Your power usage before/after solar?

[Engineer]

So first month with our 6kWh system, and out power usage has doubled

Which is why it's going to be a 12kWh system in a week or two

[SunEagle]

Too bad. I would hope that solar installations would help people find ways to reduce their consumption and lower their electric bills even more.

[DanKegel]

So first month with our 6kWh system, and out power usage has doubled

Which is why it's going to be a 12kWh system in a week or two

That's the rebound effect in action

What increased -- are you cranking your A/C more now?

[J.P.M.]

So first month with our 6kWh system, and out power usage has doubled

Which is why it's going to be a 12kWh system in a week or two

So the goal of energy use reduction is sacrificed at the altar of PV. Also, looks like those are 6 kW and 12 kW systems maybe ?

[Engineer]

Too bad.

How so? My first bill was zero (-$3 actually), that money wasn't doing anything for me, it mostly went into the local economy, will come back to me in a few years, we have a higher quality of life, and it's spreading more solar around. I personally don't believe that energy reduction is inherently a good thing, using energy for a purpose is good, as long as it's relatively 'free'.

[Engineer]

What increased -- are you cranking your A/C more now?

Using computers/servers more for my work, also got a water distiller for drinking water (tastes heavenly).

[Engineer]

So the goal of energy use reduction is sacrificed at the altar of PV.

Reduction of electricity usage wasn't my goal (rather the opposite) but a reduction in fossil fuels (NG and gasoline via getting EV's). Mainly though it's for an increase in quality of life, and options for my work. Cloud servers are expensive to do things that would be cheap if I just bought the hardware myself - with cheap electricity too. So now I get to run experiments and servers I couldn't do before.

[bcroe]

That's the rebound effect in action What increased -- are you cranking your A/C more now?

I did it in reverse. Conservation started with my first house, and to some degree
even before that. But its a diminishing returns game, causing me more & more
effort with increasing discomfort. Meanwhile I noticed as my usage gradually
decreased, my energy bills gradually increased. A combination of higher rates
and increasing connect fees did it.

Here solar is the end of the game. No more suffering, set the thermostat where
I want summer or winter for no additional cost. The prices of electricity and propane
no longer bother me, because I don't buy them. I avoided the $336 a year connect
cost for gas; it was $30 not so long ago, wonder what it will be in a decade? I
don't believe in halfway measures.

I am burning nothing to accomplish this, but that's not on top of the goal list.
Everyone has their own list, which is much better than no list. Conservation
doesn't have to be on top; at least they are thinking about it. But consumption
here is still about the same, with efficiency still increasing. Bruce Roe

[Engineer]

Here solar is the end of the game. No more suffering, set the thermostat where
I want summer or winter for no additional cost. The prices of electricity and propane
no longer bother me, because I don't buy them. I avoided the $336 a year connect
cost for gas; it was $30 not so long ago, wonder what it will be in a decade? I
don't believe in halfway measures.

Yes, yes yes!

[SunEagle]

Reduction of electricity usage wasn't my goal (rather the opposite) but a reduction in fossil fuels (NG and gasoline via getting EV's). Mainly though it's for an increase in quality of life, and options for my work. Cloud servers are expensive to do things that would be cheap if I just bought the hardware myself - with cheap electricity too. So now I get to run experiments and servers I couldn't do before.

Too bad you are missing the point in that the more RE you use the more you will rely on Fossil fuel power generation to give you power when the RE doesn't.

Thinking RE is "free" is pretty short sited and IMO being selfish.

[Engineer]

Too bad you are missing the point in that the more RE you use the more you will rely on Fossil fuel power generation to give you power when the RE doesn't

My dear boy don't you know electricity is fungible?

My neighbor, not having a whole house fan as I do, uses is AC all the time. Being the lowest impedance source no doubt I'm feeding his panel. But since my house is cool and I'm TOU, my usage is quite low during peak solar. Meanwhile - here's the key point - less NG was used to produce electricity as my panels made up for it. Late in the day my house is heated up and his is quite cool, so I crank up the power usage and am using NG generated electricity, which was saved (due to the fungibility) during the day.

Let's not argue about NG plant efficiencies, peak power generation and the like, the point being that yes at the end of the year I am removed from the fossil fuel generation equation, even though some of my electrons came from a NG plant. Makes no difference, just as using your credit card is no different than cash.

Thinking RE is "free" is pretty short sited and IMO being selfish.

Now now, be nice.

[J.P.M.]

My dear boy don't you know electricity is fungible?

My neighbor, not having a whole house fan as I do, uses is AC all the time. Being the lowest impedance source no doubt I'm feeding his panel. But since my house is cool and I'm TOU, my usage is quite low during peak solar. Meanwhile - here's the key point - less NG was used to produce electricity as my panels made up for it. Late in the day my house is heated up and his is quite cool, so I crank up the power usage and am using NG generated electricity, which was saved (due to the fungibility) during the day.

Let's not argue about NG plant efficiencies, peak power generation and the like, the point being that yes at the end of the year I am removed from the fossil fuel generation equation, even though some of my electrons came from a NG plant. Makes no difference, just as using your credit card is no different than cash.



Now now, be nice.

When do you operate the whole hose fan ?

[Engineer]

When do you operate the whole hose fan ?

Evenings, nights and mornings most days, as I live in a coastal area that is hot during the day and cool at night. It uses very little power though, 60W on the lowest setting I believe, and I keep it on the first two settings. Cool nighttime air is a natural resource around here, I harvest it for cheap.

[Engineer]

(this post will get in the moderation queue due to having a single link, oh well)

The best whole house fan IMO is the 4.4e from Airscape Fans. These guys have thick insulated doors so you don't lose heat from the WHF when it's not in operation, have web controls, remote controls, and the power usage is insanely low, here's lowest to highest

• 25 Watts
• 65
• 120
• 175
• 340
• 440
• 700 Watts

We use either the first or second setting 99% of the time as I mentioned.

[azdave]

Usage is about the same to slightly less.

Pre-solar we were already all LED, new high efficiency A/C unit, all appliances natural gas, window shades, awnings south side of house, extra insulation in attic and had a whole house energy audit confirming all was well. Then we installed solar. We were already pretty frugal and efficient and after a year and a half, our usage has gone down slightly but not by much. Last year, we began running HEPA filters and have to keep the windows closed year-round due to my wife's respiratory issues. I don't consider our solar energy as free since we paid cash for the system and did not find that money growing on a tree out back. We use on average about 950 kWh a month.