4500bht Power Bill ..ouch

[fakser]

I would suspect the a/c.

Have it checked. If it is stuck or its bearing at fault, it will draw much more power. Even loss of gas will cause it to work continuously without the compressor taking its normal break intervals

[scubascuba3]

3 hours ago, whiteman said:

4500 is a normal month for me and I am very happy with life

Wow Hiso

[robblok]

14 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Wow Hiso

Has nothing to do with hiso mine was even higher. If your home a lot (for work) and or have a heavy computer setup then its totally different from people who spend most of their time outside.

 

 

[scubascuba3]

13 minutes ago, robblok said:

Has nothing to do with hiso mine was even higher. If your home a lot (for work) and or have a heavy computer setup then its totally different from people who spend most of their time outside.

 

 

i was mildly joking but you even get people bragging over here with electricity usage

[robblok]

12 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

i was mildly joking but you even get people bragging over here with electricity usage

I was not happy with my bill 5000-6500 per month. Nothing to brag about just how it is. 3 32 inch screens and other computer stuff. Aircon going on 24/7. Big fridge as i cook a lot. 

 

Rather have a 500 baht bill. But i think if i worked at a company then my bill would be far far lower. I just see it as the cost of doing business.

 

I now moved in with my GF into center of BKK in a 4 story home with pool all big 24000 btu aircons. She does not pay for it her company does same goes for the electricity. But i have a feeling it would be higher as the bill i had in my old home. 

 

I rather brag about having many appliances and a low bill (shows how good a home is insulated or how efficient the appliances are. I don't equate a high bill with hiso living.

 

I never been fugal about stuff like this as i rather work comfortable and harder (if your sweating and hot your less efficient) and pay more for electric and make more money then to save on electric and be less productive.

 

But i get what you mean some brag about it.

[owl sees all]

Ours has been below 1k baht for a while. This month 1,359 baht 57 satang. Gonna get the meter changed.

[Crossy]

Even though we get better than 60% of our power from solar we still get a bill around 3,200 to 3,800 Baht ????

 

[scubascuba3]

My condo is having all the meters replaced with digital ones next week

[Martyjustice]

We had a 1000 sq ft (sorry don’t do the metric stuff), big fridge, big electric oven, tv’s, computers, fans , and 2 a/c units. If I ran both ac units all the time it was a 5200 B. Bill. Just turning off one ac unit dropped it to a 3200 bill. Think the issue is people buy undersized units and they run all the time. Actually a bigger ac unit can save you money.  
Good luck

[Crossy]

16 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

My condo is having all the meters replaced with digital ones next week

 

Yeah, that will likely mean the end of net-metering (spinning backwards) for those with grid-tie solar without being members of the government scheme. The electronic meters are perfectly capable of doing net-metering or separating out the exported power but I doubt PEA will be allowing all the "unauthorised" solar to continue using the grid as their "battery".

 

I'm hoping that our solar will have paid for itself before PEA get around to changing our meter.

 

[Bandersnatch]

On 9/3/2020 at 12:24 PM, richard_smith237 said:

A rather vague comment that....   How quickly ?

 

Other threads on this subject imply about 10 years to recover costs, by which time the cells themselves may need replacement incurring further costs. 

 

Cost of purchase, installation and available ‘roof’ space are key factors.

 

I’m not convinced solar panels in Thailand are an economically viable solution. Additionally, the MEA do no offer ‘buy back’ power options and would actually fine someone who ’trickle power back’ to turn back the meter in periods of low use. 

 

Payback depends on the size of your system. A very large system designed to be completely off-grid and charge an electric car like my system will take 10 years to payback (including installation), but smaller systems covering say 60% of the bill, will payback much quicker. Remember a 10 year payback is a 10% return, try getting that in the bank.

 

My solar panels come with a 20 year guarantee 

"Photovoltaic systems typically last 25 to 40 years"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power

 

MEA and PEA both offer a buy back scheme called the solar rooftop scheme for residential PV

 

[gamb00ler]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

 

Yeah, that will likely mean the end of net-metering (spinning backwards) for those with grid-tie solar without being members of the government scheme. The electronic meters are perfectly capable of doing net-metering or separating out the exported power but I doubt PEA will be allowing all the "unauthorised" solar to continue using the grid as their "battery".

 

I'm hoping that our solar will have paid for itself before PEA get around to changing our meter.

 

Is it illegal to sell power to your neighbour(s) in Thailand?  I'm guessing that it would be.

[happyaussie]

I must say I like TV forums. Always great tips and chuckles. 

I've cleaned A/C filters and fridge door wasn't sealing properly. Let's see what happens. My original point wasn't the amount. It was why such a variance from one month to the next. With no additional usage. 

