As it's all I have paid for the last 18 years, I guess I can say my electrical costs have doubled! They raised it from $5.00, to $10.00! It's a still a great deal of course, to have a "battery" of infinite capacity, that never needs replacement, takes up no room, and is 100% efficient, as my utility has a simple "put one watt in, get one watt back, no matter when you put it in or take it out," so no complaints from this former 28 year off gridder, it's still a heck of a bargain.
Kinda funny though, as the same month they doubled it, we also had the longest power outage ever, or at least in my experience, almost 48 hours. Normally super reliable, (so reliable, i don't bother with any backup to speak of) a late winter storm caused it. I got by just fine with my plug in RAV4 1000 watt inverter running a few lights, the fridge, and at times the computer. Woodstove heat, melted snow on it once the well tank ran dry, a bit inconvinent but that's all. My rural "big house" new neighbors had a rougher time of it, one called me up to ask if "I was OK," awful nice of them but I almost couldn't help laughing! 17 degrees one night, their propane furnace down, no wood heat, and they were worried about me, I almost felt bad having the lights on that night. The car engine never did kick on, as I had started with a fully charged traction battery.
Kinda funny though, as the same month they doubled it, we also had the longest power outage ever, or at least in my experience, almost 48 hours. Normally super reliable, (so reliable, i don't bother with any backup to speak of) a late winter storm caused it. I got by just fine with my plug in RAV4 1000 watt inverter running a few lights, the fridge, and at times the computer. Woodstove heat, melted snow on it once the well tank ran dry, a bit inconvinent but that's all. My rural "big house" new neighbors had a rougher time of it, one called me up to ask if "I was OK," awful nice of them but I almost couldn't help laughing! 17 degrees one night, their propane furnace down, no wood heat, and they were worried about me, I almost felt bad having the lights on that night. The car engine never did kick on, as I had started with a fully charged traction battery.
