Someone in another topic requested I share some insight into my $5 per month electricity bill.
The main thing is living in an RV. It is small. There is less air to heat or cool, less rooms to light, less space to put lots of appliances and gadgets. The bigger the living space, the bigger the bill is likely to be, all else being equal.
The RV refrigerator also helps because, (unlike most units made for homes) it is designed with efficiency in mind. It uses a totally different system to remove heat (no compressor), the coils vent directly to the roof, and there is lots of insulation and not a huge amount of internal space. It is possible to buy similar fridges for homes, but they tend to be expensive and hard to find. The last advantage is low ceilings. In addition to less air space for HVAC needs, this means the lights don't need to be as bright. Light diffuses with the square of the distance, which means ceilings that are twice as high need lights which are 4 times brighter to seem equally bright at ground level.
This allows me to use all LED lighting. I have white 12volt LEDs which I got online from superbrightleds dot com (I also retrofitted my truck and motorcycle lights with them all around). Rather expensive up front, but they only use 1 watt of power each, and should last a very long time.
There are finally commercially available LED bulbs for regular 120v systems (normal homes) but I have never seen one in use, so I can't say how well they work.
However, some of the things I do could apply to any home.
-If you have a choice, use gas appliances. Electricity is less efficient at heating than flame. Ovens and water heaters in particular. Exceptions include microwaves for food, electric kettles for hot water, and ceramic space heaters for heating a single room. These electric powered heaters are all more efficient than their alternatives.
-Tint your windows. This is very cheap, fairly easy, and depending on the type you get, easily removable. Buy a roll at the auto store, cut to fit, spray with soapy water, roll it on. Keeps heat out in summer, in in winter, and provides privacy without blocking the view.
-Put all phantom power draws (anything with a "wall worts" converter plug, anything with a remote, anything with a stand-by light, anything with a clock) on not just a power strip, but a timer. Set it so that it will automatically turn off, but only turn on manually. With the mechanical style, all you have to do is remove the green tab. Set the "off" timer for 30mins after bedtime. It will not only save power when you forget to shut everything down, it will also help keep you from losing track of time and staying up too late.
-Speaking of which - wake up no later than the sun rises. Why pay for lighting up the night when you can get free light by opening a window the next morning? When you sleep in, you are letting free sunlight go to waste, and paying for it again the next evening.
-Ignore "energystar" ratings. They only compare to other appliances of the same class. It would be like calling one SUV a high mileage vehicle just because it gets better mpg than another SUV. Look at the overall estimated energy use instead (on the same label, but in smaller print.) Most new everything uses more power than older things, even though there is more efficient technology in use, because everything is supersized. Try to downsize whenever practical.
-Do more by hand. Honestly, pre-rinsing dishes is almost as much work as just washing them by hand, which uses no electric. Manual can openers aren't that hard to use (I just use a swiss army knife). Never ever use a dryer. Again, sunlight is free. When it rains, you can dry clothes indoors. (I did this for the first time ever for my last load). It takes longer, and there are ropes all over your living room all night, but it gets done, and it's free. Use a corded phone. They don't need to be plugged in.
-Battery powered things almost always use much less power than their plug-in equivalents. Use a battery powered alarm clock, for example.
If you live in a house, you probably won't ever get down to the 40kWh I average per month, but by being conscious of what you plug in, for how long, and why, you can certainly get it well below the 920kWh that is the American average.
I'm sure there is a lot more that I haven't thought of.
Add your own tips of how to lower one's electric bill.
Saving energy at home
Awesome post!
-How does one determine this:
"Exceptions include microwaves for food, electric kettles for hot water, and ceramic space heaters for heating a single room. These electric powered heaters are all more efficient than their alternatives."
-Seems like keeping cool in the summer is the biggest challenge and more expensive. Any AC/keeping cool tricks? (I live in Austin, TX aka HOT)
-How does one determine this:
"Exceptions include microwaves for food, electric kettles for hot water, and ceramic space heaters for heating a single room. These electric powered heaters are all more efficient than their alternatives."
-Seems like keeping cool in the summer is the biggest challenge and more expensive. Any AC/keeping cool tricks? (I live in Austin, TX aka HOT)
@Jacob
I run fridge on electricity, out of laziness. Electric bill is low, and I don't have to drive anywhere to refill it. I'm focusing more on keeping gas bill low and only buying propane once or twice a year.
My coach is from 1990 (including the fridge)
It uses a lot less power than my previous 1973 model did before I put a solar panel on the old one.
I run fridge on electricity, out of laziness. Electric bill is low, and I don't have to drive anywhere to refill it. I'm focusing more on keeping gas bill low and only buying propane once or twice a year.
My coach is from 1990 (including the fridge)
It uses a lot less power than my previous 1973 model did before I put a solar panel on the old one.
@krilov
-Microwave is more efficient than stove/oven because it only heats the food, not the air around it. However, due to internal losses, they are only slightly more efficient overall.
http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/cooking.html
Electric kettle, I know because someone on another energy efficiency forum I frequent tested different methods with a kill-a-watt.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.p ... post102549
Ceramic heaters are more efficient than metal coil (I have no idea why) but the important thing is that a portable (any portable) can heat one room (or area of a room) as opposed to using a central furnace to heat an entire house.
