time. Plug in whatever and guess what? No power because I'd hit the breaker to turn all such stuff off.

I'm tellin' ya, I got 'the look' a lot. I was thinking that he was actually going to say something about it one day. So I started leaving some stuff on. Made it easier around here. Our energy usage is still less than what it used to be from a couple years ago, but not as much as what it could be. Our power rates are different each month, so I finally quit focusing on that and just looked at the usage.

 

[FarmerChick]

'the look'

oh my gosh my hubby gives me 'the look' also. we must be nightmares to live with!!


worse is I go behind him turning off tv and such and then give him a lecture. I get 'the look'. He leaves the tv on, goes out into truck for something, comes in a min. later and it is off. I get the look. "I left for a minute" I say "I didn't know how long you would be gone, so off it goes"


check out this retro fit for an existing water heater. simple install of connecting to water heater, but also have to install one power line to the tankless. Seems great in a way. But I didn't see the cost. I bet it is an arm and a leg. Something I can't give them yet LOL

http://www.airgenerate.com/

 

[Marianne]

Maybe!

Hey, that thing is a little heat pump! Uses just 110, looks pretty slick. Any time they don't list the price, you know it's expensive, huh. They're saying the average payback time is 1-1/2 years.

Be nice to hear from someone who actually has one of these...or a cheaper alternative for heating/preheating water other than passive solar.

 

[FarmerChick]

yea passive solar isn't happening for me.
big black tank on the roof and all that won't cut it.

passive would be great for a cabin in the wood or something. but we still get that cold winter, where passive isn't going to be enough.

 

[Marianne]

There's all kinds and shapes of passive solar water heating/preheating things, some more efficient than others. We also want hot water first thing in the morning when it's still dark. Passive solar is a passion of mine, but I'll probably never have it in this house - the water, anyway.

Anyway, I'll wait for you to post your results from clicking the water heater off and on. You're still going to do it, right? or no?

 

[FarmerChick]

I know solar has me so interested...yet it seems so far out of reach for some reason or other.

ugh




oh yes I am doing the experiment. Only way I will ever know if it does lower the bill.

It was off for 7 hrs. today. 9:30 to 5:30. (my dryer is hooked onto the same breaker. I turned it on for 1 to dry, and just left it on for one full hr.--then back off again.)

You know a few times during the day I turned on hot water to wash a small plate and glass and yea it was still warm even after a good 3 hrs off. huh

 

[Marianne]

I have a neighbor that went for one entire year with no 'hot' water. Unit shot craps, she had money, just got a little weird for a while. Anyway, she said the pilot light was enough to warm the water so she could take a shower every day, wash a few dishes, etc.

Sure wouldn't work with a family. Okay, junior, Friday is the day you take a shower, but keep it short. The dishes are piling up.

 

[FarmerChick]

yea that isn't going to work here either. I want to save a bit of money but I am not going to rough it. getting too old for that!!


hey I turned it on at 5:30 and water heated up fast. At 6 I washed a few plates/dishes and then I thought, well heck I don't need any hot water til after dinner. So I shut it off again LOL

Will turn on after dinner for an hr.........then off until bedtime which is anywhere between 11:30 and 12:30------then back on before bed cause has to have hot water for 4:30 am shower for work.

I best write myself a NOTE cause if I leave it off, I might get more than just 'the look' at 4:30 am!


I think I am going to keep this darn thing off as long as possible every day. huh will be intersting.