Off grid but still receive a utility bill

[42OhmsPA]

Just got my latest bill, $15.49 to use nothing.
I wonder if I'd get their attention by switching back to PPL for my supplier and submitting for the $400 rebates on mini splits and HPWH...

 

[Cuemaker]

Here in southern Ohio, we have 2 meters, 1 business & 1 residential with security light.
It costs $78 a month if we never use a watt.
We use a lot of electric for our small pool cue making business + the house.
Averages about 5,000kw per month, our solar system has cut usage from sure power about 40%.
We are shooting for 75% from solar, plans are to double our solar capacity by this time next year.
Just bought another batch of (16) Eve 3.2v-280ah cells, this will be our 3rd 48v battery bank.
We have a 2kw wind turbine to get up in the air, plus another 10.8kw of solar panels to bring on line.
That should put us in pretty good shape, then add a couple more 48v-280ah battery banks next year.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Here in southern Ohio, we have 2 meters, 1 business & 1 residential with security light.
It costs $78 a month if we never use a watt.
We use a lot of electric for our small pool cue making business + the house.
Averages about 5,000kw per month, our solar system has cut usage from sure power about 40%.
We are shooting for 75% from solar, plans are to double our solar capacity by this time next year.
Just bought another batch of (16) Eve 3.2v-280ah cells, this will be our 3rd 48v battery bank.
We have a 2kw wind turbine to get up in the air, plus another 10.8kw of solar panels to bring on line.
That should put us in pretty good shape, then add a couple more 48v-280ah battery banks next year.

Let us know how your Wind Turbine performs...

 

[IGBT]

How many people are 100% off grid?

How many are Grid tied and use Grid only in winter?

1% maybe at most.

I think the POCOS can manage.

Well that answered my question. The 99% can subsidize the 1%.

In a similar manner, the ICE vehicles on the road can subsidize the EV vehicles as far as road maintenance and construction goes (which is paid for in a large part by federal taxes on gasoline, which EV vehicles really don't pay).

This all works well until the subsidized become a large portion of the whole.

 

[glandpuck]

There are 3 kinds of persons on the planet:

Those whose wealth enables them to pay the ride for others.
Those whose wealth pays for their ride.
Those whose wealth can't pay for their ride.

The only question becomes how do you want people riding around through life? Once answered, you can allocate resources appropriately.

 

[Hedges]

Simpler, adjust consumption to match (or be less than) income.

Perform honest work.

Those two lead to modest wealth and comfort.

I submit that allocating resources to "help" people is the worst thing you can do to them.

 

[glandpuck]

Simpler, adjust consumption to match (or be less than) income.

Perform honest work.

Those two lead to modest wealth and comfort.

I submit that allocating resources to "help" people is the worst thing you can do to them.

Put more properly, "allocate resources" should be interpreted as whether or not you want to provide assistance to anyone. If you simplify it down to adjust consumption to match income, then you face a real problem. This problem is IMO that people who have lower income may be intellectually capable of discovering material wealth and nutritional advantages that are out of their reach and become disgruntled. And a disgruntled mass of people often leads to a society where even the wealthy are not too happy.

 

[IGBT]

Sounds a bit like Dickens: “‘My other piece of advice, Copperfield,’ said Mr. Micawber, ‘you know. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds nought and six, result misery.”

 

[Hedges]

Put more properly, "allocate resources" should be interpreted as whether or not you want to provide assistance to anyone. If you simplify it down to adjust consumption to match income, then you face a real problem. This problem is IMO that people who have lower income may be intellectually capable of discovering material wealth and nutritional advantages that are out of their reach and become disgruntled. And a disgruntled mass of people often leads to a society where even the wealthy are not too happy.

The alternate approach is far worse, and has been in practice for a century in the United States.

People were once eager to work and keep what they earned, and to finally attend school and learn. They did well.
When school becomes compulsory, troublemakers can't be expelled because they are entitled to education, education doesn't happen.
When people are given everything they need to live and not obligated to do anything in return, they don't.

Better to be willing to let people starve to death, and to have sufficient force/security available to stop attacks and stealing.
Offer work with food and pay in exchange. Maybe as public works projects, e.g. build roads and dams.
Then the life and future of each individual is up to him to choose.

"The Devil finds work for idle hands."

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Well that answered my question. The 99% can subsidize the 1%.

In a similar manner, the ICE vehicles on the road can subsidize the EV vehicles as far as road maintenance and construction goes (which is paid for in a large part by federal taxes on gasoline, which EV vehicles really don't pay).

This all works well until the subsidized become a large portion of the whole.

Yes they can because the infrastructure is already in place and has been for 50 years.
Doesn’t cost them shit to clear a few trees every 10 years.

Meanwhile I’m still being charged.

As a matter of fact my fee “Just to have the right to use electricity “ went up $5 a month is now $50 a month.

It’s BS is what it is..

