Solar for a Condo?

[KamikazeKunze]

Hey Everyone,

I'm a noob so be gentle.

I am very new to the solar scene and am in need of advice.
First some history.
We live in a second floor condo with one window facing south (4'x4') and the rest of my windows facing directly west (3x) 5'x4' windows and a 8x8 slider, in SW Denver.
I have been on a conservation kick for the last few years. My family doesn't own a TV, but all four of us have a desktop computer and ipads and cell phones and an XBox hooked to a 19" monitor.
I literally had every light bulb in the house switched to CFL's, and it is our protocol to unplug everything that isn't in use, with exception of major appliances and the computers. House temp is set to 70 in the winter months and 78 in the summer.
Our electric usage is awful. We bounce between 700KWh to 1100KWh per month. I will be having our central fan looked at that circulates the air, as I suspect it is the major offender. Our hot water heater doubles as the house heat as well. I am sure we can conserve a bit more bit we have made huge cuts (perceived) and are not realizing it in our monthly electric bill. Xcell charges a premium for anything over 500KWh a month. does any family of four live under that?

Now for the big question.
Is it worth it from a cost benefit ratio to cook up a solar system or try PluggedSolar? I am hoping I could use one or two panels set behind one of the panels in a south and/or west window.
My thinking is to help power some items or back charge the system. I am a SQL Server DBA who works out of the house and I am on call frequently so my laptop (170w power supply) and external monitor are on almost 24/7.

Any and all input is greatly appreciated.

[inetdog]

Hey Everyone,

I'm a noob so be gentle.
.
.
Any and all input is greatly appreciated.

That is a tough bull to straddle....

Any solar PV inside a window will be almost useless except as a conversation piece for two reasons:
1. The glass will reduce the incoming solar radiation by anywhere from a minimum of 8% to a maximum of over 50%.
2. It will be next to impossible to get the panels perpendicular to the sun's rays for the several hours centered on solar noon during which you would be getting the maximum production.
3. Do you really want the hot sun coming in undeterred in the middle of a summer day? You will pay more for the extra AC than you get in power from the panel.

[KamikazeKunze]

inetdog,

Thanks for that very insightful input. The panel is out for now. I am going to extreme conservation methods now. Just checked all of our appliances and ZERO are energy star rated. The Builder was notoriously (found out afterwards).
I'm going to give it another month with me unplugging everything when it is not in use. We are having out 80% efficient direct vent water heater replaced to boot. I really suspect the electric motor that runs the central fan.

Thanks again

[Bikerscum]

Hey Everyone,

First some history.
We live in a second floor condo....Our electric usage is awful. We bounce between 700KWh to 1100KWh per month.

I live in a 2 story 2600sf 4 br 3 ba house. My wife runs the ac constantly, we pretty much make no conservation efforts at all.

We used 1211 kwh last month.

You have something seriously wrong there

[ILFE]

inetdog,

Thanks for that very insightful input. The panel is out for now. I am going to extreme conservation methods now. Just checked all of our appliances and ZERO are energy star rated. The Builder was notoriously (found out afterwards).
I'm going to give it another month with me unplugging everything when it is not in use. We are having out 80% efficient direct vent water heater replaced to boot. I really suspect the electric motor that runs the central fan.

Thanks again

A friend of mine who lives in the Philippines, recently replaced his air-con, refrigerator, and television - all with new energy compliant models. His electric bill dropped the equivalent of about $115 USD. The prices listed below are in Philippine Pesos ($1.00 USD = 43.62 PHP):

A few months ago, replaced aircon, ref and tv. Electric used to cost over 8000 a month but since the change, its down to less than 3000.

[KamikazeKunze]

I live in a 2 story 2600sf 4 br 3 ba house. My wife runs the ac constantly, we pretty much make no conservation efforts at all.

We used 1211 kwh last month.

You have something seriously wrong there

BikerScum.

Our thoughts exactly. Our Condo is only 1100sqft. I'm racking my brain. For now we are going with the water heater. What I need to find out is which appliance is the next worst offender. There are four of us full time with my two kids here every weekend. So we are doing approximately a dishwasher load a day, almost a load of laundry a day. Last month we were running the central fan a, lot with A/C only kicking in when it went over 78. our lowest kWh so far this year was 671 kWh May. Now 1030kWh for Juliy. Heck even in June we used 733 kWh and the entire family (except me) was gone for 15 of those 30 days in that billing cycle.

Thanks

[J.P.M.]

BikerScum.

Our thoughts exactly. Our Condo is only 1100sqft. I'm racking my brain. For now we are going with the water heater. What I need to find out is which appliance is the next worst offender. There are four of us full time with my two kids here every weekend. So we are doing approximately a dishwasher load a day, almost a load of laundry a day. Last month we were running the central fan a, lot with A/C only kicking in when it went over 78. our lowest kWh so far this year was 671 kWh May. Now 1030kWh for Juliy. Heck even in June we used 733 kWh and the entire family (except me) was gone for 15 of those 30 days in that billing cycle.

Thanks

For 4+ people and 4 desktops running and a boatload of other toys, your usage doesn't sound all that outrageous. Example: The 170 Watt laptop you mention blows through (170) * (24) * (365)/(1000) = 1,489 kWhr /yr. - which BTW, is also adding to the A/C load to remove the waste heat generated. The water heater may use a lot of electricity, but lot of electronics will use a lot of electricity. That's sort of a fact of life. Turn off the electronics and see what happens.

[beatme]

Have you considered the smart surge protectors? Basically one outlet is a master outlet (in this case the desktop computer), and the others are slaves (monitor, printer, speakers, etc.). If the master is drawing under a certain amount of current (desktop off), it cuts power to all the slave outlets, reducing idle drain.

I have not tried these myself or seen them in action. I have no idea if they work as advertised. Anyone with experience is encouraged to join in.

[Wy_White_Wolf]

Get a kill-a-watt meter to analyze your loads. I think you'll find those 4 computers are a large portion of your KW usage.

WWW

[Sunking]

It is not your fan on the HVAC system, as all induction squirrel cage AC motors are in excess of 95% efficient and use very little power. There is no room for improvement to be made. Secondly 700 to 1100 Kwh/month is not a lot of energy especially with an electric hot water heater with a family of 4. A home or apartment that size would normally use 1500 to 2000 Kwh/month and you are well below that. Replacing the Hot Water Heater will not do much as it is electric and there is not much room for improvement. Your biggest energy user is the Air Conditioning, and IT IS NOT the fan using the energy, it is the compressor that uses the energy along with all those desktops and X-boxes that are using energy.

In Denver with all electric home the largest energy users in Summer and Winter will be:

1. Air Conditioning, heat or cooling. (50 to 70%)
2. Domestic hot water for showers and cleaning. (20 to 40%)
3. Lighting and Misc like entertainment Desktops, X-Boxes, Stereos, and TV. (5 to 10%)
4. Refrigeration of food. (5% or less)

About the only thing you can do is replace the refrigerator, air conditioner, turn up/down thermostat, turn off the desktops along with X-Box, quit taking showers, quit washing clothes and dishes, eat MRI's, turn off all the lights, buy a LED TV, and sit around around in a dark hot/cold house and watch your new LED TV.

As for Solar forget it.

[prhamilton]

No AC and no showers? Yikes stay away from me.

Have you looked at evaporative cooling? In the dry mountain air it might make sense. They use a lot less power, gonna cost you to replace...

[Sunking]

No AC and no showers? Yikes stay away from me.

Have you looked at evaporative cooling? In the dry mountain air it might make sense. They use a lot less power, gonna cost you to replace...

Denver is on the wrong side of the mountains for swamp coolers.