Electric Rates

[mstng86]

To take that a step further, that's not the issue. Last year, I kept it a constant 72 degrees all day and night. This year, I set the programmable thermostat to run @ 80 degrees from 4am-4pm. At 4pm it steps down to 75, then down to 70 from 10pm-4am. Doors stay shut, lights stay off. Way more so now, than when there were 4 of us living here. Mainly because it's much easier to control now with only 2 of us there.

Brent, you have to look at this. It is going to take alot more energy to go from 80 to 75 than it would to keep a constant 72. I am no expert on it, but that seems like it would make your ac work for a while, in the summer.

[juiceweezl]

Brent, you have to look at this. It is going to take alot more energy to go from 80 to 75 than it would to keep a constant 72. I am no expert on it, but that seems like it would make your ac work for a while, in the summer.

This is very true when it's 105 out. The A/C will bust ass and not make any ground. Also, it's running more than you think due to the nature of the programmable thermostat. If you set to to be at 75 at 4 PM and it's 80 in the house, the computer will calculate when it needs to come on and make the house 75 degrees at 4 PM. Truth is, it could be running at 2 PM full speed trying to make headway so that it's 75 at 4 PM. In other words, you may as well just lock it at 75 or 76 and then turn it to what you want right before you go to bed. Make sense? That's coming from a friend of mine that does A/C work.

[STANGGT40]

I just signed a 1-year contract with startex for 8.55 cents per kw/h. It's not 4-6, but it's fixed. So I don't have to worry about rate hikes when nay gas goes up a little.

[Cannon88]

I have done both, and I have always paid less with variable rates. You gamble, but most of the time it is cheaper on average. I have the occasional high bill, but most months are less than that of a fixed rate plan.

[longshot]

just signed with reliant for 8.4 kwh 1yr contract better to be safe than sorry, dont want any suprises on my electric bill considering iam using 3500-4000 kw a month

[bcoop]

Brent, you have to look at this. It is going to take alot more energy to go from 80 to 75 than it would to keep a constant 72. I am no expert on it, but that seems like it would make your ac work for a while, in the summer.

This is very true when it's 105 out. The A/C will bust ass and not make any ground. Also, it's running more than you think due to the nature of the programmable thermostat. If you set to to be at 75 at 4 PM and it's 80 in the house, the computer will calculate when it needs to come on and make the house 75 degrees at 4 PM. Truth is, it could be running at 2 PM full speed trying to make headway so that it's 75 at 4 PM. In other words, you may as well just lock it at 75 or 76 and then turn it to what you want right before you go to bed. Make sense? That's coming from a friend of mine that does A/C work.

For the record, that can't be correct judging by my energy consumption. Program runs M-F, Sat and Sun is set at 75 all day/night.

129kWh used on Sunday
And ranging from 94-96 kWh M-F.

Again, the meter has something to do with it. It's no coincidence that I got the new meter, and suddenly my usage goes up 13xx kWh per month.

[2165 Turbo Rail]

Then why would current rates still show to be 4.5-6 cents/kWhr?

I can get 8 cents fixed, but I'm going to have to switch providers to do so. Reliant is offering 8.something to new customers, but the best they are offering me is 10.9.

BTW - Where is Nate? Lying sack of shit. "Your bill won't go up when you get the new meters." Am I supposed to believe that I used 1400 more kWh this year, than the same billing cycle from last year? When the amount of people living in my house was cut in half? Ridiculous. Reliant's about to get told to fuck off and die.

I used 1k more this last two months one month with my old meter and this last month they switched the meter 10 days into my billing cycle... so I can't say its the meter when my old one was 1k over last year

[Vertnut]

just signed with reliant for 8.4 kwh 1yr contract better to be safe than sorry, dont want any suprises on my electric bill considering iam using 3500-4000 kw a month

I just closed on a house I built for a couple, and they also signed with Reliant at 8.4.

[juiceweezl]

For the record, that can't be correct judging by my energy consumption. Program runs M-F, Sat and Sun is set at 75 all day/night.

