Netbook - 10 watts for internet surfing
fan - 15
light - 0, using a solar task light
modem - 18
surge protectors - 5
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48 watts

(note - fridge is unplugged)

I think it's time for me to get a Killawatt meter, since with some things I have to estimate. For example, my netbook is listed as using 28 watts, but that is for hard use like file transferring. I'd like to know how much just surfing costs in watts.

Also, my fan is on the lowest setting, so it might even be using only seven watts, instead of the 15 listed for the highest setting.

Burt, you posted some awesome numbers and you have great frugal electric use techniques! The whole house monitor seems like a charm.

I'll post more specific comments on your post tomorrow - i am getting sleeeeeeepy...

FYI, for people using desktop computers, there is a significant difference between those machines and a laptop. Here are one person's notes using a killawatt reader:


desktop and laptop watts

Also, what you do in turn influences watt draw. Internet surfing is pretty low wattage.

Peripherals add to watts, but are usually very efficient if they are USB powered, like a mouse.

Netbooks use even less than laptops.

The author of that link writes: "I averaged 10 to 11 watts with wifi and camera enabled, bluetooth disabled, and screen brightness at 2/5ths...That was a big reason for moving to netbooks...to conserve electricity. There�s no reason to be burning 240-280 watts just surfing the internet for a few hours."

Just food for thought! I have a netbook and love it. I certainly don't miss a desktop or even a laptop. I plug in a mouse and an external monitor and happily surf away. Of course, this won't work for everyone, but for a lot of people, it's plenty. And I am on the computer a lOT.

Burt, what kind of solar water heater are you thinking of? Or do you have one now?

A reflective roof is something I've been thinking about also. The paint is inexpensive, and it's an easy fix. People have reported good results.

How much square footage do you have?

What kind of solar panel system are you thinking about? How many watts do you think you are interested in? You don't have to completely convert to solar at once; you can start small and add panels as you can afford to add them. That's what I'm doing. My first panel is 15 watts! It's nice to start somewhere.

That's great that your water, sewer and trash are all included together. Those are three different bills here.

I'm really impressed with the amount of effort you put into making your utility expenses as small as possible. And being in Florida, it's even more impressive.

I think we could all save a ton of monthly money by following your example.

quote=Jilly Burt, what kind of solar water heater are you thinking of? Or do you have one now?

Don't have one now... Commercially installed.

A reflective roof is something I've been thinking about also. The paint is inexpensive, and it's an easy fix. People have reported good results.

Down here they have these aluminium key west roofs.

I still have asphalt tile.

How much square footage do you have? 5,997 sqft

What kind of solar panel system are you thinking about? How many watts do you think you are interested in? You don't have to completely convert to solar at once; you can start small and add panels as you can afford to add them. That's what I'm doing. My first panel is 15 watts! It's nice to start somewhere.

I'm kind of waiting for better technology.. a few folks out there actually have a type of Fresnel lens that boils a water generator.

That's great that your water, sewer and trash are all included together. Those are three different bills here.

I'm really impressed with the amount of effort you put into making your utility expenses as small as possible. And being in Florida, it's even more impressive.

I think we could all save a ton of monthly money by following your example.

Thank You

Last night I used a solar task light and a solar ambient light to stay up and do things. I got about four hours of good light from them both, and then they started to get feeble. It was nice to be otherwise off grid (except for the modem and one fan). I had all the surge protectors and the fridge turned off. I am also using my crank emergency radio set to an FM rock station. Got to test my gadgets!

I'm recharging the solar lights and also have my battery in here to set my fan on next time I do my testing. I'm leaving the modem on the house electric for now to keep possible frustration levels down.

I don't know if i will be testing this tonite - i might actually go out and do something social.

Burt, that's a big house! It's nice to get the family house and it sounds like you like it there. Good for you!

I can see where a big place like that you'd be very conservative with the utilities. I'd do the same. Large homes, while luxurious in their space/appointments, can be expensive to run and upkeep. There are often cathedral ceilings and extra rooms and many windows.

I've heard some about the fresnel lens. I like the tech that's coming out now that will be essentially solar paint, using nanotechnology.

The flexible panels that roll out seem cool too. I want one of those systems for backpacking.

YAY! I found two crockpots at thrift stores that use the smallest amount of watts i've found yet for heating water. The small one uses only 60 watts and the really tiny one uses 35 watts. $5 and $4 from Goodwill and Old Town Mission Thrift, respectively.

I love that i can heat a cup of water in the tiny one and use 35 watts to get there. Compare that with using the electric kettle at 1200 watts or the microwave at 935 watts for the same one hot cup.

Think about that! It just requires a few more minutes of planning and saves 900+ watts in one use!

We are so very used to instant convenience these days and I want to reject the notion that I deserve instant-everything. What I really deserve are $5 electric bills!

I'd rather use that extra money saved for other things - like reaching my goals of being entirely off the grid and having NO electric bill again. My next solar panel is that much closer to my dreams.

That's a great find. But while you're searching to maximize your WATT efficiency you need to keep in mind how long it takes something to do the work. So a 35W crockpot may sound great but if it takes 10 minutes to heat the water verses another crockpot that uses 50W but only takes 5 minutes to heat the water then the 50W is actually the better deal.

Generally speaking a small, low-power, device is going to be more efficient at doing small jobs but really suck at doing large jobs. And the same is true of high-power devices. They will be more efficient at doing big jobs.

So if you only have a small amount of water to heat then use a small crockpot. But if you need to heat a gallon of water then use your kettle. And while the kettle uses a LOT of energy it does it's job in just seconds.

polyGeek, those are excellent thoughts! It makes sense to consider what the project is for the day. When I need one cup of warm water, the small one is sufficient. It makes seem putting a cup for tea in the microwave awfully wrong. I'm never in that much hurry for tea.

The middle sized crockpot and the large size one that i already had (220 watts) give me a lot of room to play for probably most water heating/food heating needs. I will have to experiment. I'm sure that i'll have it down to a science eventually.

When I fill up my big bowls for splash baths I use the electric kettle and microwave to get as many cups of water hot at the same time. When I move to solar I won't be able to do that, so I'll keep thinking about how to get this done.