cheaper elect power for my wood working shop

[steamshovel]

I would like a cheaper source for elect power for my woodworking tools. I had one of those ads from the internet that they had a deal for me. I listened for a long time and it sounds good BUT is it? ( https//www.backyardrevolution.org//hop=henfymcfly )

Does any one know of this co. ? I worked for a lineman for a few years and folks always wanted cheaper power.

 

Preston

[lew]

Don't know anything about it, so I googled it. What I found interesting is that almost every link lead me to way too similar information. Almost like those "Ted" woodworking plans. Every site had almost a copy and paste look.

 

Lots of folks around here are opting for rooftop solar panels. I see them more and more. Unfortunately I don't personally know anyone to ask if they are proving cost effective.

[Roly]

Link did not work for me, shows a home improvement site but nothing about electricity.    Check the costs carefully as I doubt you will come out ahead for quite a while if ever.   Roly

[Gunny]

Biggest thing in alternate power is initial costs.  You pay for all of it up front and need to get out least 5-7 years out of it to make it cost effective.  The solar panel guys out on the west coast are using tax credits and some other creative ways to get the up front costs down and get the product into mainstream.  

[FlGatorwood]

Gunny, totally agree.  My granddaughter and I were discussing this the other day.  By the time, you purchase the batteries, switches, extra wiring, solar panels, you have a tremendous cost.  So, batteries and solar panels sometimes fail.  Insurance?  Doubt it.  When you start replacing electronic parts, you can end up spending more money than paying the electrical vendor.  Just my opinion.  We checked into having our house equipped with solar panels.  To cover the initial investment, it would only be $27,000 for my 1100 square foot house. And, all the panels would have to face the south which is the part that faces the street.  I questioned about erecting a couple of poles in the back yard so that the panels were not visible from the street.  The wiring would cause too much loose by the time it reached the switches at the breaker panel.  Like you, my budget is a beer budget.  Beyond my ability and at this age, too late to pursue.  Just my 2 cents.  

[Dadio]

https://www.smartflowerpacific.com/

[John Morris]

7 hours ago, Dadio said:

https://www.smartflowerpacific.com/

Now that is cool, just flat out cool. I never heard of these guys or this technology.

[Roly]

Cost in US is $25,000-$30,000 for the Smartflower.    Too high for most people.   I wouldn't live long enough to recoup the cost.   Roly

[John Morris]

7 minutes ago, Roly said:

Cost in US is $25,000-$30,000 for the Smartflower.    Too high for most people.   I wouldn't live long enough to recoup the cost.   Roly

Ya a bit pricey, but I sure like the looks of it, specially if you have a home with land, you could set that guy out back somewhere out of the way, without the hassle of solar roof panels. And easily take it with you if you move. But I agree Roly, for most of us not quite cost effective.

We looked into solar panels a year ago, and decided it wasn't for us right now. We've always been pretty frugal with our power anyway, most folks out here in the Southwest have to use AC in the summer, and that is where their big bill comes from, but most folks set their AC really low too, we set ours at 78 degrees in the summer, my buddies and other folks we know seem to favor around 72 degrees, to us that sounds crazy, no wonder they got huge electric bills. I'm telling ya, when you walk into our home, from triple digit temps outside, 78 degrees feels pretty good.

 

 

[Gene Howe]

We live close to the limits of the electric company's service for this area. Consequently, solar and wind are our "neighbors'" only choice for power. They'll be the first to tell you that, not only is the initial investment quite large, but maintenance is also very costly. Good deep cycle batteries can be as much as $200 each and most use at least four. Six is more common. The life of those batteries varies from one installation to another. The solar companies say that selling batteries is a large part of their business. 

And, most solar/wind installations have a generator back up that's used often. I don't know of anyone around here powering any size of a work shop from alternative sources. And, AC is unheard of.

IMHO, your local utility likely provides the least expensive options available today. 

[HandyDan]

2 minutes ago, Gene Howe said:

IMHO, your local utility likely provides the least expensive options available today.

 

And most likely always will.  Alternative energy in one thing but an unlimited constant source is what is hard to do cheaply on an individual basis.

