[Guest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Doly', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('donshan', '
')I still heat a cup of tea in the microwave however.

[donshan]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Doly', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('donshan', '
')I still heat a cup of tea in the microwave however.

[Heineken]

My electric water heater accounts for nearly 25% of my electric bill, which I believe is fairly typical. I'm trying to envision shutting off the water heater and living without hot water. I already wash clothes with cold water only (using hot water doesn't get your clothes any cleaner, I've read). I have a large woodstove (my only source of heat, which I fuel entirely with wood from my own land) on which I can heat water, when necessary, during the winter; obviously this approach won't work in the summer (but it's so hot here in the summer that a cold shower is a pleasure). I've experimented taking "sink baths" with just a wash cloth and soap and cold water, and it works pretty well. I don't have a dish washer; I've experimented with washing dishes with cold water and plenty of soap; again, it works better than I might have guessed, but one has to be careful to rinse thoroughly, since hot water does a better job dissolving and bearing away the soap.

I project savings on my electricity bill of at least $US 200 a year, not counting potential savings on the cost of the water heater itself (they need to be replaced every 12 years or so). More important, I take one more step toward financial and energy independence.

Am I crazy?

[dunewalker]

Excellent idea! We don't even have a water heater here in the cabin, but heat bath/dishwater atop the woodstove in pots. I got an old tub/shower unit for free and built it in, adding only a cold water faucet Then I got a galvanized bucket, drilled a hole in the side near the bottom, installed a typical brass faucet with calking & an electrical conduit nut inside. This we fill partially with cold water, add hot water from the stove, put it on a shelf in the tub unit & take our daily showers. Been doing this for several years now. In the heat of summer we put an old water heater tank minus its outer white shell & insulation on a platform in the garden, plumb it from the well, fill it in the morning & take a nice hot shower in the garden in the evening....

[Heineken]

Interesting, woodcutter. You sound pretty "handy," though---I could use more of that!

I've found some tremendous sources for large cast-iron pots on the Internet, for heating water on my woodstove.

The more I consider it, the more apparent it becomes that running hot water is just another luxury our dependence-inducing civilization has defined as a necessity. I think I could get used to living without it and soon not miss it at all. All I have to do is go downstairs and break the circuit to that electricity-gobbling appliance.

[Guest]

I thought that hot water was necessary to properly disinfect certain items like underwear and towels:

The Virus Fighting Duo: Hot Water and Bleach

[Guest]

You could also get a small point-of-use tankless flash water heater. That way, if you wanted hot water right now, you could have it.

When I was in college, my roomate and I lived without gas or electricity for over a year. I used a beer keg with the top cut off as a pot, and heated water over a fire in the backyard. We didn't have a fireplace in that house. Our source of fuel was whatever we could carry home to burn. It really wasnt that bad. I had a nice down sleeping bag to keep from freezing to death, and If I needed to, I could take showers at the University.

Cheap living to be sure

Eventually, the neighbors started calling the cops and environmental health division on us, and we had to move.

[PeakOiler]

Moderators: Shouldn't this thread be in the "Planning for the Future" forum?

I agree that an electric water heater can account for 25% of a household electric bill. After I installed a 40 gallon passive solar water heater, I saw about a 25-29% drop in my electric bill annually.

This is why I would recommend investing in a solar hot water heater.

Here in Central Texas, where it rarely freezes, the passive solar water heater basically keeps my electric hot water heater from turning on between late April or May till late October or early November. During the winter months, it will still provide a delta T anywhere from 20 to 50 degrees F or more. In Virginia, or colder climates, an active solar water heater may be less troublesome than draining the water out of a passive system if the winter weather is often sub-freezing.

I estimate the solar water "payback" to be 8 to 10 years. Depends on if the electric utility rate goes up or down, and lately it's been going up, of course, which just shortens the payback time even more.

[WisJim]

If you have a wood cook stove going, just keep a large tea kettle of water on it so you always have some good hot water available.

If you "need" your electric water heater, put it on a timed circuit with a timer made for the purpose that should be available at most hardware stores. We ran ours for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening, so we could take showers in the AM and wash up after supper at night. In the winter a tea kettle or 2 on the stove provides plenty of water for washing dishes and washing hands, etc.

Even in Wisconsin, solar hot water for domestic water, not space heating, should pay for itself in 6 to 10 years.

