***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[faerielady]

All this talk of house stuff makes me think about the fact I have two sheds to get put up in my back yard so I can empty out the inadequately converted garage (right now it's storage

) and fix THAT... so I can re-insulate my house, bring down the electric and gas some, and try figure out solar options and how to put a fireplace into my house.

 

[jcatblum]

Quote:
Is your house total electric or a mix of gas and electric?

You can easily run 90% of the house on a 8kw generator so long as you have gas heat and hot water, otherwise turn teh breaker off to the hotwater tank and Central heat.
the average total electric heater has a 15-20kw heat strip and running that with teh whole house would require a 40kw generator, hot water tanks will have two elements that are between 3750 watts (3.75 kw) and 7500 watts (7.5kw) each so draw from these two sources will dramatically increase the size of teh generator required.

I keep a 7500 watt generator with a plug made to plug into a 100amp 220v ac breaker in the main breaker panel, turn teh main breaker off and the breakers for teh hotwater, and central heat and it runs teh house with no issues.

Our hot water heater is electric but the heat is propane. Dh might need to talk generators w you. We have been back & forth on size. I say bigger is better. Dh says smaller is cheaper. Think we were looking at $5k for 20 or around $10k for 35-- Don't know if we looked at a 40- the cooling system is what makes the price of the generator so high, but I do remember the brutal ice storm & don't want to be in the dark all the way out here! The generator is through caddo electric, so we get 20% off our electric in return for using our generator during peak times in summer. This yr think they said it was 18hours that generators ran. So it needs to be able to run the a/c as well. I personally don't want to be without hot water if we don't have power for 2 or 3 wks. I want to know I have heat, hot & cold water, fridge & freezer those are my priorites. when we build we may do a propane hotwater heater. Right now our build time is up in the air. We are waiting to know when dh is leaving Ft sill. If he gets picked up for a new position we have time to build a house next yr. If not we wait
until the army says he will be home long enough to build a house. Worse case I am living in a single wide trailer for 5 yrs. Fingers crossed he lands a new position soon!

 

[sjarvis00]

Quote:
Is your house total electric or a mix of gas and electric?

You can easily run 90% of the house on a 8kw generator so long as you have gas heat and hot water, otherwise turn teh breaker off to the hotwater tank and Central heat.
the average total electric heater has a 15-20kw heat strip and running that with teh whole house would require a 40kw generator, hot water tanks will have two elements that are between 3750 watts (3.75 kw) and 7500 watts (7.5kw) each so draw from these two sources will dramatically increase the size of teh generator required.

I keep a 7500 watt generator with a plug made to plug into a 100amp 220v ac breaker in the main breaker panel, turn teh main breaker off and the breakers for teh hotwater, and central heat and it runs teh house with no issues.

Our hot water heater is electric but the heat is propane. Dh might need to talk generators w you. We have been back & forth on size. I say bigger is better. Dh says smaller is cheaper. Think we were looking at $5k for 20 or around $10k for 35-- Don't know if we looked at a 40- the cooling system is what makes the price of the generator so high, but I do remember the brutal ice storm & don't want to be in the dark all the way out here! The generator is through caddo electric, so we get 20% off our electric in return for using our generator during peak times in summer. This yr think they said it was 18hours that generators ran. So it needs to be able to run the a/c as well. I personally don't want to be without hot water if we don't have power for 2 or 3 wks. I want to know I have heat, hot & cold water, fridge & freezer those are my priorites. when we build we may do a propane hotwater heater. Right now our build time is up in the air. We are waiting to know when dh is leaving Ft sill. If he gets picked up for a new position we have time to build a house next yr. If not we wait
until the army says he will be home long enough to build a house. Worse case I am living in a single wide trailer for 5 yrs. Fingers crossed he lands a new position soon!

Feel free to call, I can also show you a very nice Solar Heating system (air not water) that will heat 1200 sq ft with no issues. I have an extra panel right now they work very well (when the sun is out).
Generators are fairly easy to both properly size and set up, much less expensive if they are on a manual disconnect, the propane powered generators last the longest with fewer maint. issues.
I will be happy to talk to him about anything that will help you out.

 

[sjarvis00]

If you really want to cut your electric bill, there is a very simple product that will make a huge difference.
A hot water timer installed and set to run 3 hours in the morning (2 hrs before everyone starts hitting teh showers) and a few hours in teh evening when hot water is being used. Most of your electric related to hot water is used to heat the warm water. It will stay very warm in teh tank for 2-3 days if un-used. By only running the hotwater for 6-8 hours a day you will dramatically reduce the amount of electric used.
You acn also invest a small amount in what is called a power factor correction unit, this often gives a reduction in usage of no less than 8% and sometimes up to 18%.
I can talk energy conservation all day..

 

[faerielady]

Quote:
Does this hot water timer need to be installed by a plumber? Also, what is a power factor correction unit?

My electric is always high it seems, I've gone to power strips and turning everything off and I still have high-ish usage. It's frustrating. James' house doesn't seem to have the same issues as mine does.

edited: surge protectors are not the same as power strips

 

[sjarvis00]

Quote:
Does this hot water timer need to be installed by a plumber? Also, what is a power factor correction unit?

My electric is always high it seems, I've gone to surge protectors and turning everything off and I still have usage. It's frustrating. James' house doesn't seem to have the same issues as mine does.

No it is installed in line with the electrical disconnect that is right by the hotwater tank, it is very simple 6 wires to hook up set the time, and on /off times. Set it to come on 2 hrs before showers are normally taken and 1 hr before heavy usage in teh evening, have it turn off about 30 minutes before normal hot water useage ends.

The power factor correction is an old technology been around for a very long time in industrial applications and stablizes the input voltage, eleminates surges and allows appliances to last longer produce less heat and operate more eeficiently. there is some good reading on teh technology on-line.

 

[jcatblum]

Caddo electric provides new hot water heaters that are energy efficient with the condition you allow them to put a timer on your hot water heater. Our hot water heater was installed back in march or April I believe. But they have never came out to put a timer on it. Maybe I need to remind them. Right now I believe I have it set on energy saver, but I am sure the timer would help.

I will have dh get with you before he picks a generator. They are suppose to send some one out to evaluate our generator needs but a 2nd opinion is always nice.

 

[sixshooter60]

Quote:

you have found a great place to talk chickens just jump in anytime

 

[Kassaundra]

My harvest from the garden today, still no tomatoes!!!!!

I've got hot peppers (red and yellow), cukes, zuchs, pattypans, spaghetti squash, okra, radish

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
I've got some LF Coronation Sussex eggs in the bator that we got from Joe..pretty excited to see them to see them hatch!

I have a flock of Coros. They're pretty, but not very hardly. Lost 9 to this year...plus I haven't gotten a single egg. The only one that layed died.

~Aspen