managing the electric bill

dalark

New member
Aug 5, 2013
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The price of electricity in our area of Puerto Plata is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than is was in Cabarete/Sosua.
How do you manage to keep your electric down to a level that is workable for you?
Is anybody "off grid"?...how did you do that?
How about just partial off-grid?
I'm curious about this....it turns out that electric is our largest bill....I would like to manage it better and still have to lights, fans, fridge, hot water, computer, a/c, and TV (entertainment) etc....
yes, I know the obvious reply is: turn all that crap off and your bill will go down a lot........ that's not what I want, we use and enjoy these things, so do others....so, I'd like to ask "How do you manage to get what you want without paying a kings ransom each month?"
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
Well if you own the place you can start investing in solar panels..

But if you rent.. well.. Of course you could do it the local way and figure out how to hook into a neighbor's meter

but I have found it just really important to remember to turn stuff OFF when I leave the room. I know this is hard if there are three or four of you..

But it really matters. Most electric hot water heaters are on switches and it is really expensive to keep them on. I turn mine on only 20 minutes before a shower. and 20 minutes before the dishes.*ok, I am not a great housekeeper! Inconvenient.. yeah.. cost saving.. yeah!

Oprah.. whom I did not watch all the time.. did a show which I read about with a woman who saved $400 off her electric just by going around and unplugging everything from the wall everynight. Most everything i have is on breaker strips.. because I have so much in comparison to the outlets.. and lots of those TV VCR things are on all the time..

ok convenient.. but if you want to save money .. you gotta unplug

so that is how I do.. It is particularly the FAN.. The overhead FANll If you have those running in a room where you are not there.. well picture it shredding pretty 2000 pesos notes.. maybe that will help..
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,087
5,914
113
There is no way to leave on what you want just like you did before and not pay more if you are on a utility with higher rates.

Solar panels can help if you own and have the proper space to install them. Local prices seem to be about double US prices for solar equipment. Yes you can go with a few panels to save some off the utility bill or try to go off grid completely. I do not know if where you are would have the option to sell power back to the utility if you had enough panels for that.
 

RubyDiamond

New member
Jan 8, 2013
57
0
0
You should unplug your standby pilots before bed and make sure that your that your closet handle is not stuck. A cisten can make energy go up if you have flushing all through the night
 
Have no other choice than to pay if you want to live a "gringo" lifestyle here in this country.

I dont like these insane prices, every month when i get the bill, i consider moving to a powerless finca in the mountains- and live like back in the 1500s.
 
Sep 4, 2012
5,931
57
48
Well if you own the place you can start investing in solar panels..

But if you rent.. well.. Of course you could do it the local way and figure out how to hook into a neighbor's meter

but I have found it just really important to remember to turn stuff OFF when I leave the room. I know this is hard if there are three or four of you..

But it really matters. Most electric hot water heaters are on switches and it is really expensive to keep them on. I turn mine on only 20 minutes before a shower. and 20 minutes before the dishes.*ok, I am not a great housekeeper! Inconvenient.. yeah.. cost saving.. yeah!

Oprah.. whom I did not watch all the time.. did a show which I read about with a woman who saved $400 off her electric just by going around and unplugging everything from the wall everynight. Most everything i have is on breaker strips.. because I have so much in comparison to the outlets.. and lots of those TV VCR things are on all the time..

ok convenient.. but if you want to save money .. you gotta unplug

so that is how I do.. It is particularly the FAN.. The overhead FANll If you have those running in a room where you are not there.. well picture it shredding pretty 2000 pesos notes.. maybe that will help..

Good tips but to the USA however; in the DR, EDENORTE or SUR will robe you blind regardless.
 

D.Rep

Member
Jan 6, 2011
129
0
16
The price of electricity in our area of Puerto Plata is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than is was in Cabarete/Sosua.
How do you manage to keep your electric down to a level that is workable for you?
Is anybody "off grid"?...how did you do that?
How about just partial off-grid?
I'm curious about this....it turns out that electric is our largest bill....I would like to manage it better and still have to lights, fans, fridge, hot water, computer, a/c, and TV (entertainment) etc....
yes, I know the obvious reply is: turn all that crap off and your bill will go down a lot........ that's not what I want, we use and enjoy these things, so do others....so, I'd like to ask "How do you manage to get what you want without paying a kings ransom each month?"

