Alternate Power

[Breakfast Diva]

We have a hard wired propane generator. Whent he power goes out, it automatically kicks on. We pump our water into the house, so we have to manually switch to the pump that works the generator. No power, no water...that makes for unhappy guests. It's a large generator, but we turn off certain things like jacuzzi tubs, most of the hot water heaters so the generator can power all the things we need. When we first bought the inn, the stove/oven was not wired into the generator!! That was a rude awakening the first time the power went out during breakfast. We now have it rewired so that I can use the stove/oven.
We live in a rural area and power outages are common in the winter time. We're also the last area they turn back on, so it could be anything from hours to days that we would be without power. It's definitely worth the investment if you live in a rural area prone to power outages.

 

[SweetiePie]

We don't have a generator. Just have to wait it out if there is a power outage. The longest I recall was 2 days. Didn't lose any food in the refrigerator, which was good.
Just switched to a "time of use" meter for the electricity. You get a better rate if you use power while others aren't. It works well for me because I'm here during the day and that is when i do most of the laundry etc. Since it is an all electric house it should produce some savings..

Can you elaborate further on this "Time of use" ?
.

Most people work from 8 to 5 so aren't using power in their homes during that time. If you can utilize that time period to do chores that require electricity you get it at a cheaper rate. It does require a special type of meter and a 2 year commitment. It also helps the power company by avoiding peak surges.
.

Are you sure you have that right? Most day/night meter arrangements have it so that electrical energy is cheaper at night (11PM - 7AM) Our day rate last time I checked (been several months) was $0.18/KWHr and the night rate was $0.12KWHr.
In this part of the country electrical loads are much greater during the day (same as out in Calif too...that's why their rolling blackouts are usually during the day) and there is a surplus of energy at night and they can't really store it, so they encourage people to shift some of their non-time critical stuff to night. So we usually run our dishwasher after 11PM and our hotwatertank is on a timer and comes on at night. (the tanks for our guests are not on a timer).
.

We're serviced by a rural electric co-op, so I don't think they are dealing with heavy industrial use. The times vary for summer and winter. Right now our on peak hours are from 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM, all the rest is considered off peak.
.

Right now our on peak hours are from 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM, all the rest is considered off peak.
That's interesting. Do you know what the split is between the peak and off-peak rates?
We're serviced by a rural electric co-op,
I've heard the term before..something about it always brings to my mind an image of 3 guys all named Bubba taking turns on a excercise bike fitted with a generator. Off peak is when they let the skinny guy (they call him Slim) take his turn on the bike.
.

I don't know the difference in the rates yet as I haven't gotten the first bill.
We're much more progressive here. We put the execs on the hamster wheel in lieu of a gym membership.

 

[swirt]

We don't have a generator. Just have to wait it out if there is a power outage. The longest I recall was 2 days. Didn't lose any food in the refrigerator, which was good.
Just switched to a "time of use" meter for the electricity. You get a better rate if you use power while others aren't. It works well for me because I'm here during the day and that is when i do most of the laundry etc. Since it is an all electric house it should produce some savings..

Can you elaborate further on this "Time of use" ?
.

Most people work from 8 to 5 so aren't using power in their homes during that time. If you can utilize that time period to do chores that require electricity you get it at a cheaper rate. It does require a special type of meter and a 2 year commitment. It also helps the power company by avoiding peak surges.
.

Are you sure you have that right? Most day/night meter arrangements have it so that electrical energy is cheaper at night (11PM - 7AM) Our day rate last time I checked (been several months) was $0.18/KWHr and the night rate was $0.12KWHr.
In this part of the country electrical loads are much greater during the day (same as out in Calif too...that's why their rolling blackouts are usually during the day) and there is a surplus of energy at night and they can't really store it, so they encourage people to shift some of their non-time critical stuff to night. So we usually run our dishwasher after 11PM and our hotwatertank is on a timer and comes on at night. (the tanks for our guests are not on a timer).
.

We're serviced by a rural electric co-op, so I don't think they are dealing with heavy industrial use. The times vary for summer and winter. Right now our on peak hours are from 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM, all the rest is considered off peak.
.

Right now our on peak hours are from 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM, all the rest is considered off peak.
That's interesting. Do you know what the split is between the peak and off-peak rates?
We're serviced by a rural electric co-op,
I've heard the term before..something about it always brings to my mind an image of 3 guys all named Bubba taking turns on a excercise bike fitted with a generator. Off peak is when they let the skinny guy (they call him Slim) take his turn on the bike.
.

I don't know the difference in the rates yet as I haven't gotten the first bill.
We're much more progressive here. We put the execs on the hamster wheel in lieu of a gym membership.

.

LOL The Tiki Bar will be calling you soon to see if you want to headline.

