switch to suction?

[geoeremite]

Hi Salinda,

This is a popular topic here in San Jose given our current rates

Another thing to consider is time of use metering. I'm actually planning to call PG&E within the week to look into it. I think it costs about $200 for the meter (other power companies provide it for free upon request). With time of use metering, you pay higher rates during peak hours between noon and 6pm on weekdays but less on off-peak, holidays, and all day on weekends. If nobody is home during peak hours and you can run all your pool equipment outside of peak hours, it can be a big win. If you're home during the day or have air conditioning, you have to be more careful about making the switch.

The peak penalty varies from about 2.5x at baseline to 1.5x when 300% over baseline (which I think we both hit last month). The off-peak savings varies from about 25% at baseline to about 13% at 300% over baseline. Because peak hours only account for about 17% of the total time, at anything over baseline, I think time-of-use may even work out cheaper if you had flat utilization (i.e., the same consumption rate during peak and non-peak).

(Oh; I've heard that PG&E will try hard to talk you out of the switch, but the handful of people I know that are on it are all saving money.)

Of course, staying closer to baseline helps a lot too. I'm at least considering the two-speed pump for just that reason.


cheers,
Scott

[salinda]

Scott,

I am home during the day PLUS I have to run the pump during the day for solar. Maybe it is actually worth abandoning the solar and using gas heat? My gas heater is a brand-new very efficient Sta-rite, but gas prices are high too.