"bob haller" wrote in message
...
#
# its shocking that electric resistance heat for home is cheaper than
# propane

Why ?
In some places so much electricity is produced that it's a major export
item.
that puts the price so low that it's actually cheaper to heat with it.

In Quebec for example, many houses have NO gas, propane or oil heat. Maybe a
fireplace. But otherwise ALL electric.
And any heating and hot water use they do during evening and night qualifies
for a reduced rate to get people in the habit of off-peak use.
Some houses were designed with huge hot water tanks, holding hundreds of
gallons that were heated during the night to be used as a heat sumps during
the day
At one time people were encouraged to install a sauna in their basements,
which acted as a heat sump for day heating.

They're probably still paying less than any State in the US.

Stormin Mormon wrote:
You'd have to compare prices of fuel sources. Somewhere on the net, has to
be the BTU per gal for propane. Fuel oil is about 130,000 BTU per gal, can't
remember for propane. I know 1500 watt space heater puts out 5,200 BTU. Got
to be some way to compare.

Propane has the advantage that it's on your location. When the thunder storm
hits, and the power goes off, you still have propane in your tank.
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org


But like you, here in the rural areas of NYS, a portable generator is as
common as the pickup truck, and unlike propane or fuel oil, electricity
doesn't have to be delivered to your house by someone in a big truck at
their convenience.


.
.
"KenK" wrote in message
...
Just had my propane tank filled - ~$5 gallon? Much more expensive than in
the past.

If I replaced my hot water heater with an electric next time it needs
replacing what is the price difference - electric more, less or about
equally expensive? Then too I'll need to get an electric line run. (I have
room for more breakers.) Then I'll replace my gas cooking range - that
shouldn't be too expensive. That will free me from propane.

What say? Not worth the expense and trouble?

TIA




--
Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeros after @

As to delivery. Both electricity and the fossil fuels require delivery. One
through wires, other through truck. Both have problems. I'm in surburbia of
western NYS. My area has delivery failures, sometimes the electric is out.
Sometimes the truck guy has the flu and isn't working for a few days. But,
propane and fuel oil at least give me a bit of time buffer beween when I
call for refil and when I run out. In either case, it's far from being
perfect world.

Another option is piped in natural gas. I've got that. So far, since 1994
when I moved here, it's never failed. But, it's still just a pipe in the
ground. Someone else has to push the natural gas in, so I can be warm.
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..
..
"willshak" wrote in message
...

Propane has the advantage that it's on your location. When the thunder
storm
hits, and the power goes off, you still have propane in your tank.
.


But like you, here in the rural areas of NYS, a portable generator is as
common as the pickup truck, and unlike propane or fuel oil, electricity
doesn't have to be delivered to your house by someone in a big truck at
their convenience.

--
Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeros after @

On Apr 13, 9:01*pm, gregz wrote:
"Stormin Mormon" wrote:
Typical furnace takes 500 watts or so, of electric. Easy enough to wire into
a generator.

Propane and NG often used for gas ranges, which provide no electric heat.

"Attila Iskander" wrote:
"bob haller" wrote in message
...
#
# its shocking that electric resistance heat for home is cheaper than
# propane

Why ?
In some places so much electricity is produced that it's a major export item.
that puts the price so low that it's actually cheaper to heat with it.

In Quebec for example, many houses have NO gas, propane or oil heat.
Maybe a fireplace. But otherwise ALL electric.
And any heating and hot water use they do during evening and night
qualifies for a reduced rate to get people in the habit of off-peak use.
Some houses were designed with huge hot water tanks, holding hundreds of
gallons that were heated during the night to be used as a heat sumps during the day
At one time people were encouraged to install a sauna in their basements,
which acted as a heat sump for day heating.

They're probably still paying less than any State in the US.

If they have so much electricity that they are exporting it, why are they
giving discounts for off peak usage?

On Apr 14, 9:08*am, DerbyDad03 wrote:
"Attila Iskander" wrote:
"bob haller" wrote in message
....
#
# its shocking that electric resistance heat for home is cheaper than
# propane

Why ?
In some places so much electricity is produced that it's a major export item.
that puts the price so low that it's actually cheaper to heat with it.

In Quebec for example, many houses have NO gas, propane or oil heat.
Maybe a fireplace. But otherwise ALL electric.
And any heating and hot water use they do during evening and night
qualifies for a reduced rate to get people in the habit of off-peak use..
Some houses were designed with huge hot water tanks, holding hundreds of
gallons that were heated during the night to be used as a heat sumps during the day
At one time people were encouraged to install a sauna in their basements,
which acted as a heat sump for day heating.

