What are you doing to save energy?

[Solarcabin Channel]

If you live in low humidity country and water is not an issue an evaporative cooler uses a lot less watts than an AC unit.

I use a 2 gallon portable model that uses only 45 watts and I only run it on low or it gets too cold in my cabin. It has those gel packs you can freeze and put in the tray to make it colder faster. Good units and mine is made by SUPLAK off Amazon.

 

[Solarcabin Channel]

Build a shade porch/solarium.

I have a 7x14 foot covered front porch facing south on the front of my cabin.

In summer that shades both front windows and cools the air under the porch so in summer heat I can open my front door and with the passive roof turbine it pulls cool air in and expels the warm air out.

In winter I enclose that porch in plastic sheeting (just did that this week) and the sun is lower in the sky so that acts as a solarium and heats up to over 80 degrees even when outside temp is the 50's. It also block the wind from coming in when I open the door and keeps my propane tanks out of the snow, makes a nice mud room for taking off wet clothes, a place to sit or work on projects on winter days out of the cold breeze, a solar heated clothes dryer and I can get a head start on my garden by hardening off seedlings in there.

May not look great but it works and you could do a nicer job with windows and screens to make a covered dual purpose porch. That reduces my heating and cooling needs and all the extra bonuses.

 

[cs1234]

Spark sets off trapped methane fart and blows up the bedroom.

Try explaining that one to the fire department and insurance company.

I can't wait to see the warning labels on everything if California catches wind of it.

 

[Shimmy]

Not to hijack, but given the number of people here that have well pumps, I'm surprised to not see much on what is done for water conservation to save energy.

Curious if anybody uses automatic shutoff water valves and real-time metering for the house to be able to remotely manage and address a problem on the water side.

I'd like to put a rain water harvesting system in to do grey water flushing of our two most-used toilets, but the logistics of re-working the plumbing are a little daunting.

 

[Solarcabin Channel]

given the number of people here that have well pumps

My well is artesian free flowing so no pump needed. I have a preheat tank under the sink and use a 12 volt shurflo pump for showers and sinks.

A preheat tank is a good way to reduce energy for heating water I use a propane OD water heater on low for pennies because the water is already at room temperature.

 

[Crowz]

Not to hijack, but given the number of people here that have well pumps, I'm surprised to not see much on what is done for water conservation to save energy.

Curious if anybody uses automatic shutoff water valves and real-time metering for the house to be able to remotely manage and address a problem on the water side.

I'd like to put a rain water harvesting system in to do grey water flushing of our two most-used toilets, but the logistics of re-working the plumbing are a little daunting.

That's one I never had a problem with at the older house. The water level is so high it actually shoots up out of the ground like that scene in the beverly hill billies when he shoots the ground and strikes oil.

I can't get rid of the water there.

City water on the newer homes.

 

[BKY2003]

Tell me more about these low watt elements and timer. My hot water heater barely uses energy except when I drain it in the evenings with showers/washer machine/dishwasher. I know some of the newer hot water heaters have schedules and such that are useful for that kind of thing. Also, how do you like your washer/dryer combo? Im thinking of going heat pump hot water heater and GE combo in the next month or two.

More info on the GE Profile, on average the heat pump watts used was about 1200 watts and the total watts used for the whole ( normal wash and dry cycle was 1,273 watts for one load.

 

[JakAHearts]

More info on the GE Profile, on average the heat pump watts used was about 1200 watts and the total watts used for the whole ( normal wash and dry cycle was 1,273 watts for one load.

Thats pretty impressive! My dryer is old and rated at 28 amps. I think it uses 2500-3000watts and since it's old, sometimes I have to run it more than once.

 

[Shimmy]

More info on the GE Profile, on average the heat pump watts used was about 1200 watts and the total watts used for the whole ( normal wash and dry cycle was 1,273 watts for one load.

For my standard style vented LG units, 3 loads are a little under 6kWh (but a lot of variation between each) for washer + dryer. So roughly a 33% reduction.

 

[BKY2003]

Yeah LG makes good appliances. Main reason I purchased the GE Profile was because it runs on 120volt. I want it for off grid. I still have my Samsung washer and dryer.

 

[JakAHearts]

I guess this could be a good question for this thread. I see a lot of people discussing solar and energy reduction make suggestions to eliminate electrical demand, like gas appliances. Im in need of a new hot water heater and have had multiple suggestions to go with a tankless gas unit. Im leaning more towards a heat pump hot water heater. I feel like I would have to use a similiar size array and battery pack to power my house whether I have the water heater hooked up or not and at times with ample solar, I will be using zero gas/grid for hot water. Does this make financial and logical sense or is a gas hot water heater still a better option?