[PeteM]

I do/have done a lot of energy analyses.  Two things emerge:  it always costs MORE than expected and the savings are LESS than expected.  So I tend to be conservative, but there are many good ideas out there.  However, going into competition with an electric utility isn't one of them.  I only spend about $1700 per year on electricity, but our utility is known for low cost base (hydro:  Arizona).  But double my cost to $3500 per year for talkin' purpose.  Peak loads here extend to 8 pm (equals 9 pm for all you on daylight savings time!), so daylight-only don't cover the spread, have to go with batteries.  I figure a "whole house" approach to completely divorce from utility would upfront for about $25--30k.  IOW, 7--9 years payback ("simple payback") for a more expensive utility than mine.  My criteria for personal, residential and small commercial proposals is 3 year payback (because beyond 3, really hard to hold the variables in place:  people die, move, sell the biz).  At more than 5 years analysis, have to start expecting component failures, which then extends the payback.  At 10 years, major component replacement becomes likely, pushing it further. 

     Half-way measures such as 5kW solar have a high initial cost for a low savings, and utilities are starting to charge for "connect only" costs (minimum charge even if you use NO power; this is pretty typical for commercial rates, but starting to get popular in residential).

     The scenario that would cause me to do a stand-alone:  belief that utility power might be in jeopardy.  Can't live here without power unless we move to Outer Montana and live in a log cabin.  At the moment, looks like we (literally) won't live that long.  Cheerful news!!!            ?

[John Morris]

13 minutes ago, Gene Howe said:

We live close to the limits of the electric company's service for this area. Consequently, solar and wind are our "neighbors'" only choice for power. They'll be the first to tell you that, not only is the initial investment quite large, but maintenance is also very costly. Good deep cycle batteries can be as much as $200 each and most use at least four. Six is more common. The life of those batteries varies from one installation to another. The solar companies say that selling batteries is a large part of their business. 

And, most solar/wind installations have a generator back up that's used often. I don't know of anyone around here powering any size of a work shop from alternative sources. And, AC is unheard of.

IMHO, your local utility likely provides the least expensive options available today. 

During a phone call with Stick awhile back, we discussed his wind mill power he uses, and even though it may seem cost effective, to have a fan spinning and generating power, he stated that there is a ton of maintenance and costs associated with "free" power. According to him he was/is replacing parts and such frequently, special ordering them from a supplier who specializes in his specific system. Stick lives off the grid relative to the rest of us, and there is a cost associated with living like that.

[Gene Howe]

Better he than I. Rather spend the $$$ elsewhere...like tools and wood.

[steamshovel]

I may have figured this out. I buy the plans for a discounted amount. Then  I go out and buy the material ( including a nice chair to sit in when the price is announced ) and build this power saver. I may not have saved as much as I wanted too.

 

Preston 

[Artie]

In our parts most solar panel owners have a meter on the outgoing electrify. It gets sold back to the utility and is automatically deducted from your bill. Also codes and regulations vary, BUT local fire departments are very unhappy with solar panels as no-one has figgered out a way to turn off the sun (which in reality would be very bad for us LOL). I believe the output voltage is over 1000 volts now. 

[FlGatorwood]

Artie, I have been told by those who sell and install this equipment that Florida or maybe, the south east has code that there is a switch to turn off the solar contribution to the house and power grid.  That is about 3rd hand information so I don't really know.  It sounds normal to me.  

[Gunny]

22 minutes ago, FlGatorwood said:

turn off the solar contribution to the house and power grid. 

As long as the sun is hitting the panels electricity is created, has to go somewhere.  I am of course guessing but seems logical.

 

Then again I married my ex wife, that also seemed logical at the time.  In retrospect  circumcision with a chainsaw was probably the better decision.

 

[Artie]

2 hours ago, FlGatorwood said:

Artie, I have been told by those who sell and install this equipment that Florida or maybe, the south east has code that there is a switch to turn off the solar contribution to the house and power grid.  That is about 3rd hand information so I don't really know.  It sounds normal to me.  

Yes, a disconnecting means is a must, but if there’s a fire, can it be accessed? Utility power can always be killed at a transformer/supply away from the burning building. If the suns out, the panels are producing, and the disconnect can not always be accessed. Firemen do NOT like this (understandably so). 

[Gunny]

2 minutes ago, Artie said:

If the suns out,

Well I hear in California they have decided that the sun causes cancer and so,

 

 

wait for it....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They have a bill Banning The Sun in the State Of California.