Electric consumption from Heatmor?

[Angel4JohnnyB]

Hi all,
Here's my situation.
Had the Heatmor for several years (since we bought the house) but never used it until this winter.
90% of the reason for using it is to save on electric.
Fired it up the day the electric bill switched to a new cycle.

Heatmor is hooked to a electric furnace so only the blower is working on the furnace, not the heating coils. And is also heating the hot water tank.

My issue is that I'm still using over 77 kWh per day.

I realize I still have "other" things working on electric (duh!) and that I can't cut my electric usage out altogether but I thought....and I say "thought" I could at least get my electric down to what it runs on my minimal months per year.
Shouldn't this be the case?

My lowest bill ever has been around $145 and that was using little to no heat or air.
Last month was $330 using total electric. That was 134kWh per day.

But at 77kWh per day I'm not going be anywhere close to where I am when I'm not running electric heat/air.

I assumed there would be a huge drop since my water heater isn't using electric but I'm just not seeing the drop I "thought" I'd see.

WHY?

My next bill will run me appx. $186 (if my kw usage stays the same as it has this first part of the month) and then add in my $90 a cord for wood and I'm not really going to be saving much.

Suggestions?

I've always thought my electric bill was wayyyyyyyyy too high but don't know "what" to do about it or how to have it checked to see if something is not "right" with it.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated and helpful I'm sure!

 

[blakey]

How often do they read your meter? Around here they only read every 3 months and estimate the other 2. You may have to wait until the next meter reading to get an accurate number.

 

[Angel4JohnnyB]

How often do they read your meter? Around here they only read every 3 months and estimate the other 2. You may have to wait until the next meter reading to get an accurate number.

We're high tech here in the boonies..lol....they are computerized and no one comes to physically read the meter and we are supposed to have a 100% accurate reading every single month (via computer technology).

I used my reading from the ending day of the billing cycle and then subtracted what the meter reads NOW and then divided it by the number of days since the last day of the billing cycle......that's how I came up with the 77kWh per day.

I'll have to wait until my next 'bill' to know forsure but right now I'm looking at an average of the 77kWh per day.

 

[blakey]

I just looked at my bill and you are using a lot of electricity. I average 69kwh per day year round but I have farm buildings running fans and other motors. Are you sure your electric heat is completely shut off at the breaker panel? Any other baseboard heaters that you forgot about? The owb shouldn't be drawing much at all.

 

[Angel4JohnnyB]

I just looked at my bill and you are using a lot of electricity. I average 69kwh per day year round but I have farm buildings running fans and other motors. Are you sure your electric heat is completely shut off at the breaker panel? Any other baseboard heaters that you forgot about? The owb shouldn't be drawing much at all.

Okay, what do you mean "shut off at the breaker panel"???
If I shut that off will my blower still work??
What about the hot water heater? Am I supposed to turn off the breaker to that too?
It still needs to "fill up with water".
Do I turn it down, it's probably sitting on 120 or so......but the heatmor is running at 180 so the electric on the hot water heater should never be used.....right??

Geesh! I hate not knowing things!

 

[Angel4JohnnyB]

Wanted to also say......
Home is 2000 sq ft of heated space.......we also run a hot tub all winter.
Other than that it's only 3 people.....two under the age of 4 (they don't use much unless they go around leaving the lights on....lol.)

 

[blakey]

You should be able to shut the heating coil off at the panel and still have the blower run. You could shut off your breaker for your hot water heater, I actually leave mine on. But I think you answered your own question of where all the power is going - hot tubs draw a lot of power.

 

[STLfirewood]

Why not have your OWB heat your hot tub? That would save you a lot of money.

Scott

 

[Angel4JohnnyB]

You should be able to shut the heating coil off at the panel and still have the blower run. You could shut off your breaker for your hot water heater, I actually leave mine on. But I think you answered your own question of where all the power is going - hot tubs draw a lot of power.

Thanks so much!
I found the right breaker for just the heating coils......also turned off the breaker for the A/C while I was at it, no reason to have that on.
I thought about the hot tub but after many searches about energy consumption of the tub I came to the conclusion that it was only drawing about $1 a day......so really it's probably more than that in the winter since it's having to fight with the elements to stay up to temp. Especially when it's ZERO out there.

 

[Angel4JohnnyB]

Why not have your OWB heat your hot tub? That would save you a lot of money.

Scott

My Heatmor guy mentioned that when I had him out here a few weeks ago to fire the beast up for me....how would that work beings the side arm would be exposed to the elements? Would it hurt it?
Wouldn't the cold weather cool the exposed side arm too much and defeat my purpose?

How much is it to install a side arm onto it and get it running? Just appx?