They're probably still paying less than any State in the US.

If they have so much electricity that they are exporting it, why are they
giving discounts for off peak usage?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

And what exactly are those rates that are so low? The only
really cheap source of electricity that I know of is hydro. And
there is only so much of that around, for obvious reasons.

Please actually try it, some day soon. My last furnace (really simple
Miller) ran about 700 watts. So, I bought a marine battery and inverter.
Find out that the inverter did not run the furnace. The inverter would go
into "low battery" alert, and I never did get the furnace to run.

My new furnace has a circuit board. I'd not want to risk it on modified
sine. Generator, yes.
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..
..
"gregz" wrote in message
...

My furnace takes 300 watts. I measured it. I cold use my battery and
inverter for less than 3 hrs continuous run. If I had too, I would skimp on
temperature. Or, start a generator.

Greg

Glad to hear someone was successful. My experience
has been trying to run one furnace, and no lights. With
a 1200 watt ETQ generator (two stroke, junker) it was
nice to be able to run a furnace. One time I ran ancient
furnace with probably half horse blower motor.

Did you use extension cords indoors, or back feed?
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..
..
wrote in message
...

Yes, I measured one too and it was only taking a
couple hundred watts. It takes more to get it going
for the first few seconds of course. But I was very
surprised at how little modern appliances take.

During Sandy we ran two houses that included 3 gas
furnaces, 4 freezers/refrigerators, two gas hot water
heaters with blowers, plus some lights. I did some
minimal load management on my end, ie only one
furnace at a time, don't know what the neighbor did.

And this was with a junko 3500W Chinese generator,
with one house on the end of about 150 ft of extension
cord. I was expecting some decent voltage drop at
the far end, but it held nicely at 115V or so.

I had a Killawatt meter hooked to the extension cord
so I could monitor it. That meter is a great tool and
very useful for those with generators so you can see
what's going on. It reset my expectations on what
size generator you really need. I'd say 5KW max
would be plenty for me. Before this experience, I
was thinking more like 7 or 8.

On Apr 14, 10:15*am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
Glad to hear someone was successful. My experience
has been trying to run one furnace, and no lights. With
a 1200 watt ETQ generator (two stroke, junker) it was
nice to be able to run a furnace. One time I ran ancient
furnace with probably half horse blower motor.

Did you use extension cords indoors, or back feed?

I did back-feed, the neighbor used extension cords. Why
didn't you run a few lights? 100W CFL is only 23W. That's
one good thing about them. Come generator time, unless you
have a lot of them, they don't amount to much. And if you
connect the generator via the panel, you can pretty much
leave the whole house powered, then just turn on the lights
you need in any area selectively.

" wrote:
On Apr 13, 9:01 pm, gregz wrote:
"Stormin Mormon" wrote:
Typical furnace takes 500 watts or so, of electric. Easy enough to wire into
a generator.

Propane and NG often used for gas ranges, which provide no electric heat.
I've done that.
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.
wrote in message
news

And without power your typical oil furnace, propane furnace, or
natural gas furnace will STILL allow you to freeze to death.

My furnace takes 300 watts. I measured it. I cold use my battery and
inverter for less than 3 hrs continuous run. If I had too, I would skimp on
temperature. Or, start a generator.

Greg- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yes, I measured one too and it was only taking a couple
hundred watts. It takes more to get it going for the first few
seconds of course. But I was very surprised at how little
modern appliances take. During Sandy we ran two
houses that included 3 gas furnaces, 4 freezers/refrigerators, two gas
hot water heaters with blowers, plus some lights. I did some minimal
load
management on my end, ie only one furnace at a time,
don't know what the neighbor did. And this was with a
junko 3500W Chinese generator, with one house on the
end of about 150 ft of extension cord. I was expecting
some decent voltage drop at the far end, but it held nicely
at 115V or so.

I had a Killawatt meter hooked to the extension cord so
I could monitor it. That meter is a great tool and very
useful for those with generators so you can see what's
going on. It reset my expectations on what size generator
you really need. I'd say 5KW max would be plenty for me.
Before this experience, I was thinking more like 7 or 8.

I was surprised how little power refrigerators use from recent
investigations.
My furnace has slow ramp fan, no surge.
Microwaves ovens always use more power than they put out.

Greg