Comments on: How do I calculate my power usage in order to install adequate solar/wind generation in my home? http://www.gosolarpowerforhomes.com/how-do-i-calculate-my-power-usage-in-order-to-install-adequate-solarwind-generation-in-my-home/ NOW Is The Time To Go Solar Power For Homes With Solar Panels! Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:53:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: starrwoodehttp://www.gosolarpowerforhomes.com/how-do-i-calculate-my-power-usage-in-order-to-install-adequate-solarwind-generation-in-my-home/comment-page-1/#comment-1888 starrwoode Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:37:59 +0000 http://www.gosolarpowerforhomes.com/solar-power-for-homes/how-do-i-calculate-my-power-usage-in-order-to-install-adequate-solarwind-generation-in-my-home#comment-1888 look at your current electrical bills it tells you how much you used.<br><b>References : </b><br> look at your current electrical bills
it tells you how much you used.
References :

]]> By: David in Kenaihttp://www.gosolarpowerforhomes.com/how-do-i-calculate-my-power-usage-in-order-to-install-adequate-solarwind-generation-in-my-home/comment-page-1/#comment-1887 David in Kenai Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:10:59 +0000 http://www.gosolarpowerforhomes.com/solar-power-for-homes/how-do-i-calculate-my-power-usage-in-order-to-install-adequate-solarwind-generation-in-my-home#comment-1887 It gets complicated. Quickly. You need to determine your peak load (for the inverter) which combines all loads that might run together. (air conditioning and heating, for instance, don't run at the same time). Plus you need to add the starting amps of the biggest electric motor in the house. That would be A/C if you have it. Otherwise, the refridgerator which takes about 4-6 amps to run but 15-20 to start.One pretty accurate way to do and only spend a dollar doing so would be to turn on all the appliances that you'd ever use at the same time and let them run for an hour. Not the difference in your electric meter reading before and after. That will give you average kilowatts. Add another 15 amps for that fridge.In practice, though, one never goes solar/wind without massively reworking your house for greater efficiency. Compact fluorescents and better insulation and a new fridge and throwing away all electric heaters and hair dryers (use a towel) would be the first steps. Solar and wind and the batteries and inverters all cost too much to not take those easy steps first.Average power useage of Americans is somewhat over a kilowatt per person. For your current average power use, just look at your power bill. A moderately re-worked house could be at 0.5 kw/person. Before going totally off the gird, I'd suggest aiming for 0.2 kw/person or better.<br><b>References : </b><br>Installed 80 solar systems in MA. A few off-the-grid friends up here. A friend who went 100% PV/batteries. It gets complicated. Quickly. You need to determine your peak load (for the inverter) which combines all loads that might run together. (air conditioning and heating, for instance, don't run at the same time). Plus you need to add the starting amps of the biggest electric motor in the house. That would be A/C if you have it. Otherwise, the refridgerator which takes about 4-6 amps to run but 15-20 to start.

One pretty accurate way to do and only spend a dollar doing so would be to turn on all the appliances that you'd ever use at the same time and let them run for an hour. Not the difference in your electric meter reading before and after. That will give you average kilowatts. Add another 15 amps for that fridge.

In practice, though, one never goes solar/wind without massively reworking your house for greater efficiency. Compact fluorescents and better insulation and a new fridge and throwing away all electric heaters and hair dryers (use a towel) would be the first steps. Solar and wind and the batteries and inverters all cost too much to not take those easy steps first.

Average power useage of Americans is somewhat over a kilowatt per person. For your current average power use, just look at your power bill. A moderately re-worked house could be at 0.5 kw/person. Before going totally off the gird, I'd suggest aiming for 0.2 kw/person or better.
References :
Installed 80 solar systems in MA. A few off-the-grid friends up here. A friend who went 100% PV/batteries.

]]> By: Ronin_21http://www.gosolarpowerforhomes.com/how-do-i-calculate-my-power-usage-in-order-to-install-adequate-solarwind-generation-in-my-home/comment-page-1/#comment-1886 Ronin_21 Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:57:59 +0000 http://www.gosolarpowerforhomes.com/solar-power-for-homes/how-do-i-calculate-my-power-usage-in-order-to-install-adequate-solarwind-generation-in-my-home#comment-1886 http://findsolar.com/ 100% alternative power is very hard to afford. If you can afford it and you live near Maryland, email me, we might be able to help each other out.<br><b>References : </b><br>http://findsolar.com/ http://findsolar.com/ 100% alternative power is very hard to afford. If you can afford it and you live near Maryland, email me, we might be able to help each other out.
References :
http://findsolar.com/

]]> By: Adam Mhttp://www.gosolarpowerforhomes.com/how-do-i-calculate-my-power-usage-in-order-to-install-adequate-solarwind-generation-in-my-home/comment-page-1/#comment-1885 Adam M Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:09:59 +0000 http://www.gosolarpowerforhomes.com/solar-power-for-homes/how-do-i-calculate-my-power-usage-in-order-to-install-adequate-solarwind-generation-in-my-home#comment-1885 Just look at your monthly electric bills for the last 12 months and take the highest one and add 25%. You need to figure worste case scenerio to do this right.<br><b>References : </b><br> Just look at your monthly electric bills for the last 12 months and take the highest one and add 25%. You need to figure worste case scenerio to do this right.
References :

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