Caluatiing loads with watt meter

ldiorio

Finally got a watt meter and have taken some readings

Ref=.72kwh/day
Freezer=.79
2nd ref=.86
tv=.40
oil furnance=3.28--900 running watts --1100 startup
sub tot= 5.65

also have a deep weel pump(240) drawing 5 amps per leg prob comes on 10-15 times a day

anyone give me some feed back on how this effects size of system-could add some thing for some lights

thanks
lou

Cariboocoot

Re: Caluatiing loads with watt meter

So you have a minimum 5.6 kW hours per day?
The word that comes to mind is "ow". As in: pain-in-the-wallet.

Your well pump won't draw 5 Amps "per leg" as the current going in one side comes out the other. It would just be 5 Amps @ 240 Volts (1200 Watts - not unusual for a 3/4 or 1 HP pump). You need to know not only how often it comes on, but how long it runs for. It will also have a hefty start-up surge. Your oil furnace's start-up is probably a lot more than 1100 Watts (burner motor & circulator motor) as you can't really detect this surge with a Kill-A-Watt.

My advice here is: Got grid? Use it. Want solar? Grid tie it.

Trying to take these load demands off grid won't be sensible. It will be expensive.