mostly off topic-electric bill

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nachoman

My electric bill last month was 33 bucks. I kid you not. Granted, right now I am not running a/c or heat, and my stove and water heater are gas. What I do use electricity for are small appliances and lighting. And I have replaced almost all of my light bulbs with CFLs. I think the CFLs are saving me a few bucks a month! Right now I can find them at home depot or lowes for about a buck a bulb on sale, and the quality of light is a little different than incandescent, but it's worth it in my opinion.

This is not about global warming or dependence on foreign oil or all that other crap. It's about me having more money to spend on trains! :mrgreen:

Kevin
 
ezdays

ezdays

Out AZ way
Feb 3, 2003
6,339
0
36
Arizona
bigbluetrains.com
You are right, I noticed the other day at Wal Mart that they have the equivalent of 100W bulbs now. I haven't bought many, but I have one that is in a floodlight package and it sealed, so they are also making them so they don't all have that curly-cue tube showing.

For task lighting, I've got some LED fixtures. They aren't that bright, but are great for things like under-counter lights.
 
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b28_82

Member
Jan 25, 2004
419
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16
Midwest City, OK
www.geocities.com
I hated the CFLs when they first came out because they were the florescent blue light and I'll take an incandescent anyday over that. But then they came out with that more incandescent hue called "soft white" and my living room and bedroom lamps have those CFLs in them. I haven't noticed any difference in the electric bill only because I put them right around the time I move in.
 
Renovo PPR

Renovo PPR

Just a Farmer
Dec 23, 2006
544
0
36
55
Somerset County PA
No hope for me. Just too much running from water wells pumps, farm equipment, 5 freezers, hot water heater etc.

I do use some fl's in the house but I have never found any that do a good job in the unheated farm buildings.

However I expect some saving when we get are new front loader washer since it uses less water and electricity. Since I have a water well I should get double savings on the electric.
 
nkp174

nkp174

Active Member
Oct 10, 2006
1,455
0
36
41
Cincinnati, O.
Renovo has caught what of the 3 downsides to CFLs...they're junk in cold weather.

I can't stand fluorescents...I get very mild headaches and can't read well...my reading lamp at the EPA is an evil fluorescent.

For various reasons...I'll be running incandescents until LEDs replace CFLs in a few years...then I'll be switching.

I wish CFLs worked well in the cold...I'd use them as my constant outdoor lighting. Saving energy is great...because I have more dough! Further, their life is dramatically shortened by turning on and off...so they'd have their maximum life expectancy in being left on as they would be outside...rather than the on/off life inside.

If I recall...a 100w bulb running 24hrs per day...365 days a year...costs less than $10 per year...so it doesn't really bother me. CFL's should probably save the average home around $8 per year in electricity...presuming 3200kwhrs of lighting per day...multiply the wattage of each bulb by the number of hours it's on per day...and add those numbers together. I suspect that it is near 3000kwhrs. The environmental impact is really difficult to determine...because the manufacturing costs are higher...as are the shipping costs since they're all made in Asia...and then, I suspect, they'll have additional disposal issues (at some point) since they contain heavy metals. I don't know how this compares to incandescents...environmentally good or bad.

My energy bill was low last month. I have natural gas heat, hot water, and for my stove. It's kind of thermodynamically silly to get 30% of the heat energy out of fossil fuels in converting it to electricity only to turn around and use it with a less than perfect stove/water heater/furnace to heat something...but it has its safety advantages...so it is practical.
 
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doctorwayne

Active Member
Sep 6, 2005
3,516
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36
Canada, eh?
No thanks to the cfls for me: too many cases of them bursting into flames, plus the fact that I can get longer bulb life for less money buying incandescents. And if you believe that you're getting the equivalent lighting at lower wattage, I have some 34 watt fluorescent tubes that'll give you a similar delusion. :p;)

Wayne
 
N

nachoman

I used to think the same thing about the light quality. The fluorescent tubes at work and school hurt my eyes. But then again schools and businesses probably buy the cheapest tubes they can. The CFLs I was familiar with 4-5 years ago also gave off annoying light, took forever to warm up, and cost 4-5 bucks a piece. I hated them and swore I would never use them.

When I moved into this house a year ago, all the fixtures had incandecents. A week after I moved in, a bulb burnt out, so off to home depot I went. That day, hme depot had a special sale where CFLs were cheaper than incandescents, so I bought a 4-pack.

I quickly learned that CFLs have come a very long way in quality over the last 4 years. The light is still a bit annoying compared to an incandescent bulb, but I don't notice it if it is behind a shade or in a fixture that diffuses the light.

