LIPA Survey

[ralphie]

Hey guys...

My daughter brought home a survey from LIPA that we had to answer. And, the last question on the survey was "Do you have an aquarium?"

[Neurotech]

LMAO. They're onto us.

[billsreef]

They see fat bonuses for every "yes" to that question :D

[LCGoldman]

Grrr... my budget plan is still at $651 per month. And my tank isn't that big!

[pecan2phat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9945037#post9945037 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LCGoldman
Grrr... my budget plan is still at $651 per month. And my tank isn't that big!

At that rate, I'd move out of the state :)

[LCGoldman]

It's a thought :)

[diverrad]

dam i only pay $115 a month for everything,and I have 2 large TV going all the time plus several computers always on and the tank.

[terranova]

me ray and bill were talking about this the other day with my dad...my tank alone is $125 of the electric bill - about 1/3 i would guess

that's the main reason we're turning the tank around

[jgiordano]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9945037#post9945037 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LCGoldman
Grrr... my budget plan is still at $651 per month. And my tank isn't that big!

651; are you sure you not donating to a neighbor?

[LCGoldman]

I think I am... and thy neighbors neighbor too.

[jgiordano]

I don't mean to harp on it but that is insane... I would seriously have the meter checked. What size lighting do you have? and how long?


Does lipa wear protection?

[Reef Junkie]

Well, we all know that lonnie uses up a little more electricity with the walk in ice boxes...:D

[LCGoldman]

After numerous calls and complaints to LIPA they finally sent out the High Bill Audit team. They checked everything nine ways from Sunday and they came back a second time to check the meter... they said, and I guess I have to trust them???, that everything is correct.

[fio1022]

They keep my tank going!

[cb747]

My bill avberages around 300 give or take. LIPA uses no lube on anyone. OPEC doesnt use any lube either. If they did it would cost more $$$ per barrell!

[jgiordano]

Going back to the original post; do they ask for insurance/electrical-fire related reasons? There are other things that use more electricity than aquariums.

[ralphie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9949902#post9949902 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jgiordano
Going back to the original post; do they ask for insurance/electrical-fire related reasons? There are other things that use more electricity than aquariums. They asked about anything that used electricty pretty much. For example, stove, refrigerator, large screen TV, computers, pools, dryers, etc.

I just found it kind of funny the last question was about aquariums. And, all the other topics had multiple questions, but the aquarium topic had only one.

[ralphie]

I have never found out how much extra my tank costs me to run. After reading the answers here, I do not think I want to know...

[LCGoldman]

Since I have my tank on a sub-panel they were able to isolate it... they said half my usage is coming from that panel. Most folks here have bigger setups than I do.

[jgiordano]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9949950#post9949950 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LCGoldman
Since I have my tank on a sub-panel they were able to isolate it... they said half my usage is coming from that panel. Most folks here have bigger setups than I do.

If your married that must not have scored many points with the wife...

[DEXTER SOLIS]

Lonnie, its not the size of your tank. if you are using a Dart & have to turn it down, have you considered a Snapper that uses about half the wattage?

[sleezyp1]

www.nationalphotovoltaics.com

[cb747]

you mean http://www.nationalphotovoltaics.com/ :) you missed the N

[shyland83]

this is scaring me. Lonnie are you claiming that your tank is costing you 300 a month? I just got an electric bill and it was about 270. But i don't know if my tank was running for that whole billing period.

[sleezyp1]

Thanks Chris you posted while I was editing it. I just type slow.

[LCGoldman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9950183#post9950183 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by shyland83
this is scaring me. Lonnie are you claiming that your tank is costing you 300 a month? I just got an electric bill and it was about 270. But i don't know if my tank was running for that whole billing period.
That's what LIPA says... mind you I'm "only" running 580w of lighting... a Dart pump as Dexter pointed out... but I thought that Tony sold me a most efficient pump. Perhaps I don't have a Dart LOL.

[shyland83]

when i do the math, assuming an average of 400 watts for 24 hours a day and $.09 per kwh i get about 30 bucks a month. I must be missing something.

[pecan2phat]

Scott,
If your paying LIPA only $.09 a kilowatt on Long Island, then you must be a blood relative :)

You have to figure out the surcharge also.

Probably closer to $.17 to $.20 a kilowatt for you guys.

[qy7400]

Lonnie check you heater and chiller, if LIPAs telling you half that bill is from just your tank somethings not working correctly or the neighbors really are tapped into you sub-panel.

[jnfallon]

our bills about $700/mo. i hate lipa.

[shyland83]

ok my last bill was actually 500. i didn't realize they seperate delivery charges and supply charges. when i divide my total usage by my total bill after taxes i get just under $.19/kwh. but still, when i do the math, even if i overestimate and say i use an average of 600 watts for 24 hours that comes to $82 a month. And if SOMEHOW your pulling 1000 watts 24 hours a day, thats still only 135 a month. i'm going to assume what lipa was saying was at the time, the tank was drawing half the power the house was drawing. if your lights were on and there was nothing else big in the house running at the time thats very possible. does that make sense?

[jgiordano]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9951051#post9951051 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnfallon
our bills about $700/mo. i hate lipa.

If your signatures are correct you and lcgoldman are paying close to the same and you have 4X the amount of volume.

Have you guys looked into solar? The upfront cost would be a lot but you both are already paying lipa 7200 and 8400 a year.

