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Finding the Right Power Unit for Your HomeCompiled by Sterling D. Allan Determine Your Energy Need -- Simple MathFinding your average energy use and estimating your peak load requirements is actually quite easy. There are at least three ways to arrive at the peak load requirement of your home. A. Extract an estimate of power usage from a database of homes of comparable size to yours. B. Go outside and measure the electrical meter on your home when you are at the point of peak use. C. Obtain the peak by averaging your high month usage and dividing by 0.05 based on the statistical fact that average use is 5% of peak use. 1. Pull out a copy of your utility bill from the seasonal month in which you use the most electricity. 2. The number given for electricity usage is in KWH or kilowatt hours. 3. Take this number and divide it by 30.5 (average number of days in a month), to get average KWH usage per day; then divide that number by 24 to get average kilowatt usage. [Ballpark: 0.5 kw] Fact: Sampling from homes throughout the world, it has been determined that the average monthly residential power usage is only about 5% of the average peak usage. The high-draw appliances are rarely used, compared to the minimal-draw appliances. The average usage also accounts for the times of near no-use at night while you are asleep; or when you are away during the day. 4. Take your average kilowatt usage and divide by 0.05 to get your peak load estimate. [Ballpark: 10.5 kw]
Getting a Home Power Unit that Can Handle Your Peak LoadBe sure that the rating for the home power unit you get is the same or higher than your peak load requirement. Otherwise you will need to conscientiously monitor your usage so as to not exceed the output ability and either cause a home brownout or trip your unit requiring a reset.
Home Power System -- Sources
Page posted by SDA Nov. 10, 2002 |
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