Now I dread the day they switch over to LED lights. LEDs are great, but in my opinion the white ones cast the most eye-irritating unnatural reading light of all. Those camping headlamps are the worst. But, who knows, in 4-5 years maybe the white LEDs will become cheaper and give off a natural-ennough light that I will accept them, too.

Kevin
 
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ozzy

Active Member
Jun 24, 2006
585
0
36
46
milton iowa
before i switched over to them i was changing at least 2 incandescent bulbs a week. sometimes more. i changed over to florescent bulbs and i have not had to change a single bulb in over 3 years. and seen my bill go down. and brighter light i think.


for the ones that dont like them, try a different brand of them, they are not all the same. last i looked Menard's sells 4 or 5 brands i think.
 
Renovo PPR

Renovo PPR

Just a Farmer
Dec 23, 2006
544
0
36
55
Somerset County PA
Well I took an idea from trains. I just completed putting lights on the Christmas Tree. I used LED's 90% more efficient and no heat. I wish I could say I did it to be green but that is not anywhere near the truth.

We needed new lights an my daughter picked them out because she liked the bright white ones. I must say they are some of the best lights for a Christmas Tree.
 
nkp174

nkp174

Active Member
Oct 10, 2006
1,455
0
36
41
Cincinnati, O.
Renovo PPR said:
Well I took an idea from trains. I just completed putting lights on the Christmas Tree. I used LED's 90% more efficient and no heat. I wish I could say I did it to be green but that is not anywhere near the truth.

We needed new lights an my daughter picked them out because she liked the bright white ones. I must say they are some of the best lights for a Christmas Tree.
Click to expand...

We cut our tree yesterday...$29...and set it up today. Not enough room in our small living room for a train...as the tree & furniture fill it up. Is their a Pennsy K-4 under your tree Renovo?
 
E

eric_son

Member
Oct 20, 2005
72
4
16
54
Q.C., Philippines
gruumsh.multiply.com
You guys are lucky.
My monthly electricity bill averages at 5000PHP (~100US$).
On weekdays, I leave home at 7AM and get back at 8PM. During that time, only the refrigerator is running. I do switch on my 1HP A/C unit at night for roughly 6 hours (timer).
 
CCT70

CCT70

Member
Jun 25, 2003
519
0
16
Here in Central California, I am stuck with Pacific Gas and Electric (Better known as PG&E). PG&E is so in bed with the Peoples Republik of Kaliphornia, it is SICKENING. I refer to PG&E as "Pathetic Grief & Extortion". I have a one bedroom apartment (tiny), I don't run heat or air (hell, I can't afford it with PG&E!!) and they still screw me to the tune of $150 a month in electric and gas. The only gas appliance I have is the water heater. While my dining room is now my office (when business got bad earlier this year, I decided to give up my office to save money), I still do not run the computers all day, I shut them down at night. During the day, I have my computer and my work computer running, but only those two, hell, I work in the dark. It drives Alicia nuts when she comes home from work and the house is all dark. I did set up my aquarium and the light, pump, filter and heater are on all the time, but I just set that up two weeks ago, so I haven't seen that on the new bill yet. I have all CFL lights in the house save for the kitchen, and I STILL have over a $150 bill every month. I don't get it. A buddy of mine in Santa Clara has a different power provider (city) and a HIGH bill for his 1 bedroom apartment is $35 a month! I have called the Public Utilities Comission (ABSOLUTELY no help, as PG&E and the state are in bed together) and PG&E (might as well talk to a wall) about my thought that something is really wrong with our meter or something. No dice. PG&E's attitude is "We're all you got, so pay up SUCKER!"

GAWD, I HATE Kaliphornia....
 
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cedarcreekrr

New Member
Jul 17, 2006
94
0
6
71
Garrett, IN
My electric bill runs $145.00 a month and my gas is $100.00 a month. I might try cfl's just see if I can cut the electric bill down. The water and sewer bill is the killer it is $120.00 a month, the kids must be taking to long of a shower.
 
O

ozzy

Active Member
Jun 24, 2006
585
0
36
46
milton iowa
cedarcreekrr said:
My electric bill runs $145.00 a month and my gas is $100.00 a month. I might try cfl's just see if I can cut the electric bill down. The water and sewer bill is the killer it is $120.00 a month, the kids must be taking to long of a shower.
Click to expand...


my water, sewer, and garbage is all on one bill, and i pay 62.00 a month. and 3 years ago it was only 32.65 a month.
 
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