I'll get a A/C technician to give a proper service. 

If this doesn't work I'll take others advice and ask PEA to inspect.

Thanks again. 

[CGW]

21 hours ago, robblok said:

Has nothing to do with hiso mine was even higher. If your home a lot (for work) and or have a heavy computer setup then its totally different from people who spend most of their time outside.

I'm home a lot, retired and like to be cool and comfortable, don't feel like I need to give reasons to the TVF AC police for not enjoying perspiring, my body has enough to do without struggling to stay cool, anyone that has moved here and not taken into account that they will have to pay to "stay cool" hasn't done their homework. takes some folk a while to realise that the cooling "cross breezes" are a myth, if you open the windows when it is 38°c outside, it doesn't take long to heat up the inside to the same temperature as outside.

[robblok]

7 minutes ago, CGW said:

I'm home a lot, retired and like to be cool and comfortable, don't feel like I need to give reasons to the TVF AC police for not enjoying perspiring, my body has enough to do without struggling to stay cool, anyone that has moved here and not taken into account that they will have to pay to "stay cool" hasn't done their homework. takes some folk a while to realise that the cooling "cross breezes" are a myth, if you open the windows when it is 38°c outside, it doesn't take long to heat up the inside to the same temperature as outside.

No argument from me, some pride themselves on high usage other on low usage. I prefer low usage but with all the comforts. I dont feel power bills are something to brag about.

 

I like to stay cool too though usually put the aircon at 27 during the day and with it blowing on me im cool enough. Nights it goes down to 22 (gf puts it even lower). I like having a big fridge with (healthy) foods so I dont have to travel too much for shopping.

[CGW]

3 hours ago, robblok said:

I dont feel power bills are something to brag about.

To be honest! I have never seen a post that "brags" about having a high power bill, I have seen many posts that have been construed as "bragging" though. ???? 

[EVENKEEL]

On 9/2/2020 at 9:29 PM, RichardColeman said:

Our bills - and we only ever really use air con in one bedroom for about 30 minutes a day - is usually about 800-1200 a month. Wife washes by hand, cook by gas, etc. Think if it went to 4500 a month my wife would be nagging the entire electric company until they sent out 100 electricians from the power company.  Thai wives sometimes have great stored up anger waiting to be released on the unsuspecting 

The old lady is angry about the hand washing routine, at least buy her a new rock.

[Skylight]

On 9/3/2020 at 4:09 AM, 4MyEgo said:

When we built our house 5 years ago, we decided against having a 2nd level as we know how hot it can be upstairs, although the downstairs can be kept cooler in theory with a 2nd storey.

 

While saving on the 2nd storey I decided to go for a long single level dwelling with 3 metre high ceilings and a high attic space which can stand up in the middle, and it allows all that hot air to be pushed from front vents on either side of the front of the house directly below the gable roof, with two whirly birds at the rear which creates a wind tunnel sucking the hot air out, those whirly birds are spinning all day and night, we also put in vented eaves, and the biggest outlay was the thermal reflective sisalation and R38 stay cool batts, but easily off-set against the 2nd level.

 

I believe this is why we have a cheaper electricity bill, that and not requiring the air conditioners during the day, although when it does get over 40 degrees we do turn them on around 4pm.

 

 

 

That was a great design with 3 meter ceiling.  I guess you had gable vents put in.  Paint everything white helps as well.

Are the whirly birds noisy?  Ridge vent for the roof would be a less noisy solution but it is a complicated design.

 

I am toying with the idea a white roof. 

[4MyEgo]

8 hours ago, Skylight said:

 

That was a great design with 3 meter ceiling.  I guess you had gable vents put in.  Paint everything white helps as well.

Are the whirly birds noisy?  Ridge vent for the roof would be a less noisy solution but it is a complicated design.

 

I am toying with the idea a white roof. 

Yes gable roof with vents, white colour reflects the heat, white roof would be good but aesthetically wouldn't look good. Whirly birds are not noisy at all, make sure you buy good ones with good quality bearings.

 

Thermal reflective sisolation and ceiling batts like R38 stay cool are great for keeping the heat out and in the attic above the ceiling so the vents and whirly birds can suck out the hot air. Wide vented eaves, 900mm-1200mm even better depending on the design. trees for shading help too, no concrete near the house as it heats up and deflects the heat. 

[CGW]

2 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

white roof would be good but aesthetically wouldn't look good.

We have a flat roof area painted with white reflective coating, too hot to use during the hot days as too reflective, needs cleaning a few times every year! 

It is visible from "Space" though ???? 

