Dallas Electricity Options

Weird humming noise in house?

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:14:49 +0000

Question by : Weird humming noise in house?
High…low…low…high….like a car idling outside but when you listen outside, you don’t hear anything. Sometimes, you can make it out outdoors but it is not very loud and only half of the people i’ve asked can hear it too. Checked out plumbing, electrical (in house)…no sump pump, no electrical roof vent, nothing that can explain this constant sound…sometimes loud at night and usually faint by day. Any suggestions? Could it be a smart meter? Can sound travel through a building in any way other than through walls? Very weird!
I’ve already checked the breaker and I still hear it when it’s turned off which is why I am certain it is coming from somewhere outside of the house….It is not “monks” nor ghosts….What I find interesting about this is the number of people who don’t seem to believe that there really is a noise despite the fact that there are people who’ve been here and heard it… ONe of my next door neighbours hears it. The other cannot. It’s easy to ignore except at night…

Best answer:

Answer by Mike
try turning off all power to your house from the breaker box n see if it stops

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Q&A: energy star rating for desktops?

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:34:03 +0000

Question by : energy star rating for desktops?
do they really save on electricity compared to the typical desktop that isn’t energy star rated?

Best answer:

Answer by Todd R
yes, and it’s more of what the computers are built from, they are made from more recycled and better overall parts than non rated machines

www.softchoice.com

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I am planning a diet for a hospitalized patient. Which would best assess my patients energy expenditure?

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:59:03 +0000

Question by Vera: I am planning a diet for a hospitalized patient. Which would best assess my patients energy expenditure?
I am planning a diet for a hospitalized patient who cannot participate in physical activity because both of his legs are broken and he will be bedridden for 6 weeks. Which of the following would best assess my patient’s energy expenditure?

a.)Body composition
b.)Basal metabolic rate
c.)Physical activity level
d.)Adaptive thermogenesis

I was thinking B since basal metabolism is the largest component of energy expenditure.

Best answer:

Answer by jei
If they are hospitalized, they wont be doing much physical activity… and yes, I would go with B also.

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Q&A: refrigerator using energy when not running?

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:31:08 +0000

Question by : refrigerator using energy when not running?
I recently had a smart meter installed. My home is small, I use surge protectors on most electrical items, so I can eliminate unnecessary energy use. I can easily see the energy use for each item. My 1994 refrigerator appears to be using .6 Kwh periodically through-out the day when NOT running. When the motor is operating it’s using less than .3 Kwh’s. The refrigerator does not have an automatic defroster, but does have a “moisture control” switch, which is off. I’m using a Green Plug. The situation is worse when I connect the appliance without the green plug.

I’ve connected other appliance to this same outlet, in an attempt to rule out electrical wiring issues. I don’t see a problem beyond the refrigerator. I know.. I’m over due in replacing this thing.

Any ideas as to what’s going on?
Edit:
Bob-Thanks. Would the fan run silently?

Flossie- I use the surge protectors for their on/off switches on tv’s, computers, etc. to eliminate “phantom” energy use when the item is not in use. Not used on the refrigerator. I mentioned the surge protector to illustrate that I can isolate my energy use.

Best answer:

Answer by Bob
Some refrigerators also have a little fan that moves air between the freeze and refrigerator part. It operates when the compressor isn’t running. So that is probably what is causing your power usage.

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How do you make your house temperature cool during summer days and nights.?

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:39:37 +0000

Question by : How do you make your house temperature cool during summer days and nights.?
Latley its been super hot tripple digits hot and what are some ways to cool my house without spending a fortune. We already have an ac in the living room but we dont have any in the bedrooms. Our house is the same temp as outside and at night i open the windows to allow some cool air in but the heat is trapped on the inside. We can’t leave the the ac on because we have a PG&E smart meter and dont want to pay alot. Any suggestions would be great, although i don’t want to put tin foil on the windows and during the day i try to keep the blinds down. sometimes its so hot i go to my car and crank the ac to high cuz the ac in the house doesnt cool the house.

Best answer:

Answer by jean ann j
A fan in the window during the night will bring the night air in.
Putting some ice in front of a fan will help.
Raising the windows on opposite sides of the room will draw air in.
Ice can be made in soda bottles and plastic bowls.

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How would you rate your level of energy right now…?

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:00:55 +0000

Question by Just-Jon: How would you rate your level of energy right now…?
….From: so low – I think I’m going to hibernate -all the way up to- so high I could power the Energizer Bunny?

Best answer:

Answer by
lets just say i have taken enough 5 hour energy drinks to crash.

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Q&A: If heat energy is added to a system, what will happen to the rate of Brownian Motion?

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:25:10 +0000

Question by Happy: If heat energy is added to a system, what will happen to the rate of Brownian Motion?
Will it speed up, slow down, or stay the same? Also, what will happen if heat energy is removed?

Best answer:

Answer by reena
will speed up. this is because heating up particles induces more kinetic energy into the system. more kinetic energy means that particles move around a lot more. if heat energy is removed, the particles lose kinetic energy, and therefore the rate will slow down.

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What is your opinion on using a photovoltaic system to offset/eliminate the cost of buying grid power?

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:44:27 +0000

Question by xogy: What is your opinion on using a photovoltaic system to offset/eliminate the cost of buying grid power?
I’m taking a poll on the attitudes of consumers towards alternative energy, namely solar energy. A photovoltaic system converts sunlight into electricity. At current, the efficiency rating of most commercially available panels is somewhere between 15-19% depending on the type you buy. An efficiency rating is a measurement of how much of the available sunlight a pv panel is able to convert into electricity. (NASA uses panels with a 40% efficiency rating)

Best answer:

Answer by whsgreenmom
My opinion is they are great. Who cares what the efficiency rating is etc. Those kind of numbers just confuse people. Here are the numbers that are important to me. My system cost $ 26K I got a $ 10K rebate from my utility and a $ 2K fed. tax credit. My system offsets at least $ 2K per year of my electricity costs. I will break even in my 6th year. Electricity rates increase an average of 5% annually, in my area it has been more like 7% for several years. I will save over $ 50K with less than a $ 16K investment over the life of the panels. In about 15 years we will be paying double the rate we are paying today for electricity. Without the system that would mean a $ 200 dollar increase in my summer rate, instead it will mean a $ 20 increase.

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What’s wrong with the electricity please?

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:07:48 +0000

Question by : What’s wrong with the electricity please?
Lights at home are tinkling right now, it’s like fading in a high rate or some. is that something that I can fix myself, what to do? or should I call them?
and what can cause this?, is it the voltage or the ampere? should I turn off my computer and other appliances?, please help me, thanks.

Best answer:

Answer by Hankm
You probably have some motor trying to start into a high load.
the usual culprits are refrigerators, freezers, blocked dryers, washers,compressors, etc.
any motor that get above a very low rpm when it tries to start up draws up to 10 times its normal current, trips a thermal breaker on the motor, and when, or if the breaker resets it starts through the cycle again. (some thermal breakers need a manual reset)

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A question about the Cap and Trade bill?

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:28:56 +0000

Question by some guy: A question about the Cap and Trade bill?
Why is that I have never seen someone who supports the bill respond to that fact that Obama said, “Under my plan of cap and trade, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.”

This is a serious question. What do the people who support the bill think of this?

Best answer:

Answer by matt m
In the short term in will cost us, but being more energy effecient will save us in the long run. Plus, I am willing to pay more to live in a cleaner environment.

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