 

[nathandeb]

In my area of OH, they have a grid tie program. I chose not to be part of it. I have electric utility at my place. My solar set up is separate from the utility. The last few months I've been able to use zero KWH grid utility use, but continue to receive a utility bill. It shows on the bill 0 kwh but charged $12.32 each month. They call this a "Line Distribution Charge". So, I have no desire to have my line cut at the road because you just never know who may need the convenience of the grid. I figure it is costing me .41 cents a day to keep my utility. I am posting this to see if this is customary across the country or may be I'm in a lucky state not being charged even more or less depending on others.

Paying $45/mon here for keep in place. You're getting a bargain!

 

[OzSolar]

We use a lot of electric for our small pool cue making business

Like little baby pool cues? I can show myself out.

It’s BS is what it is..

Pretty much everything Utilities do is BS, I would know, I worked for several back in the 90's and still do side work consulting on utility issues.

However they do an insanely impressive job keeping the power on to all of thier customers at a nearly 6 sigma level (99.9999). 4 Sigma is 99.99% and that is about 1 hour per yr. It's been years since I lost my power for more than one hour total in a year and that was a squirrel that committed suicide on my transformer thus only affecting me.

From my viewpoint: I'd like to offer that cost them a lot to build it and they are completely entitled to a return on that investment. Annual upkeep is no joke either, I've seen the numbers.

That's worth well more than $27.50 per month they charge me. At $50 month I'll start to get irritated but I'll keep paying it with a pretend smile on my face. $100 per month might be where I'd tell them to come get thier meter but maybe not. I've got better things to do then be my own full time utility.

 

[Hedges]

You must be from Missouri

In San Jose and Oakland, I've had power outages of multiple hours multiple times per year for the past several years.

My minimum monthly charge is 1/2 or 1/3 what you're paying, but I'll bet your rates can't hold a candle to my $0.40 ~ $0.65/kWh rates.

For one property, I requested 50 kVA 3-phase service, because I saw 12kV 3-phase on a pole 150' away. For one transformer hung on nearby pole and 200' x 3 conductors, they quoted me $150,000.

 

[OzSolar]

I'm sorry, I'm not seeing your point if there is one, Show-Me state and all that.

Sounds like you're at 3 Sigma, 99.9% up-time. Still not too shabby compared to many parts of Patagonia, Puerto Rico and Mexico that I've worked in.

~13 cents per kWh here but lots of scary talk about demand charges (not TOU) coming in the near future.

 

[SparkyGage]

Just for reference: My "Customer Charge with Entergy Arkansas is $8.40.

 

[OzSolar]

Just for reference: My "Customer Charge with Entergy Arkansas is $8.40.

Show off

 

[Bop]

You must be from Missouri

In San Jose and Oakland, I've had power outages of multiple hours multiple times per year for the past several years.

My minimum monthly charge is 1/2 or 1/3 what you're paying, but I'll bet your rates can't hold a candle to my $0.40 ~ $0.65/kWh rates.

For one property, I requested 50 kVA 3-phase service, because I saw 12kV 3-phase on a pole 150' away. For one transformer hung on nearby pole and 200' x 3 conductors, they quoted me $150,000.

To get three phase on in an Australian house in most areas is about $1500Au (no transformer needed, just replace the two wire feed from the street with a four wire feed)- in some rural areas you may need a transformer which is about $3000 for a 3 phase one...

That makes my $45000 quote for mains (single phase transformer from a SWER (single wire, earth return) cable out the front look cheap lol although offgrid solar was far cheaper... but that was for a 500m/1600ft run...

 

[SparkyGage]

Show off

Considering I'm about 100 yards outside of the city limits and have had a half dozen or more outages since the beginning of the year, I'm not surprised it's so cheap. .... ... or maybe I am surprised. They have been having to do a lot of repairs on the lines. ...

 

[auTTiMan]

I would say that is on the low end in general of basic charges in the US and worth it.

Agreed. Southern Company charges a “meter fee” more than that.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Like little baby pool cues? I can show myself out.


Pretty much everything Utilities do is BS, I would know, I worked for several back in the 90's and still do side work consulting on utility issues.

However they do an insanely impressive job keeping the power on to all of thier customers at a nearly 6 sigma level (99.9999). 4 Sigma is 99.99% and that is about 1 hour per yr. It's been years since I lost my power for more than one hour total in a year and that was a squirrel that committed suicide on my transformer thus only affecting me.

From my viewpoint: I'd like to offer that cost them a lot to build it and they are completely entitled to a return on that investment. Annual upkeep is no joke either, I've seen the numbers.

That's worth well more than $27.50 per month they charge me. At $50 month I'll start to get irritated but I'll keep paying it with a pretend smile on my face. $100 per month might be where I'd tell them to come get thier meter but maybe not. I've got better things to do then be my own full time utility.

Considering the same poles and same copper have been in place out here since the 60s I would say they made their money back in spades.

The last time I saw them replace a pole, transformer, fuse was when this old red neck boy decided that PBR and a Dodge Ram at 100mph was a good idea .

Other than that they send Asplundh out every 10 years to cut some limbs.