Electricity is Cheap!

Electricity is Cheap!

1 HP Electric Motor can run an hour for less than a dime and do a lot of actual work!

Electricity is Cheap!

Feeding a horse 10¢ worth of grain or hay will

1 HP Electric Motor can run an hour for 

worth of grain or hay will only make him angry!

less than a dime and do a lot of actual work!

1600 calories per cupp p2 cups per pound of butter(3200 calories per pound of butter)$3.20 per pound of butter(1000 calories per dollar)(1000 calories per dollar)$0.10 = 100 calories 

100 calories convert to .116Wh (.000116kWh)

268 pounds of butter is equivalent to 1kWhh ld $This would cost $860

If l t i itIf electricity is so cheapis so cheap, why is mywhy is my electric bill so

Some Major Monthly Energy GuzzlersAppliance Typical 

Wattage

Estimated hours per month

Monthly Kilowatts

Cost per Month @ $0.10/kWh Notes

Central Air 5,000 160 800 $              80.00  2000 sqft house at 20BTU / ft = 40,000BTU (5KW)Lighting 3,000 180 540 $              54.00  On an average 6 hours a dayRefridgerator/Freezer 450 333 149.85 $              14.99 Freezer (Automatic Defrost 15 cu. ft.) 440 334 146.96 $              14.70 

Jacuzzi (Maintain Temperature, 2 Person) 1500 93 139.5 $              13.95 Waterbed Heater (Queen Size) 375 256 96 $                 9.60 Clothes Dryer 5,000 17 85 $                 8.50  70 minutes every other dayRange Cooktop 1 burner 1,500 30 45 $                 4.50  Usage of 1 burner (or oven) at a timeElectric Blanket 175 180 31.5 $                 3.15 Dishwasher ‐ Dry 1,200 25 30 $                 3.00 Computer (WithComputer (With Monitor and Printer) 365 75 27.375 $                 2.74 Disposal 420 60 25.2 $                 2.52 Coffee Maker (Auto Drip) 1165 15 17.475 $                 1.75 Microwave Oven 1500 11 16.5 $                 1.65 Dishwasher ‐Wash 200 25 5 $                 0.50 

These items are only a few of the biggest ones.  Usually there are 40‐50 other electrical appliances running in the average home that 

$                 215.54 

use another $30 a month!Don’t forget seasonal items like pools, fans, bug zappers, gardening tools, etc.

Why Solar Panels?y

Limits Current Provides Current

Senses charge level

Charges Battery

Using the 24‐LED face draws .5 ampere at 4.5V or 2.25W

Three of these wired in series would draw 5A @13 5V (nominal.5A @13.5V (nominal output from a 12V lead‐acid battery)  and use 6.75W.

A t i l “D C l ” l d id b ttA typical “Deep Cycle” lead‐acid battery when fully charged will store about 100‐120 amp‐hours  (or 1.2‐1.44kWh ) of energy.

You can draw up to half of this energy before you should recharge the battery.  Using more than half can result in permanent damage to the batterypermanent damage to the battery.

Using three LED lights (like the one previously described) in series uses 6.75W or .5A when illuminated.  At .5A, these lights could be left on for more than 3 days before the battery would need a recharge!

Reality CheckWhile you can almost always save money using solar, LED lamps are the exception, not the rule.

Where LEDs can save you up to 11 times the cost of regular incandescent lights, it’s only about 3 times when compared to Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs).

With most other appliances, your savings will be more like 50%be more like 50%.

But, once you own the equipment, and maintenance is your only expense, your savings can add up quite rapidly.

A small AM/FM radio might use only 7.2W of 12V power, but require 15W from the wall 

120V @ .125A15W

socket to convert the 120VAC house current  to 12VDC!

12V @ 600mA27.2W

12V @ 2.5A30W

120V @ .125A15W 12V @ 600mA

7.2W

12V @ 600mA27.2W

Th k i i hThe key is using the denergy you produce as 

efficiently as possible!efficiently as possible!

