OK, answering several questions here. The KiloWatt is a device that you plug into the wall, then plug some appliance into it. It measures current draw and calculates total power consumption over time. The cheapest model is about 20 bucks plus shipping, and you can get them several places, but I've always seen them at thinkgeek.com. There are more expensive versions that handle multiple devices, and do other sophisticated graphing and such.
About the solar panels. The 5 grand I was quoted was without any batteries. Basically, you just sell the power you generate to the electric company. For most people, you are at work during the daytime, when the panels are producing the most electricity, and the power just goes back onto the grid. When you are at home in the evenings, you just draw back off the grid. I wasn't going to get into all the details in the original email, but your savings would actually be even less, since your power company charges you a generation charge, and a distribution charge. I don't know for certain, but am guessing that when you sell power to the company you don't get to charge them a distribution charge, just what they charge you for generation. So, if you cut your power consumption by 1/3 your bill won't decrease by 1/3. Later. -- Blue skies. Dan Rossi Carnegie Mellon University. E-Mail: [email protected] Tel: (412) 268-9081