129kWh used on Sunday
And ranging from 94-96 kWh M-F.

Again, the meter has something to do with it. It's no coincidence that I got the new meter, and suddenly my usage goes up 13xx kWh per month.

The part about the programmable thermostat coming on early is true. A few years back, I had to leave work early and spent the afternoon working from home. I checked the stat when I walked through the door, and I was happy with the temp. It was about 2 o'clock then. The stat was set to drop the temperature at 5 about 3 degrees. It came on about 2:30, and just kept running. I went and checked it after 30 minutes, and the temperature was already 1 degree below what it was set on per the program. I worked from home again the next week and noticed the same thing. I called my buddy and he told me how it worked. I downloaded the manual for the stat, and it said the same thing. It calculates when to come on so that the house is at the desired temperature when the start time is set for. I thought it just meant that it would start running at that time (say 4) to get it cooled down.

Edit: That doesn't eliminate the new meter though. I'd be suspicious too.

[bcoop]

The part about the programmable thermostat coming on early is true. A few years back, I had to leave work early and spent the afternoon working from home. I checked the stat when I walked through the door, and I was happy with the temp. It was about 2 o'clock then. The stat was set to drop the temperature at 5 about 3 degrees. It came on about 2:30, and just kept running. I went and checked it after 30 minutes, and the temperature was already 1 degree below what it was set on per the program. I worked from home again the next week and noticed the same thing. I called my buddy and he told me how it worked. I downloaded the manual for the stat, and it said the same thing. It calculates when to come on so that the house is at the desired temperature when the start time is set for. I thought it just meant that it would start running at that time (say 4) to get it cooled down.

Edit: That doesn't eliminate the new meter though. I'd be suspicious too.

I didn't mean to imply I was saying that's not how the thermostat works. It is, and I'm aware of that. What I meant to say, was that even with the program running on the thermostat, my energy consumption is quite a bit less when on my program, than it is when leaving it at a constant 76 degrees. As demonstrated by my energy consumption on the days the program is on (M-F), and the days the program is off (Sat & Sun). Sorry about that, hope that clears it up.

[Ted]

For the record, that can't be correct judging by my energy consumption. Program runs M-F, Sat and Sun is set at 75 all day/night.

129kWh used on Sunday
And ranging from 94-96 kWh M-F.

Again, the meter has something to do with it. It's no coincidence that I got the new meter, and suddenly my usage goes up 13xx kWh per month.

I don't know how old your house is, but chances are your old meter was the original there and its possible the old mechanical ran slower than it should have. That could be 1 issue. I got cussed out alot when i worked at Oncor.

[juiceweezl]

I didn't mean to imply I was saying that's not how the thermostat works. It is, and I'm aware of that. What I meant to say, was that even with the program running on the thermostat, my energy consumption is quite a bit less when on my program, than it is when leaving it at a constant 76 degrees. As demonstrated by my energy consumption on the days the program is on (M-F), and the days the program is off (Sat & Sun). Sorry about that, hope that clears it up.

Got it. I just scanned the post quickly. I've got 2 screens going at work and just trying to keep up as I'm curious where our house stacks up with others as far as consumption goes. If I were building a house today that I was going to stay in, I think I'd go with ICF construction and just make it super efficient. It would cost more upfront, but you could hang meat in it during the summer without spending a fortune.

[2165 Turbo Rail]

My dad just built a house at the lake and he did the spray foam insulation and all that blah blah blah for the same reason... spend the money now that you have... that way when he retires his monthly elec bill won't be as high

[bcoop]

My dad just built a house at the lake and he did the spray foam insulation and all that blah blah blah for the same reason... spend the money now that you have... that way when he retires his monthly elec bill won't be as high

I'm tempted to rip out all the Sheetrock and have Allen come out and spray it in.

[midnight]

I just signed up for a variable rate @4.5 cents. Thought I would take a chance this time. I was on a fixed at 8.7 and my July bill was $97.00. Although I did replace the entire unit last year and so far my highest bill was $140.00 for Feb. Small house around 1100 sqf . This new system will pay for itself in about 8 Yrs .