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Junp y

35° 43° 51° 59° 67° 74°35 43 51 59 67 74

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Decg p

67° 59° 51° 43° 35° 28°67 59 51 43 35 28

Time of Day: 0700/1700 0800/1600 0900/1500 1000/1400 1100/1300 1200

% Sun by Hour: 26.00% 50.00% 70.00% 86.00% 96.00% 100.00%

Month % Sun

Jan 75.00% 19.50% 37.50% 52.50% 64.50% 72.00% 75.00%

Feb 80.00% 20.80% 40.00% 56.00% 68.80% 76.80% 80.00%

Mar 85.00% 22.10% 42.50% 59.50% 73.10% 81.60% 85.00%

Apr 90.00% 23.40% 45.00% 63.00% 77.40% 86.40% 90.00%

May 95.00% 24.70% 47.50% 66.50% 81.70% 91.20% 95.00%

Jun 100.00% 26.00% 50.00% 70.00% 86.00% 96.00% 100.00%

Jul 95.00% 24.70% 47.50% 66.50% 81.70% 91.20% 95.00%

Aug 90.00% 23.40% 45.00% 63.00% 77.40% 86.40% 90.00%

Sep 85.00% 22.10% 42.50% 59.50% 73.10% 81.60% 85.00%

Oct 80.00% 20.80% 40.00% 56.00% 68.80% 76.80% 80.00%

Nov 75.00% 19.50% 37.50% 52.50% 64.50% 72.00% 75.00%

Dec 70.00% 18.20% 35.00% 49.00% 60.20% 67.20% 70.00%

Using Standard Incandescent Lights

Room 15 25 40 60 75 100 200 300 Total NotesKitchen 2 1 3 2 375 Plus Refridgerator & Microwave/Oven

Dining Room 5 125 Old light fixture

g g

Living Room 1 1 1 1 385 Terrarium, Aquarium, Torch and 3‐WayUpstairs Hall 1 75Upstairs Bath 1 4 175 Lighted MirrorBedroom 2 1 1 160Bedroom 3 1 1 160Bedroom 4 2 1 220Front Foyer 5 200y

Downstairs Hall 1 1 160Family Room 6 240

Downstairs Bath 1 1 100Bedroom 1 4 160Storeroom 1 100Laundry 3 180Garage 1 4 425 Plus RefridgeratorGarage 1 4 425 Plus Refridgerator

Outside Garage 2 200Front Porch 3 180Back Porch 2 200

Deck 2 200Barn 4 1 700 Plus Yard Light

Average Hours/Day Days/Month Bill1180 24 30 $76.46

4720

Room/Area TotalsLighting Currently Installed Legend

Using Compact Fluorescent Lamps (Savings of  $24 per month)

Kitchen 25 25 25 25 60 160 CFLDining Room 25 25 25 25 25 25 60 210 CFL 3‐WayLiving Room 35 200 235 Flood/AreaFamily Room 40 40 40 40 40 40 240 FluorescentBathroom (Upstairs) 15 15 15 15 15 75 Hi‐Int / TorchBathroom (Dowmstairs) 40 15 55 DecorativeBedroom (Master) 40 40 40 40 160 StandardBedroom 25 25Bedroom 25 25Bedroom Office 25 50 75Laundry Room 15 15 15 45Utility Room 15 15Storage Room/Pantry 25 25Foyer 40 40 40 40 40 200Hallway (Upstairs) 15 15 15 45Hallway (Downstairs) 20 25 45Garage 40 40 25 15 120Front Porch 25 25 25 75Back Porch 100 100 200Driveway/Parking Area 100 100 200Aquarium 25 25Terrarium 60 60Barn 100 100 100 100 400Yard Light 300 300Refridgerator 25 25 50Oven/Microwave 15 15 30Deck 25 100 125

25% Hrs/Day Days/Mon Bill 3220/ y y /805 24 30 52.16$     Total Wattage: 3220