Electric Bill - Time-of-Use

[alrha]

Con-Ed is offering an option to have your electric bill calculated based on WHEN you use your electricity. more $ during peak hours, less $ during off-peak hours.
Peak = M-F 10am-10pm

here is the link:
http://www.coned.com/customercentral/energyresvoluntary.asp

what do you guys think? worth it?

 

[Pseudo]

Albert I dont see what you are talking about. Do you have a more direct link ?

Thanks

 

[Deanos]

Try here:

ConEd

Dean

 

[Pseudo]

Gotcha...Thanks guys

 

[Reef Guy]

Well considering the pumps are on 24/7 and the lights are on during PEAK hours I dont think it will do us any good

 

[Deanos]

Reef Guy...Albert is suggesting a change from "lights on" during peak hours to later in the day when Con Ed is offering cheaper rates.

Dean

 

[alrha]

there are 168 hours in a week of which 60 are peak and 108 are non peak. the non-peak rates are practically free (a big incentive to switch my 1500W of lights to off peak). But this does not apply only to our tanks, it also applies to everything else we use at home. (outdoor lights, dryers, dehumidifiers, etc). if we can run them more during off-peak hours than on peak hours, we could save on the cost of electric. a dehumidifier for ex, can be set on a timer to run during off-peak times. I think even something run 24/7 (such as a refrigirator) would still be cheaper this way. it would only cost more (i think) if you use MORE peak power than off-peak - this i believe is more for businesses which consume their power during peak time.

 

[jackson6745]

hmm...I may have to look into this. Running the haildes in the middle of the night is not an option for me, but I do have big pumps that use a lot of juice.

 

[ShaunW]

I actually run my light in the middle of the night!! My lights go on around 7pm-8pm and turn off around 3am, the time that I am most active, ; .

It also allow me to fully enjoy my tank when I am home!

 

[alrha]

plus it brightens up the room at night (not good for a bedroom, but nice in a living room)

 

[jhale]

shaun,
did you aclimate the fish to the change in light?
what time do your actinic's come on?

my lights now come like this,
two actinic blue bulbs 7:30 am - 11:30pm
two super white bulbs 8:30 am - 10:00pm
2 175 10k's 12pm 9:00pm

how much difference is the cost?

[ May 04, 2005, 02:33 PM: Message edited by: jhale ]

 

[jhale]

you could run all 400watt bulbs then maybe

 

[alrha]

the off-peak rates are about .63 year round with the peak at 6.57 oct-may and 18.26 jun-sep.

the regular rates are about 4.75 oct-may and 5.82 jun-sep.
here is the link to the rates (rate I is regular and rate II is the time-of-use rates)
http://www.coned.com/documents/elec/201-210.pdf

i just signed up for it myself.

i calculated the cost of running everything evenly all year round (such as a refrigerator for ex) and it would cost a little more in the summer month but less in the winter months. overall, it ends up cheaper on an annual rate. So, if your electic usage were totally even, it would pay to switch (i think, anyone better in math can do a better calculation). If you use more electric during peak than off-peak, it would obviously not pay, and if you can use more off-peak than peak, it would clearly be worth it. The main concern is the 4-summer months in which the peak is really expensive (about 3 times regular rates). Outdoor lights and the like are usually running at night anyway, so those are adding an off-peak bias. If you move the lighting on your tank to the night (like i am) then that too will add an off-peak bias. the biggest issue will be the air conditioner. if you run it all day all week, that may kill it for you. what i will try to do is run my A/C at night and till 10am full blast and then hope the house stays cool for the afternoon. weekends are also non-peak.
in the summer, running 1 hour peak, is costing the same as 3 hours conventional. but running 9 hours off peak, is the cost of 1 hour at conventional rates. or 30hrs of off-peak costs the same as 1 hour peak.
regarding tank lighting, 9 hours of off-peak lighting will cost what we are now paying for just 1 hour.
in the 8 winter months peak rates are not much more than the regular rates (off-peak is still just .63)

[ May 04, 2005, 02:59 PM: Message edited by: alrha ]

 

[ShaunW]

Originally posted by jhale:
shaun,
did you aclimate the fish to the change in light?
what time do your actinic's come on?

my lights now come like this,
two actinic blue bulbs 7:30 am - 11:30pm
two super white bulbs 8:30 am - 10:00pm
2 175 10k's 12pm 9:00pm

how much difference is the cost?

Jonathan your lights are on for a long time, is that purposeful and what is your reason?

My lights follow the following summertime schedule:
VHO actinics on 6:30ish - off 2:40am = 7hrs
Center 250watt 20K AB MH on 7:30pm - off 2am = 6.5hrs
Left and right 250watt 10K AB MH on 7:30pm - off 1:45am = 5.25hrs.

 

[ShaunW]

Oh and my fish seem to not notice any difference to the day shift that they are in.

 

[jhale]

I turn the lights on in the morning so the fish can get fed, otherwise they would have to wait till late at night sometimes.

I leave the mh's on longer because I like the way the light looks.
I'll be cutting that back if they stay on during peak summer hours.

I guess if I get them used to a reverse cycle, that would not matter. But there are days when I'm home, and I like to look at the tank. I'm afraid my place gets so much light, the tank would never have a real night, I'd have to cover it like a bird cage. hmm. what to do.

 

[alrha]

would they care if they dont have a REAL night?

 

[ShaunW]

Originally posted by alrha:
would they care if they dont have a REAL night?

I don't think so, the moon can be big and bright on real reefs. Plus fish can always find a dark nook or cranny to sleep.

 

[alrha]

or they can just develope REAL eyelids and use them.

 

[House of Laughter]

I'm not sleeping, I am just resting my eyes.

Intersesting thread!

I may modify my way of doing this, but what about weekends?

House