Worst energy usage yesterday

[SoCal Dave]

My car said 119 degrees at one point yesterday during the west coast heat wave. Our AC units were running pretty much non-stop. Anyone else use more power yesterday?

Admittedly our units are very old and should be replaced. One is 36 years old. Normally it is hard to justify replacing them as they are running fine. But days like yesterday are making me think I should bite the bullet and get newer models.

 

[Dypkny845]

It all depends how many days a year do u get like this. If it was for a week per year I would just let it be as you said if its not broke why fix.

 

[BrettS]

Certainly here in Florida a replacement for an AC that’s 36 years old would pay for itself pretty quickly in efficiency savings, but as @Dypkny845 said, a lot of it depends on how much you’re using the AC. Here in Florida we run our AC’s 9 or 10 months of the year. If you only need it for a short time each year then it might be harder to financially justify the replacement.

 

[njhtran]

I’m in the same boat. However I’m still too new to solar ownership to understand how this will impact my fiscally. Especially when my system isn’t generating what it’s supposed to yet. Hopefully Tesla fixes that soon.

 

[jjrandorin]

@SoCal Dave @njhtran I believe we are all in the same city. I dont have a pool or anything though. My powerwalls are in stormwatch mode, so right now my system is operating the same as yours if you dont have powerwalls.

I used 66.7 kWh yesterday, which I feel is pretty good for a 3200 square foot home in this heatwave. (thats total usage, my PV size is 8.7kW, and generated 37.3 kWh yesterday). I pulled 41 kWh from the grid though because my Powerwalls re topped up in stormwatch mode from the grid. I also have old AC units, but old as in "came with the home in 2005". Been trying to find the Seer Rating of them and think they are between 11-13.

My normal house run rate is about 28-32 kWhs a day so yeah I used double. I already have things like blackout curtains on most windows and stuff though, so I just closed all the curtains, etc and bunkered down, lol. I also dont use my oven when its hot, I use one of my BBQ grills as an oven (to keep from heating up the family room with the oven).

EDIT -- Adding a pic of the same screen you two shared:

 

[njhtran]

@SoCal Dave @njhtran
I used 66.7 kWh yesterday, which I feel is pretty good for a 3200 square foot home in this heatwave. (thats total usage, my PV size is 8.7kW, and generated 37.3 kWh yesterday).

That's really good. I wasn't even home most of the day, had my thermostat set to 80F and yet I still consumed more than twice as much as you. My home was built in 2005 as well, I had an a/c maintenance guy this past week look at my system and told me my seer is about 10.

 

[jjrandorin]

That's really good. I wasn't even home most of the day, had my thermostat set to 80F and yet I still consumed more than twice as much as you. My home was built in 2005 as well, I had an a/c maintenance guy this past week look at my system and told me my seer is about 10.

On a side note, I just got an email from SCE regarding the possible need for rotating outages. I checked my outage group, and am in a group that doesnt receive outages. I didnt used to be in a this group, either. During the last heat wave we had, which was only like a month ago or so, I remember checking my outage group and a different number was there.

Of course, when you have powerwalls, you kinda, sorta, think "bring it on!" (as anything like this helps you mentally justify what you spent, lol).

 

[SoCal Dave]

Wh

@SoCal Dave @njhtran I believe we are all in the same city. I dont have a pool or anything though. My powerwalls are in stormwatch mode, so right now my system is operating the same as yours if you dont have powerwalls.

I used 66.7 kWh yesterday, which I feel is pretty good for a 3200 square foot home in this heatwave. (thats total usage, my PV size is 8.7kW, and generated 37.3 kWh yesterday). I pulled 41 kWh from the grid though because my Powerwalls re topped up in stormwatch mode from the grid. I also have old AC units, but old as in "came with the home in 2005". Been trying to find the Seer Rating of them and think they are between 11-13.

My normal house run rate is about 28-32 kWhs a day so yeah I used double. I already have things like blackout curtains on most windows and stuff though, so I just closed all the curtains, etc and bunkered down, lol. I also dont use my oven when its hot, I use one of my BBQ grills as an oven (to keep from heating up the family room with the oven).

EDIT -- Adding a pic of the same screen you two shared:

View attachment 585047

What temp did you have yours set to?