-If you live in a hot dry place, look into evaporation (swamp) coolers. They draw air through a continuously damped sheet, and as the water on the sheet evaporates, it takes heat out of the air with it. It uses as much power as a fan. There are models made specific for RVs.
http://www.alternative-heating-info.com ... ioner.html
Use your awning, and consider getting window awnings as well. Paint the roof metallic silver, or at least white. Combined with the window tint, these will help keep heat from getting in in the first place. If it is cool at night, leave the windows open (if you can do so without inviting a break in!) and close them in the morning when it starts to heat up. Use a fan (but only if it is actually blowing on you - they don't make the air cooler, so there is no point to having it on if you aren't in front of it), and wear as little clothes as you are comfortable with - which should be less, with newly tinted windows
-I have used different tints on different windows for different reasons. Depends on the application. They all block UV, and if it says "heat blocking" it will block IR, independent of tint. The only consideration for tint is how much light do you want vs how much privacy.
Just remember that at night, if lights are on inside, you won't be able to see out, but people outside will be able to see you!
-I don't have a solar panel. I installed one on my last RV, but I attached it permanently and left it as a bonus for the new owner when I upgraded. I haven't found a deal as good as the one I got before (it was a misprint in a catalog, which the company honored - 120W panel, charge controller, mounting bracket, and wiring for about $300)
edit: actually, it looks like there are some on Ebay that are pretty close
and with my bills so low already, I haven't been motivated to buy a new one.
-Microwave is more efficient than stove/oven because it only heats the food, not the air around it. However, due to internal losses, they are only slightly more efficient overall.
http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/cooking.html
Electric kettle, I know because someone on another energy efficiency forum I frequent tested different methods with a kill-a-watt.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.p ... post102549
Ceramic heaters are more efficient than metal coil (I have no idea why) but the important thing is that a portable (any portable) can heat one room (or area of a room) as opposed to using a central furnace to heat an entire house.
-If you live in a hot dry place, look into evaporation (swamp) coolers. They draw air through a continuously damped sheet, and as the water on the sheet evaporates, it takes heat out of the air with it. It uses as much power as a fan. There are models made specific for RVs.
http://www.alternative-heating-info.com ... ioner.html
Use your awning, and consider getting window awnings as well. Paint the roof metallic silver, or at least white. Combined with the window tint, these will help keep heat from getting in in the first place. If it is cool at night, leave the windows open (if you can do so without inviting a break in!) and close them in the morning when it starts to heat up. Use a fan (but only if it is actually blowing on you - they don't make the air cooler, so there is no point to having it on if you aren't in front of it), and wear as little clothes as you are comfortable with - which should be less, with newly tinted windows
-I have used different tints on different windows for different reasons. Depends on the application. They all block UV, and if it says "heat blocking" it will block IR, independent of tint. The only consideration for tint is how much light do you want vs how much privacy.
Just remember that at night, if lights are on inside, you won't be able to see out, but people outside will be able to see you!
-I don't have a solar panel. I installed one on my last RV, but I attached it permanently and left it as a bonus for the new owner when I upgraded. I haven't found a deal as good as the one I got before (it was a misprint in a catalog, which the company honored - 120W panel, charge controller, mounting bracket, and wiring for about $300)
edit: actually, it looks like there are some on Ebay that are pretty close
and with my bills so low already, I haven't been motivated to buy a new one.
My equivalent post on another forum generated lots of ideas about using less energy for hot water:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.p ... 15864.html
One basic thing is, if you (or she) is turning on the cold tap to adjust the shower temperature, then the water heater is turned up too high.
It is standard practice, but if you think about it, it is completely insane to make it hotter than you actually want it, and then make it colder again.
It would be like driving a car with the gas pedal to the floor at all times, and then regulating speed with the other foot on the brake pedal.
Once temperature is adjusted properly, make sure heater is well insulated.
If possible/practical/cost effective, look into a small instant heater as close as possible to the fixture. This minimizes heat loss through the pipes, and will allow the main tank to be turned down even further.
If the tank heater ever needs to be replaced, get an instant-on (tankless) water heater.
Don't use hot water where it isn't necessary (washing hands, dishes, laundry, water for cooking).
When I realized that by the time the hot water was reaching the faucet, I was usually already done washing my hands anyway, I just removed the hot water faucets from every fixture except the shower. I haven't missed them.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.p ... 15864.html
One basic thing is, if you (or she) is turning on the cold tap to adjust the shower temperature, then the water heater is turned up too high.
It is standard practice, but if you think about it, it is completely insane to make it hotter than you actually want it, and then make it colder again.
It would be like driving a car with the gas pedal to the floor at all times, and then regulating speed with the other foot on the brake pedal.
Once temperature is adjusted properly, make sure heater is well insulated.
If possible/practical/cost effective, look into a small instant heater as close as possible to the fixture. This minimizes heat loss through the pipes, and will allow the main tank to be turned down even further.
If the tank heater ever needs to be replaced, get an instant-on (tankless) water heater.
Don't use hot water where it isn't necessary (washing hands, dishes, laundry, water for cooking).
When I realized that by the time the hot water was reaching the faucet, I was usually already done washing my hands anyway, I just removed the hot water faucets from every fixture except the shower. I haven't missed them.
If you have a dryer, put your line-dried clothes in for just a few minutes on tumble. I believe that the fluffiness is more of a mechanical by-product than anything. You could also toss a tennis ball or two in there to help things along.
The lack-of-fluffiness doesn't tend to bother me, except that our cloth diapers just don't look as comfortable as they might be if they got tumbled a bit. We usually just snap them a few times to take a bit of the stiffness out of them, but I think about 2 minutes on tumble in the dryer would work fine too.
Anyone else have thoughts on this?
The lack-of-fluffiness doesn't tend to bother me, except that our cloth diapers just don't look as comfortable as they might be if they got tumbled a bit. We usually just snap them a few times to take a bit of the stiffness out of them, but I think about 2 minutes on tumble in the dryer would work fine too.
Anyone else have thoughts on this?