[keefsama2003]

my 300 was costing me 500$ a month to run after i took it offline my bill dropped 500$

so regardless of what these calculators say it adds up and i had a Dart / Baracuda / 162 Watts of T5 lighting on the tank. and 2x500w heaters
on a controller

[Corpus Callosum]

I'm thinking of getting a few solar panels and selling electricity back to the company. An expensive part of the system is the battery, and if you just sell the electricity back instead of storing it, you save like 20% of the system costs.. the panels could be a good amount but I think it would be worth it in the long run.

[diverrad]

not sure if NY is part of it but there are quite a few states that will split the upfront cost of getting solar panels with you.

[qy7400]

NY is one of them, the offer a few tax incentives and rebates for those who switch.

http://www.lipower.org/cei/solar.html

[LCGoldman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9952478#post9952478 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by shyland83
ok my last bill was actually 500. i didn't realize they seperate delivery charges and supply charges. when i divide my total usage by my total bill after taxes i get just under $.19/kwh. but still, when i do the math, even if i overestimate and say i use an average of 600 watts for 24 hours that comes to $82 a month. And if SOMEHOW your pulling 1000 watts 24 hours a day, thats still only 135 a month. i'm going to assume what lipa was saying was at the time, the tank was drawing half the power the house was drawing. if your lights were on and there was nothing else big in the house running at the time thats very possible. does that make sense?
Yes, that makes sense... they did have me turn off everything in the house, including all lights, etc., except for the fish tank stuff.

[LCGoldman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9952542#post9952542 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jgiordano
If your signatures are correct you and lcgoldman are paying close to the same and you have 4X the amount of volume.

Have you guys looked into solar? The upfront cost would be a lot but you both are already paying lipa 7200 and 8400 a year.
Actually it's definitely something we were going to look in to, and then I forgot until you just posted this.

I did meet with a client a few weeks ago, and was telling me that they did just that... and in the summer, they didn't pay LIPA for their usage, they actually RECEIVED a check from LIPA for $1000 because LIPA took some of their stored energy.

Amazing!!

[LCGoldman]

I just ran the estimated installation costs based on our usage, etc., After all rebates, and tax credits, it would cost us $75,617 to install. To finance over 10 years would be $877.98 per month.

Any one care to buy some energy futures from us to help finance this?

I know that in the long run this would much more than pay for itself of course - We'll have to figure out a way to make this work.

[Corpus Callosum]

Yeah if you produce more than what you use you will receive a check in return.. worth looking into on the long run.

[bobbbm]

Lonnie I know someone who does this and I can get you a pretty deep discount. I think you have my number just gimmie a call.

[sleezyp1]

First of all LIPA gives you $3.7 per killowatt rebate. Feds give $5000 tax credit and NYS $2000 tax credit. The battery backups are a waste so forget about those. On average it will cost you $8.10 per killowhat for the system and installation before discounts. Figure most systems are between 5 and 10 KW. Depending on your demand. I ordered my 10k system on Monday.
Sticking it back to the man..........PRICELESS!!!!

[LCGoldman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9955915#post9955915 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bobbbm
Lonnie I know someone who does this and I can get you a pretty deep discount. I think you have my number just gimmie a call.
If I have your phone number I forgot/lost it. I'll PM you :)

[cb747]

Joe thats awesome! Keep us posted and take lots of pictures!

[sleezyp1]

You got it!

[jcaquatics]

Yeah, and what Joe didn't mention, is through this guy it's a no lose situation. He guarantees you'll love it and save so much, depending on your house. If you are not happy in a year, he'll take it down,give you a full refund, and replace your roof.

Lonnie- you may want to look into lines of credit on your home, I got one with no closing costs, and the monthly payment is less than what we will save each month in electric- so again no lose situation :-)

[jgiordano]

you should also look into the solaris LED lighting; (I know they are expensive) but aquarium adventure has them on display. They are pretty cool and use alot less energy and heat than MH. They have the same intensity.

[LCGoldman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9959956#post9959956 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jcaquatics
Yeah, and what Joe didn't mention, is through this guy it's a no lose situation. He guarantees you'll love it and save so much, depending on your house. If you are not happy in a year, he'll take it down,give you a full refund, and replace your roof.

Lonnie- you may want to look into lines of credit on your home, I got one with no closing costs, and the monthly payment is less than what we will save each month in electric- so again no lose situation :-)
Joe/Cindy: May I please have the name of your guy too.

Thanks in advance!!

[bobbbm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9960837#post9960837 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jgiordano
you should also look into the solaris LED lighting; (I know they are expensive) but aquarium adventure has them on display. They are pretty cool and use alot less energy and heat than MH. They have the same intensity.


Ya I just saw one at SCFR and the colors of the coral uner it are Amazing!

[jcaquatics]

Lonnie,
The link from the first page on this thread is who we decided to go with.
http://www.nationalphotovoltaics.com/
Marc Redgate, 631-327-2899- he really knows what he's talking about, and is the only one we found willing to take the whole thing back if you don't like it- you should at least have him to your home to give you your options. If you want, give Joe a call too, he knows all the tech stuff about the system.

[jcaquatics]

Another +
It increases the value of your home $30-50k++, but the town won't increase your taxeson it for at least 15yrs.

[puckbs]

why isn't everyone doing this??? can we have a meeting on this??

[LCGoldman]

Breakfast at Cindy's tomorrow morning?? Shall we say 6:30am?

Hehehe.. fat chance I'll be there. I can't get up that early any more LOL

[puckbs]

Lonnie, take lots of notes!!!

[jcaquatics]

I'm sure Marc would love to be a speaker, I'll even host the meeting at my home, but considering I'm still awake I think 6:30 is a little too early...:sleep:

[LCGoldman]

Party at Cindy's!!!