[Skylight]

8 hours ago, CGW said:

We have a flat roof area painted with white reflective coating, too hot to use during the hot days as too reflective, needs cleaning a few times every year! 

It is visible from "Space" though ???? 

 

Do you mean that it's too hot to the touch?  Heat should not build up underneath the roof or does it?

 

[Skylight]

10 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Yes gable roof with vents, white colour reflects the heat, white roof would be good but aesthetically wouldn't look good. Whirly birds are not noisy at all, make sure you buy good ones with good quality bearings.

 

Thermal reflective sisolation and ceiling batts like R38 stay cool are great for keeping the heat out and in the attic above the ceiling so the vents and whirly birds can suck out the hot air. Wide vented eaves, 900mm-1200mm even better depending on the design. trees for shading help too, no concrete near the house as it heats up and deflects the heat. 

 

Yeah aesthetic would be the biggest drawback.  Flat roof might hide it well or I just need learn how to live with it. 

 

Trees are important. 

 

We'll need to plan the house orientation well.

[CGW]

5 minutes ago, Skylight said:

Do you mean that it's too hot to the touch?  Heat should not build up underneath the roof or does it?

It's cool! it's actually about 10°c cooler than "un-coated" surfaces, but the "glare", being a flat roof makes it uncomfortable, the "coating" would work well on a conventional roof, but would be too expensive and incredibly messy to apply/spray!

[CGW]

11 minutes ago, Skylight said:

Do you mean that it's too hot to the touch?  Heat should not build up underneath the roof or does it?

Double post!

Edited September 9, 2020 by CGW

[4MyEgo]

9 hours ago, Skylight said:

Heat should not build up underneath the roof or does it?

Heat does build up under the roof as the sun gets hotter, e.g. we have concrete roof tiles, under those tiles we put thermal reflective sisalation to reduce the time that it takes for the heat to penetrate the concrete roof tiles, once the heat is in, it's trapped and will work it's way through your ceiling and into your home, unless you put in for example, R38 Stay Cool batts which will keep the trapped heat in the inside of the roof space, and it also stops your air conditioning from escaping through your ceiling and into the inside of your roof space.

 

Putting in vented eaves and vents at the front of the house (gable roof) the heat is push to and sucked out by the whirly birds, this is the way we have set our's up and it works like a wind tunnel, I know that because when I get on the ladder and open the manhole I can feel the hot air being pushed passed my face toward the whirly birds which are at the back of the house.

 

We purchased the thermal reflective insulation from HomePro: http://www.polynum-insulation.com/index.php?goto=bep

 

R38 Stay Cool batts from SCG: https://www.homepro.co.th/p/213896?gclid=EAIaIQobChMItfrk-crd6wIVTx0rCh0rrQ75EAkYBCABEgLZ_vD_BwE

 

Whirly birds can be found at most places: 

I can say that inside the house it can vary between 5-10 degree on really hot days, and for the two winter months here in Issan we are warm from the insulation.

 

Not a cheap exercise but if you want to stay cool and don't like air cons and big electricity bills, this is the way to go.

 

The builder told me it wasn't necessary to do all the above as the house would be cool, I doubted him, put in the sisalation when the tiles were going on, left the whirly birds and stay cool batts out for a year and proved to him how wrong he was, because the house would warm up by 10am and then be hot the rest of the day requiring air cons, but after that year, we put in the whirly birds and R38 batts and it would take till 2pm to get warm (comfortable), still no need for air cons until before bed.

 

[4MyEgo]

9 hours ago, Skylight said:

 

Yeah aesthetic would be the biggest drawback.  Flat roof might hide it well or I just need learn how to live with it. 

 

Trees are important. 

 

We'll need to plan the house orientation well.

I wouldn't put in a flat roof as the heat will have nowhere to go instead of straight into the house, you want a high roof space to allow the hot air to escape, see my previous post above.

 

[Bandersnatch]

I designed my house to have a roof designed to a vent and cool via natural airflow with no heat build up. You end up with an unconventional design, which may not appeal aesthetically to all tastes, but it does prevent heat from being transferred down into the house.

 

 

[scubascuba3]

2 minutes ago, Bandersnatch said:

I designed my house to have a roof designed to a vent and cool via natural airflow with no heat build up. You end up with an unconventional design, which may not appeal aesthetically to all tastes, but it does prevent heat from being transferred down into the house.

 

 

the main building just has a flat roof? 

[Bandersnatch]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

the main building just has a flat roof? 

[Skylight]

18 hours ago, Bandersnatch said:

 

Yeah aesthetically it would be a little bit out there but I am sure you got a cool house.  I'll have to think about it for a long while.

 

How is the design treating you.  The house is pretty cool all day?