While Im at it, I could also get a gas oven/stove so my only major electrical loads would be my fancy new washer/dryer and my mini splits for AC.... I do worry about the future of natural gas prices though. Solar panels and batteries, once paid for, should provide a linear cost for 15 years or hopefully more.

 

[Solarcabin Channel]

I guess this could be a good question for this thread. I see a lot of people discussing solar and energy reduction make suggestions to eliminate electrical demand, like gas appliances. Im in need of a new hot water heater and have had multiple suggestions to go with a tankless gas unit. Im leaning more towards a heat pump hot water heater. I feel like I would have to use a similiar size array and battery pack to power my house whether I have the water heater hooked up or not and at times with ample solar, I will be using zero gas/grid for hot water. Does this make financial and logical sense or is a gas hot water heater still a better option?

I can't speak for heat pump hot water but I use propane On Demand with a preheat tank and costs pennies per shower.

That way I don't need as big a solar power system and even on low sun days I can take a shower and wash dishes.

 

[JakAHearts]

I can't speak for heat pump hot water but I use propane On Demand with a preheat tank and costs pennies per shower.

That way I don't need as big a solar power system and even on low sun days I can take a shower and wash dishes.

Hmmm ok. A neighbor with the same amount of children as me said his gas bill was around 50 a month in the summer. Comparably, mine is 8.50, the minimum charge to have gas service.

 

[Solarcabin Channel]

Hmmm ok. A neighbor with the same amount of children as me said his gas bill was around 50 a month in the summer. Comparably, mine is 8.50, the minimum charge to have gas service.

Propane and natural gas are not the same and I don't have a gas line to my cabin.

You get propane in tanks or delivered to your tank. Price here is $2.50 a gallon and a gallon will run my heater, cook stove and OD water heater in winter for a day.

 

[JakAHearts]

Propane and natural gas are not the same and I don't have a gas line to my cabin.

You get propane in tanks or delivered to your tank. Price here is $2.50 a gallon and a gallon will run my heater, cook stove and OD water heater in winter for a day.

Sorry if my "hmmmm ok" sounded like I was questioning you. I was just "hmmm" thinking.

 

[Shimmy]

I guess this could be a good question for this thread. I see a lot of people discussing solar and energy reduction make suggestions to eliminate electrical demand, like gas appliances. Im in need of a new hot water heater and have had multiple suggestions to go with a tankless gas unit. Im leaning more towards a heat pump hot water heater. I feel like I would have to use a similiar size array and battery pack to power my house whether I have the water heater hooked up or not and at times with ample solar, I will be using zero gas/grid for hot water. Does this make financial and logical sense or is a gas hot water heater still a better option?

Really depends on what your incoming water temperature is and how much water/when you use. For lower water temperatures, the gas is going to be most viable. Likely around 55ºF the heat pump is going to do much better.

It is more expensive up front though.

While Im at it, I could also get a gas oven/stove so my only major electrical loads would be my fancy new washer/dryer and my mini splits for AC.... I do worry about the future of natural gas prices though. Solar panels and batteries, once paid for, should provide a linear cost for 15 years or hopefully more.

How much do you use the oven? Mine has high demand, but we don't use it enough for it to really factor in for the energy equation-- power yes, but not a big deal overall. The stovetop is our only propane appliance, and I would love to replace it with an induction cooktop; unfortunately it is built like a tank and likely has 20 years life left in it.

 

[JakAHearts]

Really depends on what your incoming water temperature is and how much water/when you use. For lower water temperatures, the gas is going to be most viable. Likely around 55ºF the heat pump is going to do much better.

It is more expensive up front though.

How much do you use the oven? Mine has high demand, but we don't use it enough for it to really factor in for the energy equation-- power yes, but not a big deal overall. The stovetop is our only propane appliance, and I would love to replace it with an induction cooktop; unfortunately it is built like a tank and likely has 20 years life left in it.

Sorry, I misspoke. We use the oven occasionally. The stove top we use a lot. I am looking at getting a 2 burner induction on Black Friday.

I'll have to lookup the incoming water temp for my area. It looks to me that the natural gas tankless water heaters and the heat pump hot water heater are nearly the same price.

 

[BKY2003]

Sorry, I misspoke. We use the oven occasionally. The stove top we use a lot. I am looking at getting a 2 burner induction on Black Friday.

I'll have to lookup the incoming water temp for my area. It looks to me that the natural gas tankless water heaters and the heat pump hot water heater are nearly the same price.

Also you get 30% of cost, up to $2,000 per year off on Heat pump hotwater heaters. Federal tax credit.

 

[timselectric]

Solar for everything, for me.
I'm changing all gas appliances to electric.
I'm pre paying for all of my future energy needs. At a greatly discounted cost.

 

[BKY2003]

I am new to the GE Profile so I figured I’d read the manual. So I figured out how to put the unit in ECO dry. 761 watts on that load.