We normally have ours set to 76-78, but yesterday was so hot we lowered it to 74 as we don't get even coverage through the house. Some rooms were baking at when the thermostats shut off at 76.

 

[SoCal Dave]

I’m in the same boat. However I’m still too new to solar ownership to understand how this will impact my fiscally. Especially when my system isn’t generating what it’s supposed to yet. Hopefully Tesla fixes that soon.


View attachment 585041

You are winning so far! Congrats!

 

[jjrandorin]

Wh

What temp did you have yours set to?

We normally have ours set to 76-78, but yesterday was so hot we lowered it to 74 as we don't get even coverage through the house. Some rooms were baking at when the thermostats shut off at 76.

I had my thermostat set to 80, up until about 1pm.. then I turned it down to 72 (to precool the house) both upstairs and downstairs... didnt quite get that cold, down to about 74 by 3pm, then I set them back to 80, and they didnt come on until around 7pm.

At 8pm I set the one for upstairs to 72, as I like to sleep in cold rooms (lol) so it ran for a couple hours or so then pulsed on and off till I went to bed. I cant sleep with aircon on, or open windows because I am a very light sleeper, and little noises outside will wake me up (and neighbors have dogs so....)

Interestingly enough, the quietcool fan is quiet enough and a white noise sound enough that I can sleep with it on, even though I dont open the bedroom window with it running. I open another window upstairs, just to cool off the attic normally.

Last night, no quietcool, too hot at night. Probably same tonight. Its supposed to be between 110-115 again here.

 

[SoCal Dave]

Certainly here in Florida a replacement for an AC that’s 36 years old would pay for itself pretty quickly in efficiency savings, but as @Dypkny845 said, a lot of it depends on how much you’re using the AC. Here in Florida we run our AC’s 9 or 10 months of the year. If you only need it for a short time each year then it might be harder to financially justify the replacement.

August and September are our big months. June and July are incremental. The rest of the year it is normal to get in the 80s, but it gets cold at night and we have good insulation, so not a lot of AC is needed.

 

[jjrandorin]

August and September are our big months. June and July are incremental. The rest of the year it is normal to get in the 80s, but it gets cold at night and we have good insulation, so not a lot of AC is needed.

Last year (2019) October was unusually hot as well if I remember, but yeah this is our worst time for heat right now, and even still this heat wave is unusually hot.

 

[getakey]

when we lived in the BayArea, we always thought Sept/Oct was the best time of the year. It would finally get above 80

 

[bkp_duke]

Used a lot more yesterday as well.

First time ever depleted all 4 PWs overnight with only one AC unit running.

 

[Electrph]

I do not yet have PV installed but have been watching my usage closely recent and had very few real world households to compare (only SCE guilting everyone). I saw much less usage in my home yesterday. I know there are so many factors that come into play but would you all say age of and number AC units / age of home ( level of assumed insulation / double pane windows etc ) / being single story vs two story all contribute equally or is one of these biggest contributor?
I ask because a friend in same town is debating increasing insulation / updating AC unit in older home.
For reference my home is 2800 sq ft single story / no shading / built 2018 / single 4ton 16 seer AC unit / Central Valley south of Fresno hit 102 yesterday (forecast 109 today)
my usage was 36kWh yesterday (3kWh of which we’re charging car)
Also AC set 76 from 6am to 3pm / 78 from 4pm until 9:30pm flexalert) / 74 9:30pm-12:30am Then 70 again until 6am

 

[SoCal Dave]

... being single story vs two story all contribute equally or is one of these biggest contributor?

Yes, a two story is a pain to cool with AC.

I ask because a friend in same town is debating increasing insulation / updating AC unit in older home.

I personally wouldn't bother trying to increase insulation unless the house didn't have any to begin with. The real limitation is the wall thickness which gives the max R value.

I do expect my over sized solar will give me a near zero bill at the end of the year even though I'm having some days with crazy usage. With the price of solar being so inexpensive right now, better to spend money on solar which gives you year round benefit than replace AC units which are only used occasionally. Especially in my case where the cost to replace the AC units is more than the cost of the solar.

 

[getakey]

Yes, a two story is a pain to cool with AC.

why do you say that? 2 story has less roof exposure. Should be more efficient. Good to have 2 AC units, 1 for each level