Electricity bill shock anyone over winter ?

[lizardwhisperer]

I was pleasantly shocked that despite running the aircon 24/7 over what was a colder winter this year and having lizards (and heat lamps) that my electricity bill was 19% less this winter cf last winter's.

( headscratch - headscratch - headscratch ).

So much for the fear tactics about more expensive electricity / heating bills.

 

[Skitzmixer]

what's your secret? haha Mines gone through the roof! I'M with RED energy.. I should look at getting some solar panels.

 

[lizardwhisperer]

what's your secret? haha Mines gone through the roof! I'M with RED energy.. I should look at getting some solar panels.

Never turn the a/con off , it hardly ticks over most days, run at 26oC daytime , 28oC evenings and back to 24oC o/night.
Wall cavity , floor and ceiling insulation (had this for over 20 years) , blinds and curtains drawn on dull days and at night, and let the sun in on those sunny days.Close doors of rooms no one is in.

I've changed none of my useage habits this winter cf previous winters, other than caring for some lizards (and having about 500W of heating/lighting for them), was expecting my winter power bill to go up cf last winter.

I'm with EnergyAustralia and have been a customer of their's for over 20yrs.

 

[Leasdraco]

I don't notice any difference in the bills caused by lighting or heating enclosures. My boyfriends computers chew up loads more electricity.

 

[DisturbedDave]

My enclosure has added basically nothing to my electricity bill, it actually dropped since last quarter.
I'm surprised that yours would have dropped when using (I presume) split systems on heating. They are power suckers on heating!! A mate of mine copped a $1200 electricty bill because he ran his 3 splits systems on heating over winter.

 

[lizardwhisperer]

what's your secret? haha Mines gone through the roof! I'M with RED energy.. I should look at getting some solar panels.

or get rid of the fancy electricity monitoring system your company imposed on you.

I've been considering solar panels and a storage system, for my shed, no power in it and I don't want to pay to have a trench dug to lay a power cable under footpaths and driveway. But the price will have come down a ways to make it a viable alternative with a payback under 2 years.

Eventually the price of panels and storage systems will fall and I'll have 6 - 8 panels installed on my shed's room (north facing) and maybe 10 - 16 panels on the house's roof and become power sufficient (?).

My enclosure has added basically nothing to my electricity bill, it actually dropped since last quarter.
I'm surprised that yours would have dropped when using (I presume) split systems on heating. They are power suckers on heating!! A mate of mine copped a $1200 electricty bill because he ran his 3 splits systems on heating over winter.

Yep it's a humungusly huge split inverter air/con , biggest I could buy, and oversized for our house - this helps as it hardly ever needs to work hard to cool or heat the entire house.
Never take the advice of air/con sales people, they'll sell you the model they'll make the most from and one that you will have run hard all the time (and ware out faster).

 

[Snowman]

Yep it's a humungusly huge split inverter air/con , biggest I could buy, and oversized for our house - this helps as it hardly ever needs to work hard to cool or heat the entire house.
Never take the advice of air/con sales people, they'll sell you the model they'll make the most from and one that you will have run hard all the time (and ware out faster).

better put your details up so we can get the suppy company to look into it
My elec bills average around $600. Our winter one was $450. Our three phase air con costs a bit to run in summer.

 

[smileysnake]

news last night sydney has just experienced its warmest winter on record.......

 

[blakes]

I just copped a $700 bill, when previously haven't had one over $480! (In the past 2 years) not happy jan! And I have 8 solar panels on my roof! My mate down the road has 28 panels on his roof which cost him $14000 and he just got his bill for $800! Previously his bills were around the $1000 dollar mark. Yeah go solar it's great!! NOT!!

 

[kitten_pheonix]

Solar energy is only good for people that run the mos of there power through the day, say pool pumps etc running them at night uses grid power not your panels. My dads partner works for a solarr company and doesnt have the panels because she will never actually use them only get paid to send the power to the grid which isnt much at all

 

[phatty]

nope didn't have to use the aircon

 

[Snowman]

Solar was only good when it started and people got the high rebate for putting back into the grid.
The amount of panels means very little. As the cheap ones don't put out much. It's preferable to have less panels that have higher out put. Any system under 3.5kw and I think you are wasting your time. Even if you aren't home during the day we are often heating snakes. So the rights solar system can work out well for some.
The sales teams always advertise the kw of the inverter rather than the amount of kw that the panels are going to produce.

 

[RedFox]

My energy bill shocked me but not because it was low, like the op's. Living up here the only provider is ergon and they can charge what ever they like. Although it wasn't too bad I suppose. At this time of year no air con or heating is needed. Haven't had to use the dryer either which is good, but that is normally a summer thing.

My 2 reptiles cost less than $2 a week in power to run their enclosures. I love heat cords.

 

[Cypher69]

I run a business that employs 5 people using electrical machinery all day as well as running the air con & lights from morning to night, 5 days a week.

I live by myself & apart from my reptiles & hardly being home...there's only a $200 difference between home & business bills.

I can understand how the business cops a $700 elect bill but how the hell do I end up with a $500 home bill when I'm hardly home...?

 

[Newhere]

Just got my bill last week it was $150 more than my last one and I aint happy. :evil:

 

[Lawra]

Just got my bill last week it was $150 more than my last one and I aint happy. :evil:

My electricity bill usually averages $150 lol. We are about $400 in front at the moment because we pay weekly. It will even out by mid summer though, damn it gets hot up here!

Mind you, I only have one juvi under a CHE, soon to be adding a hatchie on a heat mat.

 

[Ellannn]

Yeah, my bill went up by $200.
I was shocked. Considering I live on my own.

 

[Skitzmixer]

My bills sit at around $600-700 every 3 months.. Its a great day when that bill rocks up..

 

[Snowman]

My bills sit at around $600-700 every 3 months.. Its a great day when that bill rocks up..

I feel your pain and I always say to my wife "how are people out there surviving?"

 

[bigguy]

I only dream of having power bills that small. What on earth are you guys complaining about. My bill is monthly(30days) and I just paid my latest at $1587. Normally between $1100 and $1400 a month