 
Zrx_doug
Member
Username: Zrx_doug
Post Number: 905
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 2:15 pm: |    |
Detroitplanner..a rechargable solar light will do ya fine so long as you've got an unobstructed southern exposure available to place the solar panel in.
You will probably have to do a bit of minor modification to remove the solar panel from the lamp and mount it remotely, but this usually only involves removing a couple screws and adding wire of adequate length.
Simple stuff, and fairly cheap if you shop it around. |
Baselinepunk
Member
Username: Baselinepunk
Post Number: 146
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 2:23 pm: | |
They make a light with a panel that can attach "remotely". Sold at Home Depot for 89.00. |
Goat
Member
Username: Goat
Post Number: 2847
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 2:29 pm: | |
Haikoont, perhaps a picture of a lego ass of sorts was edited?
Anyway, it is interesting to see that most consumers are using less energy but the rates continue to go up. The same with water bills. Consume less and the utilites need to make up that extra money they lose. Initially you save money by conserving but then when the money isn't rolling in they up the charges!
It is a lose/lose situation for all consumers. |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 3733
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 2:46 pm: | |
I thought that when demand goes down, it forces the price down. Silly me, believing the economic theory we were all taught in school. |
Zrx_doug
Member
Username: Zrx_doug
Post Number: 906
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 3:11 pm: | |
"They make a light with a panel that can attach "remotely". Sold at Home Depot for 89.00."
Or, you can go buy two conventional ones at Harbor Freight for fifteen bucks, spend a few dollars and half an hour on the mods, and come out seventy bucks ahead of the game.
 |
Goat
Member
Username: Goat
Post Number: 2850
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 3:15 pm: | |
Agreed Detroitnerd but that hasn't been the case. In fact I have seen the oppposite the last two years in my city for both water and electricity. |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 3734
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 3:29 pm: | |
When demand goes up, the price goes up. When demand goes down, the gouging goes up. |
Ocean2026
Member
Username: Ocean2026
Post Number: 191
Registered: 11-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 3:36 pm: | |
Gistok I posted it because I was curious and thought it would make an interesting thread. Just wanted to know what people thought. OF course even if I just get a summer home there- electric rates will affect me too. |
Detroitplanner
Member
Username: Detroitplanner
Post Number: 2274
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 3:47 pm: | |
Thanks for the ideas. I'd like to have something that looks nice for the front entrance. For the side, I could care less, but I would like that one to be a motion sensor because I have a child's bedroom window opposite of it at my neighbor's house. I use it to eliminate fumbling for keys at night and to scare off the occasional dog/cat that may get between the houses. I put a similar unit on the other side of the house because I noticed there someone had removed my screens but could not get the window's open. I'm pretty pleased with it, and its on the N side of the house.
I would also love to get one of those tankless water heaters, but can't really justify the difference in cost. I am not a heavy hot water user. |
Novine
Member
Username: Novine
Post Number: 1286
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 4:45 pm: | |
"I would also love to get one of those tankless water heaters, but can't really justify the difference in cost. I am not a heavy hot water user."
A better option if you have a southern facing exposure is a solar water heater to supplement your existing hot water. |
Baselinepunk
Member
Username: Baselinepunk
Post Number: 147
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 4:47 pm: | |
Look into a solar water heater. I think they make them for our region. |
Det_ard
Member
Username: Det_ard
Post Number: 72
Registered: 02-2009
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 5:20 pm: | |
quote:I thought that when demand goes down, it forces the price down. Silly me, believing the economic theory we were all taught in school. If you've still got that Econ textbook check out two things.
First, fixed costs and variable costs. Spreading the same fixed costs over a smaller number of units consumed means the rate goes up. The total bill may not go up as much since consumption (the variable cost part) goes down.
Second, look at the difference between pricing in a regulated monopoly situation vs. a free market. Econ still works if you apply it correctly. |
Zrx_doug
Member
Username: Zrx_doug
Post Number: 907
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - 8:30 pm: | |
Detroitplanner..just got home and my Harbor Freight (translation: imported garbage store) sale flyer was in the mailbox.
They've got just what you're looking for on sale this month..solar powered security light with remote solar panel and motion sensor, stock #93661, for 35 bucks. I believe it's made by Chicago Electric..wouldn't buy a welder from 'em but their little solar stuff is impressive for the price.
http://www.harborfreight.com/c pi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?itemnu mber=93661&Submit=Go
(Message edited by ZRX_Doug on March 25, 2009) |
Sumas
Member
Username: Sumas
Post Number: 849
Registered: 01-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 5:44 am: | |
Zrx, Thanks for the tip about solar lighting at Harbor Freight. It is exactly what I was looking for and the price sounds fantastic.
The rate increases are alarming for all our utilities. We have cut back usage in so many ways. But the bills keep getting higher. We have a few more ways we could cut back even more but do we really need to go back to the dark ages?
One way to cut back would be to disconnect a refrigerator in the basement. We use it mostly for its freezer so we can stock up on sales (mostly meat). It hard to calculate savings. Grocery savings vs energy costs.
