American energy use [RE-wrenches]

[Tom Elliot, Guffey Energy Works]

We use around 150-165 Kwh/month and produce a max of 195/month out of our
1.2 KW array.  Ah, the advantages of altitude and the clear Colorado
mountain sky.  Neither our production nor our usage vary much winter to
summer, though of the two we are more likely to produce less in the summer
than in the winter.

We're running rather normal stuff, Vestfrost refrigerator and chest freezer
account for the majority of power consumption.  We have satellite TV,
stereo, satellite internet (the modems for Direcway use around 35 watts,
pretty high in my opinion but power consumption is not a priority for them)
and a networked PC laptop and iMac (very power efficient) that are on about
75% of the time.

Water pumping is two stage, with a shurflo submersible feeding a 1200 gallon
storage tank and a Flowlight Booster pressuring the house from the tank.
Very little power draw there.  We use about $150 worth of propane a year for
cooking and heating water.

I wouldn't grid-tie for "sell back" on a bet, especially here in Colorado
where, despite the appearance of a grid-tie law absolutely no one really
supports it outside of the Front Range area power company.  To me the only
reason for doing it would be to avoid the need for a generator and use the
grid as a backup battery charger.

Tom

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