How is Xcel reading my meter? (residential, gas, dating)

[Therblig]

Originally Posted by himain

Yup, my bills stays zero instead of constantly rising with rate increases. One was just done in December

Sigh.

And, of course, a solar install is free, never stops working, never needs maintenance and replacements, and makes your house look like something the Jetsons would vacation in, if not a Spacely Sprockets factory. Win all around.

[himain]

Originally Posted by Therblig

Sigh.

And, of course, a solar install is free, never stops working, never needs maintenance and replacements, and makes your house look like something the Jetsons would vacation in, if not a Spacely Sprockets factory. Win all around.

Why are you so anti solar? Your ac has the same actions. You keep on renting your power. I own mine!

[Therblig]

Originally Posted by himain

Why are you so anti solar? Your ac has the same actions. You keep on renting your power. I own mine!

I'm not anti-solar any more than I'm, say, anti-Tesla. But I don't whoop and holler at the First Church Of.

Came from a small town where the solar agents swarmed like wolf packs for years. Sat for whoop-it-up sales meetings, endless doorknockers, watched neighbors install and live with various setups, observed installations up to fifteen years old at fairly close hand. Have some technical/professional background with alternate and backup power systems.

You think solar is great? Fine. No argument. But that I've made a considered decision that it's not really ready for residential prime-time for about 75% of those who install it, my choice to pass is not taking a crap on your altar. But, like most who have made the choice (or bought a Tesla), there's a tendency to never stop announcing that you're one of the anointed on the way to the promised land... so take that, sinners.

I also am not sure how a $30-50k investment, with all of the added costs over a reasonable amortization period, counts as "free electricity." It's exactly like the difference between buying a car and calling Uber... in a vast middle range, the costs are pretty much a wash.

And that completely bypasses the butt-fugly issue that makes old bird's-roost TV antennas look like Tiffany.

[daprara]

as your electric provider to update your meter. tell them sometimes you see the wheel stall out not move for a few days till you tap on the glass. That will get the crew out of the donut shop parking lot. But serious are you may not be better off with a new meter.

Xcel Energy sneaks and creeps around your neighborhood. They will tell you anything on the phone.
-gas meters are difficult to read your self.
-Most electric meters are easy to read.


-solar is nice, keep in mind panel efficiency will decay with time.

as a hobby i would consider installing a small solar panel or two for charging batteries for a micro EV.
on a good day, charge a battery pack and swap it out with the the old one when you get home form work.
we are not talking Tesla but rather a 3 wheel micro EV like a "Solo".
Linky = https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gei5LgVwV0E/maxresdefault.jpg
there is a dealer on the 300 block of S SantaFe Denver.

fair to say just a hobby idea for me, i do NOT represent any of these people.

not 4everyone as I live in an urban area with functional walk ability. Last time i was on i25/i70 was back in May.

[abbottkd71]

Originally Posted by Therblig

I'm not anti-solar any more than I'm, say, anti-Tesla. But I don't whoop and holler at the First Church Of.

Came from a small town where the solar agents swarmed like wolf packs for years. Sat for whoop-it-up sales meetings, endless doorknockers, watched neighbors install and live with various setups, observed installations up to fifteen years old at fairly close hand. Have some technical/professional background with alternate and backup power systems.

You think solar is great? Fine. No argument. But that I've made a considered decision that it's not really ready for residential prime-time for about 75% of those who install it, my choice to pass is not taking a crap on your altar. But, like most who have made the choice (or bought a Tesla), there's a tendency to never stop announcing that you're one of the anointed on the way to the promised land... so take that, sinners.

I also am not sure how a $30-50k investment, with all of the added costs over a reasonable amortization period, counts as "free electricity." It's exactly like the difference between buying a car and calling Uber... in a vast middle range, the costs are pretty much a wash.

And that completely bypasses the butt-fugly issue that makes old bird's-roost TV antennas look like Tiffany.

Your certainly welcome to your opinion, but I’ll chime in as someone who installed solar five years ago. Definitely not cheap, but installation was hassle-free, no maintenance required for as long as we’ve owned the system, and the panels sit flush to our roof, so they’re invisible to all but those flying overhead. Could not be happier!

[Therblig]

Originally Posted by abbottkd71

Your certainly welcome to your opinion, but I’ll chime in as someone who installed solar five years ago. Definitely not cheap, but installation was hassle-free, no maintenance required for as long as we’ve owned the system, and the panels sit flush to our roof, so they’re invisible to all but those flying overhead. Could not be happier!

Not really the point of the thread, but I'll just point out again that I took the the long road to my viewpoint.

Starting with 'definitely not cheap.' Buying an S-class isn't really a basis for giggling over how much you save on Uber fares.

[abbottkd71]

Originally Posted by Therblig

Not really the point of the thread, but I'll just point out again that I took the the long road to my viewpoint.

Starting with 'definitely not cheap.' Buying an S-class isn't really a basis for giggling over how much you save on Uber fares.

Valid point. Our reason for installing solar was definitely not the savings. It will be many years before we break even.

[Therblig]

Originally Posted by abbottkd71

Valid point. Our reason for installing solar was definitely not the savings. It will be many years before we break even.

Will you, with degradation, maintenance and repairs? I had neighbors already replacing the panels on 10yo systems (just after the warranty and LTO ran out, strangely enough).

And others who had to pay 50% more for a roof replacement because the panels were in the way and then needed structural replacement/assistance.

I'm not anti-solar. But especially having lived through a long onslaught of community pressure, in New England of all places (with most houses surrounded by 60+ foot trees, limiting the exposure time even more)... I think it's grossly oversold to a large number of marginal users on points and promises that don't hold up.

However, the salesmen, lessors and hoopla are long gone when things start to break.


Back to topic, Xcel has yet to answer my inquiry about meter reading.

[Therblig]

And, email reply from Xcel says they use radio remote-reading. I can see that with the (nearly new) gas meter but honest, my electric meter looks like Thomas Edison installed it. Maybe he got Tesla to put in a radio circuit.

[daprara]

most gas, electic or water meters are very very old. High probability of failure. I hope they are odd on the low side for the customres benefit. It would be interesting to see the xcel billing algrothm for residential customerts.

Serious, none of the residential gas meters have remote reading.
gas meters are very diffiuclt to read, atctually a manual reading is an art forum.