This is our first bill with the new retail provider. They got it right the first time! What a welcome change from our previous REP.
This past month, we used 1,153 kwh. During the day, any power we’re generating and not using goes back to the grid. In theory, we’re using our own power during the day and buying power at night and getting credit for what we’re sending back. With the sewing room a/c not cooling correctly and running the freeze dryer non-stop almost since June 20, even though this bill is one of the highest we’ve had since getting the solar panels, we’re not complaining. June was hotter than normal for us also.
Several have asked about the power used by the freeze dryer.
According to Harvest Right, it costs $1 to $2.80 per day to run the Freeze Dryer. I wanted a little more specifics. According to Commonsense Home, it takes about 15.2 kwh to run a cycle but her cycle lasted 26 hours and most everything I’ve done has taken about 52 hours so I’m going to double the kwh and say it takes 30 kwh to run a cycle. One thing of note – it takes longer when it’s very hot in the room with the freeze dryer and because of the air conditioner problems, it has been very hot but I’ll figure the cost based on 52 hours cycle time and if it goes down and takes less with the new a/c, I’ll be happy.
We pay 11.7 cents per kwh so that means each 52 hour cycle, or 30 kwh, would cost us $3.51, but that’s only if we were buying all the power. We use our own power during the day so I’m going to figure at least 16 of those hours, we’re producing our own power, so that’s about 30% of the time/usage, which means we’re paying for 70%, or 21 kwh x 11.7 cents would be $2.45 per 52 hour cycle is what it should cost us.
That’s very rough because we’re also sending back power during the day and getting paid for it, in the form of a credit, and depending on what time of day we start the machine, it could have more daylight or more night time running hours.
Our current bill is one of our highest June bills (billing period) since getting the solar panels but June was hotter than normal, the a/c wasn’t working correctly in the sewing room and the freeze dryer was running almost non-stop since its arrival on June 20. We’re quite pleased with the bill but hope the bill for July is no higher.
Nelle Coursey says
I would love that bill!
dezertsuz says
That’s a great bill! Considering what it would be if you weren’t selling back. I like having you explain the math of the cost of the freeze dryer, too. That really makes very economical food storage.