Interesting idea! I will check into it for sure!
Thank you!

 

[Wirenut2266]

I Dunno........

I hate to say it, sounds about correct. You say, no real draw from furnace or water heater, ok. How bout that big round thing full of 500 gallons of water, I.e. Hot-Tub? Those things are electricty pigs. Figure no less then a dollar a day, realistic where you live, prolly $1.50 to run. Is it outside? I bet your tub alone is $50 to $75 dollars. Start there......Electric Hot water heater will add about a dollar a day as well......How bout clothes dryer? Gas or Electric?

As you can see, it can add up quick!

 

[STLfirewood]

Another thing I think to really save money with an OWB you almost have to cut the wood yourself or have a very very cheap source. When you call around for wood in the future explain that you have a OWB. A lot of people will sell you what I call junk wood at a better price. Odds and ends pieces that aren't good enough to sell in the city because they aren't "pretty enough". Big knotty pieces. Those are the best for you.

Scott

 

[Angel4JohnnyB]

I hate to say it, sounds about correct. You say, no real draw from furnace or water heater, ok. How bout that big round thing full of 500 gallons of water, I.e. Hot-Tub? Those things are electricty pigs. Figure no less then a dollar a day, realistic where you live, prolly $1.50 to run. Is it outside? I bet your tub alone is $50 to $75 dollars. Start there......Electric Hot water heater will add about a dollar a day as well......How bout clothes dryer? Gas or Electric?

As you can see, it can add up quick!

Wow, yeah I see it does add up quick.
I spoke to the hot tub dealer about winterizing the goofy thing (yes, it's outside and does not get used at all in the winter) and they told me that they do not recommend it. Water can't be totally blew out of the pipes, therefore could freeze up......fittings can shrink when not having running water in them.....ect. When I mentioned electric consumption she said 'they don't run that much'

Dryer is electric, can't even guess how many loads a month.....at least 10 though I'm sure.

I'm thinking tho that my hot tub is a bigger consumer of electric (in the frigid weather) than anything else is. My parents only run about $10 a month BUT.....theirs runs on 110v instead of 220 and theirs is inside a glass enclosed room.....non insulated but still stays at least 20* warmer than the outside temp.

Thanks! Sure opened my eyes!

 

[beerman6]

:jawdrop: OMG a outdoor hot tub NOT used in the winter?

Sitting in one while the snow falls on you is almost better than watching the propane truck drive past your house.

 

[Angel4JohnnyB]

Another thing I think to really save money with an OWB you almost have to cut the wood yourself or have a very very cheap source. When you call around for wood in the future explain that you have a OWB. A lot of people will sell you what I call junk wood at a better price. Odds and ends pieces that aren't good enough to sell in the city because they aren't "pretty enough". Big knotty pieces. Those are the best for you.

Scott

Hubby says that as soon as he gets home from Iraq that we'd be doing the cutting ourselves....we'll see.....LOL.
For this winter I paid $90 a cord, that was delivered and stacked. Happy tho I was with the price. I'm seeing now that it probably just wasn't good enough.
I'll remember your advice for the future if hubby doesn't get into the woods to cut.

 

[blakey]

How low can the temp be set on the hot tub? No sense keeping it up to temp if it is not being used. Just keep it well above freezing if possible, I don't have one so I don't know if the controls go that low.

 

[Angel4JohnnyB]

:jawdrop: OMG a outdoor hot tub NOT used in the winter?

Sitting in one while the snow falls on you is almost better than watching the propane truck drive past your house.

ROFL.......then my feet would freeze when I walk the 10 foot to the door to come back inside!

I'd sell it to ya but hubby is almost as attached to that thing as he is his Harley, I might get into a bit of trouble.

 

[beerman6]

You could shut it off,drain the water and shop-vac the lines.The fittings might shrink,but if they were all still connected I doubt they would.Even if you had some leaks come spring,if you were half-way handy you could fix them cheap.

 

[Angel4JohnnyB]

How low can the temp be set on the hot tub? No sense keeping it up to temp if it is not being used. Just keep it well above freezing if possible, I don't have one so I don't know if the controls go that low.

Good thought!
I just went and checked it.....it will go down to 80*. That's the lowest setting.
But HEY! 80* is better than the 98* I had it set at.......IT HAS TO BE!

Thank you! I'm so glad I found this site!

 

[beerman6]

ROFL.......then my feet would freeze when I walk the 10 foot to the door to come back inside!

I'd sell it to ya but hubby is almost as attached to that thing as he is his Harley, I might get into a bit of trouble.

We have talked about getting another one,honestly we used ours more in the winter.I could run out into the woods,take a leak and be back in before my feet even felt the cold.

Hell you're paying for it...USE IT!