My 200 Gal Garden Reef Costs $73/mo to Run

[Reefugee]

Brian,

It's interesting that your tank (which is bigger and has more lights) cost about the same as my tank (which is smaller and has less lights).

I wonder how PG&E can justify charging 57% more than SMUD. Oh yeah - PG&E is receiving corporate welfare from its customer. During good time, it would send profit back to the parent company. But during "bad" times, the company gets coprate welfare.

http://www.mindfully.org/Energy/PGE-Deeper-Debt.htm
http://www.consumersunion.org/telecom/cpuwc202.htm
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/01/16/MN184364.DTL

Minh

 

[cyclebrkr]

Everyone should look into solar power. It's getting cheaper to buy and the rebates take a pretty big chunk out of the overall costs. You'll still have to pay for Natural Gas, but the elec. part of it could be a wash if you plan the system out correctly. Also, radiant barrier helps in the attic. It keeps the heat from coming through your ceiling and sends it right back up ( you have to have a lot of vents in your roof though ). I just spent the better part of Sunday in my attic sweating my a$% off to put this stuff down. It better be worth it!!

 

[Brian Prestwood]

Minh

I figure my tank uses around 600 KWH/Mo. You pay about 1/3 more for peak KWHs so your tank should be using around 400 KWH/Mo. Is that what you calculated?

In any case, PG&E is leveraging its monopoly nicely. Of course, compared to most the other states in the U.S. us Californians are really getting screwed. I don't recall the exact figures but I think Anthony said we was paying about 1/10th of what we pay.

 

[Reefugee]

Cyclebrkr - what radiant barriar are you adding? The only problem with my attic is that it has blown insulation. I have seriously debated on going up there in fall and removing all the insulation to put down new layers on insulators. I am debating on installing one or two of those attic turbine fan. The only thing that I am worried about is cutting holes through my roof - or more correctly, I am worried about making a good seal at the hole. I might just try it anyway. How hard can it be?


Brian - last time I calculated, I am using about 320 Kwh per month. The total amount was calculated at the top tier that I am at. Last month, I went into the third tier. During the Winter month, I usually end up in the 4th tier. BTW - do you known how SMUD breaks down their tier level?

 

[Brian Prestwood]

Minh

320KWH/mo seems about right. My total is closer to 530KWH/mo.

Our SMUD goes in 600KWH chunks too.
0 - 600KWH $0.07
600-1200 KWH $0.14

FYI - We have an attic fan too