How much is your bill?
 

Casino127

Member
Jan 13, 2012
230
7
18
I don t know if it is the solution. Try to use your inversor for 12 hours and edenorte for the remaining 12 hours of the day.
 

Riva_31

Bronze
Apr 1, 2013
2,531
179
63
San Pedro de Macoris
The best solution is to have solar panels, clean energy, but you have to know that there is range for the energy price, as much more power you use price per KHW change, if you can keep it under the lower rate scale you will pay less, if you overpass the lower rate scale then you will pay more.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,087
5,914
113
I don t know if it is the solution. Try to use your inversor for 12 hours and edenorte for the remaining 12 hours of the day.

That is a bad idea. The reason is that your inverter/battery system is between 70% and 80% efficient at storing and then providing electricity. For each kWh you take from the inverter that the power company put in, you are paying 20% to 30% more than you are when using the power company directly. That is one reason why people with less power each day pay significantly more because they need to use their batter/inverter systems longer each day than people on better circuits.
 

cjp2010

New member
Mar 25, 2013
397
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0
Our bill is very manageable, averages about $2,000 RD per month. We have a lot of computer equipment and a big screen TV plus all the other stuff any house would have. We have an inversor. We never unplug anything.

In fact I have often wondered how ours is so low compared to what I paid in the U.S. prior to moving to the DR since in the DR we actually pay more per KW. So it must come down to the things that I do differently here which are really only four things.

(1) turn off the hot water heater, (2) no A/C, but fans all day and night, (3) no clothes dryer and (4) use the Dominican style washing machine.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
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38
yahoomail.com
I have no sympathy for all those who pay less than 15,000 a month!
My "Motto",..........."A La" new Hampshire, ..."Live COOL, Or Die"!!!!!!
I gave up trying to "lower" my electricity bill 10 years ago.
The only way is to move into a poor Dominican neighborhood, then it's FREE, for THEM that is!
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jaxter

Member
Aug 24, 2012
174
6
18
When I retired in pop in my apartment, I installed a 5000 btu ac in bed room. I have ceiling fans in both bedrooms. I maxed out my electric bill for one month to see what the cost would be. I kept everything on for one month. It cost 4300 pesos. My buget for electric is $100 us per month. Then I started turning stuff off. Now my bill is around 2700 Pesos per month with refrig and water pump. Its work for me. I been here 8 months now and I love pop.
 
Sep 4, 2012
5,931
57
48
That is a bad idea. The reason is that your inverter/battery system is between 70% and 80% efficient at storing and then providing electricity. For each kWh you take from the inverter that the power company put in, you are paying 20% to 30% more than you are when using the power company directly. That is one reason why people with less power each day pay significantly more because they need to use their batter/inverter systems longer each day than people on better circuits.


Umm, intriguing. I would like to see numbers to back that up?
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
"Wishing", quit while you are ahead!
There IS NO "Perpetual Motion Machine"!
The batteries do NOT store 100% of the power they receive from the power line when they charging.
Then, they do not deliver 100% of their stored "Energy" when they are discharging into the invertor.
Power is lost in heat during the charging and discharging.
"Windguy" knows of where he speakes.
80% would make me happy!
That's why, when the power goes out from the street, I get PI$$ED off!
It's like paying twice for the same energy.
I lose on the batteries discharge, then when the power comes back, I pay double as I recharge the batteries, and power the house at the same time!
At least the girls are pretty!
That's about it!
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Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
2,823
41
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Umm, intriguing. I would like to see numbers to back that up?

I'll back him up! windeguy, myself and others have had long talks about this and other elec. situations. Charging your batteries costs a lot. You can read the above mentioned thread that has all sorts of information and ideas from many knowledgable people.

Edit: I was able to go up and get it for you. :)
http://www.dr1.com/forums/environment/125977-changed-solar-wow.html?highlight=I+went+solar
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,069
6,216
113
South Coast
Just a reminder that we're selling the entire solar panel set up that we shipped to DR and never used, PM me if interested