Secure Electricity for Plug-ins

Buy an electrical outlet that has lockable cover. Many of the in-use covers will gaurd against, unauthorized use or unplugging.

 

I would prefer to live in a condo or use a parking garage where I don't have to worry about others stealing my electricity, assuming I'm paying for it through a metered plug.

Generally, I'd worry more about thieves and vandals on foot, not someone who can be easily identified as the electricity thief through their car.

But yes, if the price of electric goes through the roof and the Peak oil doomsters are right and there is danger everywhere, then I think we can rationally discuss armored cables and plugs that securely lock into outlets.

 

you could always wire a twist lock plug/recepticle Rack Mount Power Strip - Server Rack Power Strips scroll down to see diagram. This would stop the casual thief. We used these in our large computers for years.
Chris

 

I've got my plugin security going in the first week of July. It's a 6KW PV solary array. When I get a plugin hybrid, I'll charge it at night during off peak and sell the electricity produced during the day at peak rates. It's about 1/3 the cost at night compared to day peak rates.

 

You can lock the outlet, or control the outlet from a remote switch. If you want or need to, you can also lock the cordset into the outlet.

Tom

 

Don't be selfish:spy:
Share the solar info:blah:
Sounds exactly like the setup I have been lookin for

 

We live in California. The state rebate is decent but not great any more. It's down to $1.90 per AC watt and then gets reduced further by the estimated system performance. In my case, it's $1.84 per watt. It's being installed by REC solar. After the state and federal rebates, it works out to about $28K. It will save us about $250 / month on our bill. Actually, if we do it right with time of use metering, we'll have no bill because we use hardly any electricity during the day which is the point at which we're selling back onto the grid at peak rates. At night, when we use most of our electricity, we buy back at about 1/3 the peak rate. So we could be making more like $350. We figured it was sized just right for our current electricity use plus one plugin hybrid.

With the rate of return, assuming there's no increase in the cost of electricity, it would be like taking $28K and making 15% after taxes, so figure 22% or so pre-tax. If electricity goes up, which it is 10% in Augest (PG&E), then the rate of return gets even better. If we start converting massive amounts of coal to gasoline, then expect electricity rates to skyrocket two or three times.

 

We live in Arizona where costs are about 20% less. I'll be getting a 6.88kw(dc) system for 45k$ pre rebates and 21k$ after rebates. This will cover all electric usage, two charges on a Hymotion battery pack (3.3kwhr)/day, and 15kwhr/day for space heaters to take the chill off winter heating. Thanks-

Ron (#318 on Hymotions/A123 Systems list)

 

Thanks for all the math, according to your math a 250 dollar monthly devided into $28000 would be a 9.3 year payback which incidentally is exceedingly good, providing this is not a loan with interest being charged. The other portion you mentioned, selling back and making a profit seems optimistic. Remember the Power company sells at retail and buys (from us) at wholesale, nightrates or dayrates. It would be very interesting to see all the results after 3 months to one year in operation. Overall your concept is very good.

 

Look again. Under our net metering laws, we buy at exactly the same rates as we sell. The exception is if the net usage exceeds baseline. In this case, the utility is only buying back from you at baseline rate for TOU (E6, E7) or flat rate (E1).

As far as the payback. It's even better if you assume electricity goes up 5% a year(which it will probably be a lot more now), and the fact that the return is tax free. After adjusting for taxes, it's more equivalent to a 12% pre-tax return.

9.3 years is exactly what REC solar calculated the payback time to be. It didn't take into account TOU which can make the payback a lot faster if you don't use power during the day.

 

You say REC does the installation themselves?

REC has a Moses Lake, WA plant and one of their engineers said you could get installation done through Home Depot.

The Home Depot in Spokane didn't know anything about it.

Dave M.

 

Bob,

Just install a wireless remote on/off control on that AC line and a power-on indicator light to let you see when it is powered.

JeffD

 

That's right ... so taking out a 10 year 2nd on a home (for example) to finance the project, the mortgage & zero electric bill basically become a wash. Now if I can just convince my spouse . . .

.

 

This is why we couldn't afford NOT to do it. We were paying $70/month in electricity. Our loan became $70/month to install the system. The system covers our $70/month in electricity (now higher because of increases over the last five years) and $200 in gasoline when we charge the EV with the same system. For $70/month we are getting about $270 in benefit.... add the neat little fact in that our loan is now paid off... and you can see why we couldn't have afforded NOT to do it.

Sorry about the thread hijack. Wasn't my fault this time, at least.

Yes, lockable cover, or locked power switch.

 

It might be fun to install your own meter on that line, just to track your energy usage.

Tom

 

Now if only everyone thought this way and we wouldn't be in this situation to begin with.

I'm betting as we start converting coal to gasoline, that electricity is going to skyrocket in price and those with equitable net metering laws and solar are going to be sitting pretty especially if their solar is sized for their household electrical needs and plugin EVs/PHEV's

 

I am so jealous.

 

I've written to both Gov. Arnold, and both senators to mandate to new builders to offer prospective buyers the option to buy solar panels and the option to finance it into the loan just like granite upgrades and cherry cabinets. Hopefully someday this will be implemented cause it's a damn good idea.

 

Remote switch for electricity on. The Prius could also have an on-lock mechanism in which the current enables a magnetic field that locks the plug in the socket.