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Solar Power/How To
#43
Hi, we looked into solar (hubby attended Solar Institutes' Intro. to Alternative Energy just before we moved here). I would first see how much energy you use. We have always been fairly conservative in energy use (we used to average 400-500kwh in Chicago), house with 3- 5 people, 3 tvs, 2 refrigerators, washer, dryer, 5-7 computer systems, normal type stuff( for a computer geek husband)). One thing that the Institute drove home was to reduce your usage first if you are on grid. When we moved into our rental house, we changed out all of the incandescent bulbs to the twistie flourescent, only powered up the hot water heater when we showered, our computer sytems were all put on total power down switches, LCD monitors replaced CRT monitors, and we had no TV (we would have to have gone satellite to get it anyhow). We averaged 100kwh for each of the six months we lived there, and the last month we have lived in our 'new' house (& added an LCD TV). With monthly electric bills of under $40, we cannot justify alot of investment into alternative energy. We also found out in the 2 months we were cleaning out our 'new' house that Helco charges a minimun fee of $20, so we could only reduce our bill by $20. So, if you are already on grid, look carefully at each and every thing you plug in, some things are contant energy drains if left plugged in, you have to totally isolate these power hogs. If you are replaceing an applicance, only go "energy star", and always check how much energy it consumes. Although we got a great education on alternative energy (the Institutes facility was one of the foremost in the country - WAS...the California flooding hit them very hard) we also learned how to reduce our impact first. We also know now that you do not even notice most of the things that really add up in energy savings.
Aloha, Carey

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Messages In This Thread
Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 12-18-2005, 08:52 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by adias - 12-19-2005, 12:16 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by leilaniguy - 12-19-2005, 12:50 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by mella l - 12-19-2005, 12:51 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Naomi W - 12-19-2005, 05:27 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 12-19-2005, 06:36 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Rob Tucker - 12-19-2005, 09:10 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Bill - 12-19-2005, 11:04 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by David M - 12-19-2005, 11:17 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by mella l - 12-20-2005, 10:51 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by leilaniguy - 12-20-2005, 12:33 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 12-22-2005, 05:57 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Royall - 12-22-2005, 06:55 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 12-22-2005, 07:28 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Hanalei - 12-22-2005, 07:34 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 12-22-2005, 08:00 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 12-22-2005, 08:25 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by leilaniguy - 12-22-2005, 08:59 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by mella l - 12-22-2005, 09:31 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by emily - 12-27-2005, 12:19 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Scott_S - 12-29-2005, 03:35 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by G. Leis - 12-29-2005, 10:02 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by ericlp - 12-29-2005, 06:16 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by David M - 01-17-2006, 08:54 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Bill - 01-18-2006, 09:09 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by mella l - 01-19-2006, 05:42 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Bill - 01-19-2006, 06:37 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by leilaniguy - 01-20-2006, 09:58 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 01-20-2006, 11:08 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by leilaniguy - 01-20-2006, 03:26 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by mella l - 01-21-2006, 08:24 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by David M - 01-21-2006, 08:55 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by mella l - 01-22-2006, 09:03 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by mella l - 01-22-2006, 11:09 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 01-24-2006, 04:38 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by mella l - 01-24-2006, 05:33 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by emily - 01-25-2006, 08:54 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by David M - 02-05-2006, 11:17 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Hotzcatz - 02-15-2006, 03:31 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by nanasohana - 02-15-2006, 03:38 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by mella l - 02-15-2006, 05:46 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Hotzcatz - 02-16-2006, 12:14 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Carey - 02-19-2006, 08:32 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by mella l - 02-20-2006, 09:00 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Carey - 02-20-2006, 04:45 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by David M - 03-06-2006, 10:20 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by mella l - 04-17-2006, 05:10 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by David M - 04-17-2006, 06:52 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Kapohocat - 04-17-2006, 08:11 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 06-06-2006, 11:55 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 06-13-2006, 08:24 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by David M - 06-13-2006, 11:04 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 07-05-2006, 10:47 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Cindy V - 07-06-2006, 02:24 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by David M - 11-05-2006, 02:01 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Fishboy - 11-05-2006, 10:08 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Royall - 11-06-2006, 12:28 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by olin137 - 11-06-2006, 02:25 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Hotzcatz - 11-06-2006, 05:42 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by David M - 11-06-2006, 02:45 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Royall - 11-07-2006, 12:58 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 11-07-2006, 06:02 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by haoleboy - 11-25-2006, 11:29 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by sansei - 11-26-2006, 09:34 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by jdirgo - 11-26-2006, 11:40 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by haoleboy - 11-26-2006, 10:58 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Hotzcatz - 12-01-2006, 04:07 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Hotzcatz - 12-01-2006, 04:14 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by haoleboy - 12-01-2006, 04:24 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by sansei - 12-01-2006, 06:39 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 12-01-2006, 09:40 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 12-01-2006, 10:18 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by haoleboy - 12-01-2006, 02:32 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Les C - 12-01-2006, 04:58 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by Royall - 12-02-2006, 12:37 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by allensylves - 12-02-2006, 02:32 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by sansei - 12-02-2006, 04:13 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by HADave - 09-13-2007, 10:35 AM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by rbonplaza - 09-13-2007, 12:54 PM
RE: Solar Power/How To - by sansei - 09-13-2007, 01:33 PM

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