Help me understand how Solar is cheaper at home.

RBJET

Well-Known Member
Same at my joint, I go through 2x45KG bottles every 3 months or so at around $180.
If gas goes up I'll consider solar hot water.
 

Lost1?

Well-Known Member
I live in a small 2 bedroom place. It had solar fitted when I purchased the place. This month will be the first time I will need to pay an electricity bill since October last year as the credits built up through summer will have been drawn down to zero.

Keeps me happy enough for now.
 

RBJET

Well-Known Member
I live in a small 2 bedroom place. It had solar fitted when I purchased the place. This month will be the first time I will need to pay an electricity bill since October last year as the credits built up through summer will have been drawn down to zero.

Keeps me happy enough for now.
So instead of being paid buy the provider if you produce more power than you use, it just comes off the next bill that you use more power?
 

Kippie

Moderator
Cooling isn't an issue for me living at elevation in Victoria and having cathedral ceilings.
Heating is an issue living in a colder climate and not being able to add insulation without pulling roof sheets off. Even then there is only a few inches to insulate.
Keeping my daughters room warm during winter is the issue. The fire takes the chill off but it can still be very cold by early morning so we have an electric panel heater running overnight.
We had the same problem. It was fixed when we replaced the original roofing which by then was 40+ years old and crammed as much insulation as possible in the cavity. It made a huge difference.
 

RBJET

Well-Known Member
We had the same problem. It was fixed when we replaced the original roofing which by then was 40+ years old and crammed as much insulation as possible in the cavity. It made a huge difference.
I guess it's something I may just have to bite the bullet and do in the future.
 

Toyasaurus

Well-Known Member
I was using gas (bottled) for heating then thought Why?
I now use the A/C, saves me 2-3 bottles a year, we still use it for cooking and IGHW.
I`m going to get rid of the gas hot water and put in a heat pump system.
That should bring me down to 1-2 bottles a year.

I just had an email from the power provider.
Massive jump in prices.
Might be time to piss the grid off altogether.
 

Kippie

Moderator
I guess it's something I may just have to bite the bullet and do in the future.
We probably could have stretched the old roof another 10 years and saved the money. But the thermal comfort that we're enjoying now is priceless.
 

Kippie

Moderator
I was using gas (bottled) for heating then thought Why?
I now use the A/C, saves me 2-3 bottles a year, we still use it for cooking and IGHW.
I`m going to get rid of the gas hot water and put in a heat pump system.
That should bring me down to 1-2 bottles a year.

I just had an email from the power provider.
Massive jump in prices.
Might be time to piss the grid off altogether.
I believe that every state/territory has some sort of incentive scheme to replace old gas hot water systems with electric. Now may be a good time to consider replacement.
 

Albynsw

Well-Known Member
I believe that every state/territory has some sort of incentive scheme to replace old gas hot water systems with electric. Now may be a good time to consider replacement.

Maybe things have changed but it was the other way around up until 5 years ago
If you had natural gas on that wax the preferred method of heating water be it instantaneous or storage , if not it was electric heat pump and if you wanted to throw more money it you added a solar system onto either of the above but you were not allowed to use a standard storage electric HWU
 

Lost1?

Well-Known Member
So instead of being paid buy the provider if you produce more power than you use, it just comes off the next bill that you use more power?
Pretty much how it works for me. Winter time the electricity bill goes up running the heater in sunny Melbourne. The cloudy days reduces how much I put back into the grid. When the sun reappears I start clocking up credit.
 

Toyasaurus

Well-Known Member
It does not work that way for me.
They pay me out every 3mths, if they didn`t they would have a lot of my money banked up.
Mine is always in credit,
 

Rusty Panels

Well-Known Member
every 6 weeks @ $105 a bottle
I could show you my quarterly bill we used 78 litres last time. Our bottles are refilled from a small tanker which runs a hose to the side of the house. We use the cooktop all the time and have the hot water set to 42 degrees. I'm very impressed with the efficiency of it all.
We have only been using around 260 litres a year, it would be even better if they weren't ripping us off on the gas price.
Screen Shot 2022-06-18 at 17.41.21.png
 

Albynsw

Well-Known Member
I could show you my quarterly bill we used 78 litres last time. Our bottles are refilled from a small tanker which runs a hose to the side of the house. We use the cooktop all the time and have the hot water set to 42 degrees. I'm very impressed with the efficiency of it all.
We have only been using around 260 litres a year, it would be even better if they weren't ripping us off on the gas price. View attachment 73855

I put in the swap bottles, maybe I should of done the refillable like yours
 

Rusty Panels

Well-Known Member
I think there's an additional $100 a year rental on the bottles but it's still cheap for the cooking and the hot water. I have always been on off peak for my hot water in the past and it would have been costing as much for a quarter than it costs me now for 12 months and that didn't include the stove top.
 

Toyasaurus

Well-Known Member
Down here you have to shop around.
The company I use now dosen`t charge bottle rental, they charge a one off deposit one each bottle, you get it back when they are returned.
plus they are the cheapest around.
Having said that last bottle I got, they had gone up quite a bit.
 

Toyasaurus

Well-Known Member
The bugger won`t let me sleep in.

When an 80kg Irish Wolfhound decides to get you out of bed, best to do as your asked.
 
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