Comments on: The 3 kWh Challenge

By: Maggie

Maggie — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:22:48 +0000

We got an Electrolux/Frigidaire FRT21IL6JW2. I’m sure there are better models out there but this was the best we could find at our local Lowes – and it was on sale. We debated trying to special order a super efficient fridge but our old one was so bad that this one is a wonderful improvement.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 21:02:48 +0000

Out of curiosity, which fridge did you get? There are some which are not very expensive and go far beyond Energy Star requirements.

FWIW, here’s a family of 4 that made it in under 200kWh in a month:

http://solarchargeddriving.com/editors-blog/save-more-for-the-ride/695-can-a-family-of-4-use-less-than-200-kwh-a-month.html

By: Powering Down | GreenCouple.com

Powering Down | GreenCouple.com — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:44:07 +0000

[...] couple months ago, Maggie talked me into giving a presentation at the Simply Living Fair about our 3-kWh Challenge (which has more details, if the presentation is too high-level for you). The presentation went very [...]

By: Maggie

Maggie — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:35:07 +0000

You could also consider building a cob oven for outside pizza cooking (I haven’t done one but a few of my friends have them and love them).

http://www.greeniacs.com/GreeniacsGuides/How-to-Build-a-Cob-Oven.html

By: Emily

Emily — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:22:12 +0000

Thanks…this is good to know. I know our radon fan uses 2-3 kwh/day, but we turn it off in the summer when we have all the windows open and the fans on. That’s the bulk of our summer/winter electricity disparity. The well and the stove, we can’t do a lot about. We do cook some with the solar oven, and we do all the “cook things together” and “use the toaster oven instead of the big oven” whenever possible.

I’m considering a newer, more efficient range that has 2 ovens, since the majority of what we bake is homemade pizza. Too big for the toaster oven, but flat and doesn’t need to heat up the whole big oven, either. But that’s a new appliance…hmm…

By: Will

Will — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:02:03 +0000

Oh, I also forgot to mention that a well pump can draw up to 2 kW, depending on horsepower, as well. If it runs for half an hour a day, that’d be an extra 1 kWh!

By: Will

Will — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:57:58 +0000

Our stove and oven are gas, which helps a lot. An energy-efficient stove and oven might use 1-1.5 kWh per hour. An inefficient one might use two to three times that much. Unfortunately, they’re 220v, so you can’t measure them with a Kill-A-Watt. Your best bet is to find your model information and see what the manufacturer says. If you can’t do that, you can estimate by measuring your meter right before and right after you use the stove or oven. Remember to subtract out your base load (at 7 kWh a day, subtract 0.29 kWh per hour). That should give you a ballpark figure, assuming you weren’t running a clothes dryer or anything at the same time.

If it’s not all your stove and oven, you might have some other inefficient appliances (washing machine, dishwasher — which we don’t have, computer, refrigerator, etc.) or you might have something that’s drawing power when it doesn’t need to be (lights, computer, cable box, etc.).

If it is primarily cooking that’s causing the increase, you can try to cook more efficiently (cook multiple things in the oven at once, turn off the heat a little early, use a microwave to boil water), use another option when possible (a toaster oven uses a third or less electricity than even an efficient stove top), or skip the stove and oven entirely! In the summer, solar cooking and grilling are both good options.

I’d love to hear a follow-up once you’ve had a chance to examine your situation a little more closely!

By: Emily

Emily — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:22:35 +0000

Is your stove gas or electric? I think we do all these things (except the “no hot water” one) and our daily usage (minus hot water, which is on a separate meter) is about 7kwh/day. But our stove is electric, and so’s the well pump. Where are those watts going??