Just FYI, watts is an instantaneous measure of power. It can easily be converted to watt hours or kilowatt hours based on how long it runs. For example, if you run the fan on high at 490W for one hour then it will use 490Wh (490 x 1). If you run it it for three hours it will use 1470Wh (490 x 3) or 1.47kWh (1470 / 1000)
Are powerwalls a necessity for SoCal residents?
- Thread starter Carbonfiber
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Just FYI, watts is an instantaneous measure of power. It can easily be converted to watt hours or kilowatt hours based on how long it runs. For example, if you run the fan on high at 490W for one hour then it will use 490Wh (490 x 1). If you run it it for three hours it will use 1470Wh (490 x 3) or 1.47kWh (1470 / 1000)
Thanks, I guess I just wasn't sure if that 490 watts was watts per hour or some smaller unit of time. I guess 490 watts a minute wouldn't make sense though.
SCE approved this for me
View attachment 583792
Teasing aside, my need met wasn't as high as in the original quote. The yearly production is now estimated at 2MWh less. 18MWh instead of 20MWh.
SoCalDave, two questions!
1. Is that an energysage quote? Didn't think Tesla was quoting on Energysage.
2. I selected a 3rd party installer and my percentage is actually 150%. However, I'm close to 105% since I will be charging an EV after getting solar (previously was doing it at work). Did you have to show documentation to SCE to prove this? I have like 2 years worth of EV charging history in case they complain.
holeydonut
Supporting Member
Just look for a whole house fan that uses an ECM motor... on the lower settings when it's moving about 2 bars of pressure you'll probably only burn 100 watts or less. On mega-high I'm sure it'll be in the 500 range no matter what though.
I've had an older QC installed for over 6 years now and it's great as others have said. I tend to run it all night and even on the hottest non-humid days, it's still comfortable up until like 3pm in the afternoon. Live about 10 miles (as the crow flies) from the ocean. One suggestion I have is to ignore the calc for sizing of the QC. My 3100 QC is a dual speed. 1900 CFM at low and 3100 CFM at high. I have a 2200 sq ft house with high ceilings (meaning, lots of air volume). I would say 90% of time, we run this at the lower speed including all night while opening up a window in a bedroom. Most online calcs say we should have around a 5500 or higher CFM fan and I don't want that because I want it to be quieter and more energy efficient since I'm running this all night. IOW, I don't care about cooling QUICKLY as much I am about cooling for a LONGER period of time.
I have the largest one quietcool makes which is the "stealth 7.0" I wanted the largest one because I wanted more air movement at low speeds (and also high speeds lol). At low, i think mine uses around 100-110w or so, not much more than an old fashioned light bulb.
At high speed, it uses around 700w. If I only open one window and turn my fan on high speed, the amount of air it pulls in is substantial. If I had a curtain in front of the window, it would be flapping in the wind.
They should have you sign a document that says, in effect "I expect my usage to increase over the next 12 months".
SoCal Dave
Member
Yes, it was on EnergySage. I think the sales person told me that is the only sales platform Tesla uses. It is the same amount that you get from the Tesla website though.
I didn't have to justify anything, but Tesla did have me electronically sign a form for SCE saying my usage was planned to increase.
I have the QC ES-4700 energy saver model. consumes 415 watts.
QuietCool QC ES-4700 - 4,195 CFM - Energy Saver Advanced Whole House Fan
QuietCool QC ES-4700 - 4,195 CFM - Energy Saver Advanced Whole House Fan
Thanks Dave. It's interesting that Tesla's on EnergySage. You would think Tesla wouldn't want to pay the EnergySage commission further depleting their margins when they have a successful direct-to-customer model. Additionally, you would think EnergySage wouldn't want to anger their 3rd party installers who's selling point is a more custom install at a higher price!
Just placed my order for solar panels last night. They gave me a 12 week completion date. Hope everything gets installed and city approval by December! Has 12 weeks been a realistic timeline for everyone else?
Mine took 3 weeks from start to finish. I’m waiting for my PTO now.
Ulmo
Active Member
Weird. Our usage almost never gets as low as yours, and they've never complained to us.
Do you live in a stack and pack? This property has been detached home with a small quarter acre lot since the late 1960s. Maybe they feel like they can mistreat you more in a stack and pack.
We've had solar since 2016 and PowerWalls since 2017, so maybe they started complaining to their customers after we already started providing some of our own electricity. I still regret that our solar and batteries are undersized though. We could be more off grid than we are. But maybe they are more interested in complaining about people who use electricity than helping us with streamlining solar and battery install regulations and building battery, solar, and nuclear plants of their own.
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holeydonut
Supporting Member
No, I'm in a detached home in unincorporated Contra Costa County. 3300 Sq Ft home so it's just a modest house, and it's not in a stack and pack development.
I just think PG&E likes to gaslight new homeowners into thinking the homeowner themselves are "the problem." It distracts the homeowner by putting them into a spin cycle of self-inspection while PG&E gouges the living hell out of the homeowner with exorbitantly high rates.
I don't think 1,000 kWh in the dead of summer is "excessive" energy use, but PG&E will have me believe otherwise.
Unfortunately, PG&E's stupid plan works very well for them. For some reason, there are a lot of PG&E apologists out there and even in my neighborhood. Only one of the neighbors on my street runs their AC's below 80 anymore because they're worried about their electric bill and have learned to just sit in the sweltering heat as their house bakes during the daytime. They say they're "doing their part" for the environment. This is unfortunate learned behavior and I think it's BS that PG&E has trained most of my neighbors that it's the homeowners fault for running ACs.
I have Quiet Cool fans. I haven't been able to use them for weeks because of the smoke.
I agree with this 1000%. Before we got our PV PTO I had a $900 bill for a month on the tiered system.
The allocation at our house (3000 Sq Ft, 2 Story, Pool, 2 ACs) was only slightly higher than a 1500 Sq Ft single story house, no pool, 1 AC place we had rented the previous year due in part to the rental house being incorrectly classified as having electric heat.
1000 kWh for a months worth of electricity is in no way, shape or form "excessive" for a moderatly sized home with AC during the summer, let alone pools etc.
Also, WTH is a "stack and pack"? Never heard that term before. Just from the way you guys used the term, I am going to assume its some sort of multi family dwelling, like a townhome or condo?
Also, WTH is a "stack and pack"? Never heard that term before. Just from the way you guys used the term, I am going to assume its some sort of multi family dwelling, like a townhome or condo?
holeydonut
Supporting Member
Yeah I think this is the problem. PG&E will put a home on their tiered system at the way wrong size. PG&E refused to tell me what my home was “baselined” as but I suspect they tier the rates for a house 1/2 the size and without AC.
Baseline is based on your address. You will see on your bill something like "Baseline Territory: X" under Service Information.
The PG&E web site has the table of how many kWh/day you get under Baseline for each territory here: Baseline Allowance
If you are on a Medical Baseline you get about 500kWh/mo extra baseline allowance.
