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Post by lloyd on Feb 1, 2012 15:49:23 GMT -5
Highest Price (On-Peak) 10.8 cents/kWh Mid Price (Mid-Peak) 9.2 cents/kWh Lowest Price (Off-Peak) 6.2 cents/kWh
This is today's rate in Toronto. Not as much spread as when I last looked but still worthwhile switching day<->night.
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Post by dToad on Feb 1, 2012 19:55:04 GMT -5
If you are on Time of Day billing, then definately. Here Time of Day is an option that you must choose to take advantage of.
If it's an option where you are, I suggest taking meter readings at the rate change times and running the numbers to find out what is best. If there are electrical devices you wish to move to cheap rate times, determine the power they use. I have a Kill-a-Watt that lets me measure the power used by a device. You can also use name plate data for this.
Something else I plan to do is a seasonal shift. I'll leave plants outside until mid November - early December to go into dormancy. I'll then bring them into the house and start the spring season with lights / heat. In Jun/july I can put them out again.
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Post by vraev on Feb 2, 2012 0:54:36 GMT -5
For me heating is not an issue. My building pays for heating and in fact it becomes a problem. Would you believe its actually hot in my apt right now. Too hot for my comfort infact. I cannot directly open the window in my bedroom without a fan because, it decreases the air pressure and intake through the tubes to the tanks (without a fan). Thats why..I (used to) love winter...minimal hassle..plants almost on autopilot for most part. Only take care of watering. So biggest cost then is only lighting. I understand lights don't draw too much. Heck...back in the day once I did calculations to prove my house mates that my lights don't draw as much as their TV even. But...when my light fixture has now become a 400 watt fixture...it totally starts becoming an issue that i have to keep in mind.
In summer..I can't win...I need to use the air conditioner. No alternative. Even then..plants struggle. but hey...now don't have those plants anymore...but well... I tend to keep cycles synced to day/night because...it is essential to use that light drop in temps at night during summer to give the plants a bit of cooling. Additionally...AC use then maximizes temp drop and this is once again off-peak usage. The AC draws quite a lot of power for poor cooling. (http://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/DPAC9009.html) But enough for tank...when constantly on.
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