Small Cabin

Small Cabin Forum
 - Forums - Register/Sign Up - Reply - Search - Statistics -

Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / 2000.00 for electricity
Author Message
charlieb
# Posted: 18 Mar 2011 00:27
Reply 


I am trying to get power to a small camp i have here in ms and the power company wants to charge me 3.70 a ft for service. I am trying to find other options. I was thinking maybe gas heat and hotwater, Im just tired of packing a generator back and fourth. What do yall think.

rayyy
Member
# Posted: 18 Mar 2011 05:48
Reply 


Morning Charlie,that's a tough call. Those are only two options.Pay the bucks for a powerline or keep hauling your generator.You don't dare leave it there and just haul fuel to it?Propane tanks are a pain to lug around also but you can have heat,cooking and lights.That $2000.bucks will buy you a nice solar panel system,too.

turkeyhunter
Member
# Posted: 18 Mar 2011 07:57
Reply 


i would pay the 2000 and be done with it, i have a friend who just spent over 10000 just to get power to a barn, he had a friend dig the ditch with a ditch witch and all the power co done was lay the line in the ditch and hook-up both ends. He had cleared the R/W , dug the ditch and covered the ditch up wirh a tractor and box blade and saved him over 10000 they wanted aorund 20G to do it, here it's over 7 buck a foot --for underground. If you are going overhead i bet if you did the easement R/W clearing would save you a buck or 2.

Steve961
Member
# Posted: 18 Mar 2011 09:36 - Edited by: Steve961
Reply 


2 grand for grid power is a bargain in the long run. I'm greater than 1/2 mile from the nearest line, and it would cost me 15-20K to get hooked up. So, I'm in the process of installing a solar power system that will end up costing about 2K. I could probably do it for less, but I've bought some nice components so I can increase my capacity over time.

At it's current capacity, I figure I can consume about 400 watt hours per day - which is not very much. Also, I will still need to bring my generator up when I have to run power tools for any construction projects.
Power System
Power System


Jerry
Member
# Posted: 18 Mar 2011 10:15
Reply 


A couple of other considerations if you install power - there will probably be a monthly service charge whether you use power or not (mine is about $22 a month), and on the other side of the equation, your resale value will be greater.

I've done the generator, gas lights, etc, route, and having commercial power is, for me, by far the best. You can still have one or two gas lights if you want the "mood" and they serve as an emergency back-up as well.

Just food for thought.

spee
Member
# Posted: 18 Mar 2011 10:31
Reply 


2000 is a steal of a price...

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 18 Mar 2011 10:48
Reply 


Spend the $2K. It is a bargain even with a monthly fee

turkeyhunter
Member
# Posted: 18 Mar 2011 10:50
Reply 


Quoting: Jerry
A couple of other considerations if you install power - there will probably be a monthly service charge whether you use power or not (mine is about $22 a month),

mine is around 16 a month ( min. charge) and i leave 2 lights on at camp all the time..( one inside /one outside) and now i leave one on at the "new camp site"...... so 3 lights 24/7 will not even make the $16 dollar min...........which is a deal when you can go down to camp and flip a light switch anytime you want.

Just
Member
# Posted: 18 Mar 2011 11:27
Reply 


If you are from Ont. Can. that charge could be 56$ a month ..
unless you r going to live there full time i would at least be doing a full needs assement!!!

Jerry
Member
# Posted: 18 Mar 2011 14:16
Reply 


Ours is a monthly service charge and then you pay for your use over and above that. But the actual use charge is fair considering what you get. When I let my friends use my "spare" cabin for deer season they heat it entirely with electric heaters, and at temps between 20 and 40 it probably only costs about $5 a day.

SmlTxCabin
Member
# Posted: 18 Mar 2011 14:16
Reply 


We get charged $5.00/ft here. Thats why I chose to put my cabin on the front of my property, not the back, which is where I really wanted it because thats where the tall elm trees are.

larry
Member
# Posted: 18 Mar 2011 20:30
Reply 


paid $1600.00 with a smile. after one weekend with a generator humming i just had to do it. i bought the transformer and the electrician supplied the rest. $2000.00 DO IT!!!

sodo
# Posted: 19 Mar 2011 11:54
Reply 


Quoting: SmlTxCabin
We get charged $5.00/ft here. Thats why I chose to put my cabin on the front of my property, not the back, which is where I really wanted it........


Maybe someday you can move the cabin?

Rob_O
# Posted: 19 Mar 2011 14:50
Reply 


charlie, as everyone has said, 2 grand is a bargain. If the monthly base fee isn't insane pay it and enjoy the convenience of grid power

Steve, that's a nice little solar setup you have there. Good info on that Morningstar inverter

Your reply
Bold Style  Italic Style  Underlined Style  Thumbnail Image Link  Large Image Link  URL Link           :) ;) :-( :confused: More smilies...

» Username  » Password 
Only registered users can post here. Please enter your login/password details before posting a message, or register here first.