 

[gillumhouse]

We don't have a generator. Just have to wait it out if there is a power outage. The longest I recall was 2 days. Didn't lose any food in the refrigerator, which was good.
Just switched to a "time of use" meter for the electricity. You get a better rate if you use power while others aren't. It works well for me because I'm here during the day and that is when i do most of the laundry etc. Since it is an all electric house it should produce some savings..

Can you elaborate further on this "Time of use" ?
.

Most people work from 8 to 5 so aren't using power in their homes during that time. If you can utilize that time period to do chores that require electricity you get it at a cheaper rate. It does require a special type of meter and a 2 year commitment. It also helps the power company by avoiding peak surges.
.

Are you sure you have that right? Most day/night meter arrangements have it so that electrical energy is cheaper at night (11PM - 7AM) Our day rate last time I checked (been several months) was $0.18/KWHr and the night rate was $0.12KWHr.
In this part of the country electrical loads are much greater during the day (same as out in Calif too...that's why their rolling blackouts are usually during the day) and there is a surplus of energy at night and they can't really store it, so they encourage people to shift some of their non-time critical stuff to night. So we usually run our dishwasher after 11PM and our hotwatertank is on a timer and comes on at night. (the tanks for our guests are not on a timer).
.

We're serviced by a rural electric co-op, so I don't think they are dealing with heavy industrial use. The times vary for summer and winter. Right now our on peak hours are from 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM, all the rest is considered off peak.
.

Right now our on peak hours are from 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM, all the rest is considered off peak.
That's interesting. Do you know what the split is between the peak and off-peak rates?
We're serviced by a rural electric co-op,
I've heard the term before..something about it always brings to my mind an image of 3 guys all named Bubba taking turns on a excercise bike fitted with a generator. Off peak is when they let the skinny guy (they call him Slim) take his turn on the bike.
.

They are called REA - Rural Electric Associations. There is a network of them. I found that out when I had a write-up in their monthly magazine and did not know it until i started getting phone calls - it did not brinig reservations unfortunately.

 

[Sanctuary]

We have a 15kw Westerbeke diesel generator ("the genny") - gives me more amps than my regular power supply. We can run everything off of it all at once (2.5 tons of air conditioning, washer/dryer, all the kitchen appliances, etc.). I've got about 500 hours on it, and it's been fairly trouble free - just a failed fuel pump that drove me nuts trying to diagnose for a couple of years. $45 and it was fixed. Uses about 1 to 1.5 gallons/hour.

 

[Proud Texan]

We don't have a generator. Just have to wait it out if there is a power outage. The longest I recall was 2 days. Didn't lose any food in the refrigerator, which was good.
Just switched to a "time of use" meter for the electricity. You get a better rate if you use power while others aren't. It works well for me because I'm here during the day and that is when i do most of the laundry etc. Since it is an all electric house it should produce some savings..

Can you elaborate further on this "Time of use" ?
.

Most people work from 8 to 5 so aren't using power in their homes during that time. If you can utilize that time period to do chores that require electricity you get it at a cheaper rate. It does require a special type of meter and a 2 year commitment. It also helps the power company by avoiding peak surges.
.

Are you sure you have that right? Most day/night meter arrangements have it so that electrical energy is cheaper at night (11PM - 7AM) Our day rate last time I checked (been several months) was $0.18/KWHr and the night rate was $0.12KWHr.
In this part of the country electrical loads are much greater during the day (same as out in Calif too...that's why their rolling blackouts are usually during the day) and there is a surplus of energy at night and they can't really store it, so they encourage people to shift some of their non-time critical stuff to night. So we usually run our dishwasher after 11PM and our hotwatertank is on a timer and comes on at night. (the tanks for our guests are not on a timer).
.

We're serviced by a rural electric co-op, so I don't think they are dealing with heavy industrial use. The times vary for summer and winter. Right now our on peak hours are from 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM, all the rest is considered off peak.
.

Right now our on peak hours are from 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM, all the rest is considered off peak.
That's interesting. Do you know what the split is between the peak and off-peak rates?
We're serviced by a rural electric co-op,
I've heard the term before..something about it always brings to my mind an image of 3 guys all named Bubba taking turns on a excercise bike fitted with a generator. Off peak is when they let the skinny guy (they call him Slim) take his turn on the bike.
.

I don't know the difference in the rates yet as I haven't gotten the first bill.
We're much more progressive here. We put the execs on the hamster wheel in lieu of a gym membership.

.

I don't know the difference in the rates yet as I haven't gotten the first bill.
We're much more progressive here. We put the execs on the hamster wheel in lieu of a gym membership.

This gives me an idea for a new kind of fitness resort: one where the guests generate all the electricity!