One question though. I leave my computer on 24/7. Main reason is that it is an older computer that has been updated. If we turn it off it doesn't recognize the mouse, the printer and sometimes even the keyboard and it is a royal pain getting everything up and running. Is leaving it on a big energy drain? |
Zrx_doug
Member
Username: Zrx_doug
Post Number: 910
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 6:38 am: | |
Yes. Leaving the 'puter on sucks a lot of amps. About the equivilent of leaving anywhere from 2-7 one hundred watt bulbs burning, depending on how efficient the power supply is and how much the machine itself draws.
While you're noodling around Harbor Freight, buy a cheap AC ammeter with a clamp-on inductive pick up..these are nifty little tools that will measure the amperage an electrical device draws without having to cut into the wiring. You'd be surprised to learn which items in your house are sucking the amps down.. |
Noodles
Member
Username: Noodles
Post Number: 26
Registered: 02-2009
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 7:04 am: | |
{quote}They ask you to conserve energy, conserve water, conserve everything....then they sock it to you because you're not using as much and they aren't making as much money. You can't win!
People need to start protesting big time for this type of extortion to end.{quote}
These electric companies are AMERICAN and employ AMERICANS.
Are you suggesting we not give our full support to certain AMERICAN companies when they struggle? |
Novine
Member
Username: Novine
Post Number: 1289
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 8:26 am: | |
"Are you suggesting we not give our full support to certain AMERICAN companies when they struggle?"
The power companies? With their state enforced monopolies? Please. |
Goat
Member
Username: Goat
Post Number: 2852
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 9:25 am: | |
Sumas, you need only to shut off a CRT monitor (the tv style monitor, not the LCD versions) as they suck up the most energy ina computer system. The tower itself uses little energy. |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 3736
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 9:55 am: | |
Det_ard: I'm going to guess by your response that you're not a Marxist. |
Zrx_doug
Member
Username: Zrx_doug
Post Number: 911
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 11:35 am: | |
Goat, I beg to differ. My 'puter is pulling 320 watts as we speak..measured while nothing was going on other than the processer, hard drive and cooling fans while this screen sat idle. When it's cranking (running video or gaming) it has been clocked at better than 800 watts..and this isn't including the monitor, the DSL modem, printers, speakers/amps, external hard drives, etc..
Seriously, pick up an ammeter and measure this stuff for yourself..you'll be surprised. |
Bobl
Member
Username: Bobl
Post Number: 687
Registered: 07-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 12:25 pm: | |
What would happen to the rates if millions of plug in electrical cars were in use? |
Kevgoblu
Member
Username: Kevgoblu
Post Number: 206
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 12:58 pm: | |
Zrx - have you checked the number of watts used while the computer was in 'hibernate' mode? |
Noodles
Member
Username: Noodles
Post Number: 29
Registered: 02-2009
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 1:01 pm: | |
quote:The power companies? With their state enforced monopolies? Please.
Are the power companies AMERICAN?
Nothing else is relevant to this particular point. |
Zrx_doug
Member
Username: Zrx_doug
Post Number: 919
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 1:09 pm: | |
Zrx - have you checked the number of watts used while the computer was in 'hibernate' mode?
Yup..still pulls over 100 watts because the cooling fans are never resting. My PC is running an Intel Celeron processor..dang things are like little space heaters. |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 3739
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 1:19 pm: | |
Story Problem: What would be the cost of leaving your computer on all year, at current metering? |
Zrx_doug
Member
Username: Zrx_doug
Post Number: 923
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 2:09 pm: | |
Dammit..I had this all typed up and it dissappeared..short answer is that if the 'puter draws 100W at idle, it'll cost you around sixty-one bucks a year at the current (no pun intended) rate. |
Detroitbred
Member
Username: Detroitbred
Post Number: 286
Registered: 06-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 3:34 pm: | |
Geez...I go around like a nut now, unplugging things, turning things off...my family is starting to look at me out of the corners of their eyes! And gas is creeping up again...how much more can we all take? |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 3740
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 3:36 pm: | |
Whatever the market will bear. Welcome to the wonderful world of corporate capitalism. ;) |
Zrx_doug
Member
Username: Zrx_doug
Post Number: 924
Registered: 03-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 8:35 pm: | |
"Corporate capitalism?" Nah..the utility companies are running scared right now. If you think the rate hikes are scary today,wait 'til ya see what happens when Obama kicks all his AlGore-fueled "save the planet" hoo-hah into gear.
Whether you believe in global warming or not, it's about to begin hitting you in the wallet..
 |
Fho
Member
Username: Fho
Post Number: 58
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 27, 2009 - 2:25 am: | |
That's sort of the idea as I understand it. If the current carbon-based fuel sources through the current electricity suppliers becomes costly enough, then alternative/clean energy becomes competetive. Once it's competitive it can proliferate and will in turn become cheaper as it becomes more efficient and viable. It depends on a lot going right but I think it's a good combination of free market competition with state-nudged requirements for long term sustainability. |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 3748
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 27, 2009 - 9:47 am: | |
If companies like DTE aren't part of corporate capitalism, what are they? Happy land fun gumdrop collectives? |
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