I made $100 for flipping my light switch

[RJP]

* Did go by previous two months average - not much could change because the stove and oven are gas and I haven't used heat or air in several months. So we are not playing with many a variable here.

I'm not suggesting that you're not saving money, but just wondering what the actual cost savings is. As Don suggests, even if it takes multiple months to "pay back" the investment, it's worth it.

Did you by chance include November and/or December in your previous months' average? If so, did Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays provide opportunity to somewhat artificially "inflate" you usage in the "pre-test" period?

Were you home on Thursday and Friday of Thanksgiving? Two extra weekdays at home during a month increases your "weekday daytime" usage significantly (at least 10%, given 20 wkdys/mo) in terms of kW-hr units.

December? I'd imagine a week's worth of running of several ceiling fans during week between Christmas and New Year's would use a lot of juice, and absence of same would look a lot like "savings" in January.

We live in a 4,500 sq-ft, 5 bedroom house. Like any other "conspicuous consumption" type we have multiple TVs and computers that tend to be on all the time. Lots of lights and ceiling fans everywhere that the kids always leave on. Many appliances that always seem to be running - washer, dryer, dishwasher, plus several refrigerators including one that's probably past it's prime efficiency-wise. With all that, the electricity portion of our energy bill is under $200/mo.

I just can't figure out how I could reduce my bill by ~1/3rd ($70/$200) just by changing bulbs. I would guess I couldn't even achieve that kind of savings by simply REMOVING all the lightbulbs in my house!

 

[DandyDon]

Yeah, the initial thot that she saved $100/month on electricity for lighting might have been a little enthusiastic. I think we'd already been thru that but say at 10c/kwh, one would have to save 1,000 kwh to save $100, or 10,000 hours of 100 watt bulbs for example. I guess if a large, brightly lit house had an average of 60 - 100 watt bulbs burning 8 hours a day x 30 days/month, that'd be 1,440 kwh/month as a ballpark. So saving in the area of 1,000 kwh would be possible. Not in my house, but in her house with kids, etc - sure possible.

Forgot about the heat thing? Yeah if you have to AC the heat, that's more money saved...!

The savings would soon increase as it's going to be AC weather there soon.

BS is such a strong word. I'd suspect that her claims have more merit.

 

[24940]

OK, here's a huge detour from the OT: How much energy does it take to refrigerate all the beer and soda in all the stores in the world? Why do we need to buy our beer cold? I don't know about you, but I have a fridge.

Now, when I was an under aged, drinking teen, it was a real blessing, because I didn't have fridge I could use to stash my beer and I really didn't like warm brew at that time. I suppose it's great for those who like to tip one back as they drive..... Seems like a huge waste and it promotes under aged drinking, as well as drinking and driving.

ahh, I feel better now.

 

[Missdirected]

:w-t-f: :rofl2: