Ouch!! First Electric Bill since getting the Lightning….yikes!

[Ruination]

I went solar 3 years ago.

Didn't realize how much energy a baby would use. But I guess I also opened half of the house I wasn't using.

Now getting an electric truck...

I wish I installed the panels myself and did twice as many.

I did a ground array though.

Sponsored

 

[Lightninorian]

I am lucky to be with SMUD

I am jealous. I wrote an essay and attached a bunch of proof about how evil and corrupt PG&E is but then I erased it because unless someone actually follows how many people they have killed and how underhanded they are, it gets me all pissed off for nothing. I pay over $4k a year for power. My fire insurance is over $4k because of all their fires, and that's cheap for insurance. Rates are already the second highest on average behind the island of Hawaii. And they are raising them another 22% over the next couple of years. A monopoly, convicted of 80+ counts of manslaughter not counting San Bruno explosion and they still get to run business as usual giving out safety bonuses to employees.
I don't think it's possible for me to talk about PG&E without pure hate. Sorry for the rant. If you are in PG&E's service area, know that you are being lied to and cheated. Don't take my word for it. Do a little research. Dang, haven't had my coffee yet.

 

[Sklith]

I live in an area where my off-peak energy is very cheap so I've saved $6,500 in fuel costs in 3 years so far.

 

[millim]

We have two systems that combined put out about 10kW at home. Before our EVs that usually did a good job covering most of our electricity except for peak AC months. As of now I have a ChargePoint Homeflex charger at home.

I was originally on NEM (Net Energy Metering) 1.0, but SCE and the PUC (Public Utility Commission) have been nice enough to continually move the goal posts on solar owners. When they canceled my old plan this last time it turned out my best option, based on historic usage, was to move off NEM and go with the straight “domestic” plan. No time of use, just flat rates based on tiers and my net usage for the month.

The main issue is that my peak hours were originally 12-6pm, but with so many people getting solar SCE moved peak to 4-9pm. This means that when the panels are producing the best and putting the most electricity back to the grid solar owners are getting “paid” lower rates, and only when systems are producing less or none (late afternoon or evening) do you get paid the higher rate.

My point in posting all of this is to say that, at least here in California, it seems the PUC and utilities continually move things around in a way that benefits them and seems to screw the consumer with solar. At this point I can charge at work for $.29/kWh, which is effectively my lowest summer tier. Between us having two EVs and my wife blasting our AC 24/7 (thank you menopause), I’m better off charging at work whenever possible to try to minimize usage at home so I can minimize the hit in the higher tiers.

 

[DadBald]

OP - Energy Engineer here. I've done a detailed analysis and I figure a daily-driver Lightning will about double my home energy consumption. Your bill seems to be about in line with what I expect for my circumstances anyway.

 

[SmoothJ]

Yes, I have - my electrician said it's more cost effective to get solar as a second meter is quite pricey even with the lower rate.

I am looking around for solar but no one has been able to get enough panels on my house to offset the bills.

I may have to get the pricey Tesla solar shingles as my roof has way too many setbacks & vent pipes, etc.

My last house we had 21 panels @ 255 watts per panel (~2014). Our new to us house has a larger roof area and 46 panels @ 355 watts per panel (2022). Both are PPA and leased.

 

[It's Just Me]

I have solar.

Took delivery of the truck the last week of June so I won't have my bill to compare a full month until August. I have about 1,000 kWh saved from the net metering so that will give me a buffer of sorts.

I am looking forward to comparing it to last year.

In the past 3-4 weeks, honestly I seem to be charging it up once per week. But I am using the 14-50 outlet. Plus....a mother f@cking chipmunk chewed through my Ford power cord two weeks in so I am using the Grizzl-e charger so I don't know if that will make a difference.

 

[It's Just Me]

I hear ya 100%

I was being a bit tongue in cheek.

And I didn’t mean to come off as if I was not happy with the truck or that I was complaining about the electric bill.
Just getting used to the new math here with EV’s.

and definitely understand that there are plenty out there that want to make the case against EV’s with the argument that you just end up paying for it through the electric bill.

Ideally I’d get solar….but just don’t get enough sunlight the way my roof is surrounded by trees.

Lots to learn for me on all this stuff

but love waving at the gas stations as we drive by them. They do come in handy for bathrooms and gum still I suppose

PJ - think about a ground mounted system. They have those little trackers that move the system to follow the sun.

I do admit that I am fortunate as my house is exposed much of the day and the panels are on the southern roof.

 

[millim]

I have SCE in So Cal and am on the TOU-D-Prime which means it's cheapest to charge anytime except 4pm-9pm.

Rate increases are about what I expected to pay for EV.

My wife's PHEV is set to charge at 9pm every night and my Lightning will charge on the weekend mornings when temps are coolest.

Plus I can charge about half a work day during the week at m workplace for free.

One of my best friends works for SCE but man I can't stand them...$.54 is more than EA charges us for their DCFC.

 

[Cruiser]

Without knowing how many miles you put on your truck there is no way to say if this is high low or anywhere in between.

 

[Cruiser]

Took delivery 7/7

849 miles racked up so far.

some off site charging on one road-trip, otherwise at home charging:

849 miles of charge would have been $60 at my current electricity rate.

 

[personalt]

We don't chat with each other saying a post is dumb. We're here to discuss, inform, and assist. :}

Fair.. "This post doesn't provide any information to decide if the truck has to do with the change in electric bill" would have been more fair.

 

[metroshot]

My last house we had 21 panels @ 255 watts per panel (~2014). Our new to us house has a larger roof area and 46 panels @ 355 watts per panel (2022). Both are PPA and leased.

Current panels are around 385-395W per panel, but still can't get enough to offset our energy bill.
All we need is 9kW of panels to do the job, but still the roof design prevents enough panels.

I am not liking the Tesla shingles as it's about twice the price!

 

[bryan995]

We have 12kw of panels (36) and 2 powerwalls in SoCal.



Generate 40-50kwh per day in the winter. And 80-90kwh per day in the summer.

1 EV (model y), Hot Tub and keep the house at 66-68 in the summer (3300sqft) and still have excess power.

Adding in the lighting should make things just right.

Traded a $500/mo bill to the utility company for a $230/month loan at 0.99% for 10 years to Tesla.

 

[SmoothJ]

I just was activated around on July 14th, so not even a month went by and picked up over 700 kWh. Granted its been sunny due to the heat wave, but I love seeing my meter going backwards since they (my power company) haven't installed a net-meter yet.

Sponsored