[cynthia]

It was suggested: (Sorry, I don't know how to do the fancy box thing for quotes)
"Moderators: Shouldn't this thread be in the "Planning for the Future" forum?"
I like it when postings first appear on the front page. I am not so diligent about checking the forums.
Also, regarding the water heater, I knew someone with a gravity fed spring water system who drilled holes in his Schafer woodstove and added a commercially made insert that allowed him to heat water which was then stored in his water heater.
Ironically, his last name is Heater so if you're lurking around here, please share your water heating know-how.
Another concern is carrying big vessels of boiling hot water. The risks of scalds burns, torn muscles... I like to work hard but minimizing accident potential is important. Still, I appreciated the innovative ideas folks have contributed so far and I'll check back to see if more come forth once the topic slips off the front page.

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'M')y electric water heater accounts for nearly 25% of my electric bill, which I believe is fairly typical. I'm trying to envision shutting off the water heater and living without hot water. I already wash clothes with cold water only (using hot water doesn't get your clothes any cleaner, I've read). I have a large woodstove (my only source of heat, which I fuel entirely with wood from my own land) on which I can heat water, when necessary, during the winter; obviously this approach won't work in the summer (but it's so hot here in the summer that a cold shower is a pleasure). I've experimented taking "sink baths" with just a wash cloth and soap and cold water, and it works pretty well. I don't have a dish washer; I've experimented with washing dishes with cold water and plenty of soap; again, it works better than I might have guessed, but one has to be careful to rinse thoroughly, since hot water does a better job dissolving and bearing away the soap.

I project savings on my electricity bill of at least $US 200 a year, not counting potential savings on the cost of the water heater itself (they need to be replaced every 12 years or so). More important, I take one more step toward financial and energy independence.

Am I crazy?

[Doly]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'u')sing hot water doesn't get your clothes any cleaner, I've read.

[Heineken]

I've been using cold rather than hot water to wash clothes for years, Doly. Perhaps there is a slight difference in the results, but it's generally of no practical importance.

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'I')'ve been using cold rather than hot water to wash clothes for years, Doly. Perhaps there is a slight difference in the results, but it's generally of no practical importance.

[Heineken]

Well, I live on a small farm, and I've always found cold water adequate for my clothes, Tanada. I get into the worst kind of dirt. IMO, there's no need to launder work clothes to spotlessness. Cold water is fine for me, but to each his own.

One exception I can think of is pesticide-contaminated clothing. I don't usually use pesticides, but if I did I'd launder my clothes in hot water.

[grabby]

Water heats at room temp at the rate of 1 calorie per gram per degree change in temp.

Water heater should put out 1 gallon per minuteand raise it from 45 degrees to 145

so that is 4000 grams time 100 degrees of about 500,000 caloriest
per minuted.

so searching for a simlar problem: here is a guy with a question:

I would like someone to inform me as to why I can not seem to run my central heating boiler ( 40000 Kcal/hr approx. 130000 Btu/hr ) with a 45 Kg LPG ( gas ) cylinder...The gas inside the cylinder freezes as the boiler starts to operate, I am using a 2 Kg/hr regulator on teh cylinder...why does the gas freeze and what is the solution to this problem...I am at a loss here and would like someone to help me out..Thank you.

and taking 40,000 / hour is equal to 666 kcal per minute, which is a really bad number,
but anyway,
sound like his boile would cover an instant on shower.

so about 500,000 kcal times 0.01757 kilowatts conversion factor

is about 8 kilowatts of power, which would be 8 microwavs at 200 a piece or cost about 1000 dollars to make one.

so you will need an 80 amp breaker to run the thing.

its better to use a water heater with a 19 dollar element than relying on 5 klystron tubes and 20,000 volts in proximity to water.

if the tank runs dry the heater willl fry.

Hi tech is always more expensive than low tech.

just insulate the water heater.

the energy loss is not in the holding tank, it is from letting hot water run down the drain.

water takes a LOT of power to heat and cool.

you should take the exhaust shower water and let it run into a tank and use a heat pump on it

now THERE yo would have something, the heat generated should heat the water tank.

Now yoyur talking.

[grabby]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('grabby', 'W')ater heats at room temp at the rate of 1 calorie per gram per degree change in temp.

Water heater should put out 1 gallon per minuteand raise it from 45 degrees to 145

so that is 4000 grams time 100 degrees of about 500,000 caloriest
per minuted.

so searching for a simlar problem: here is a guy with a question:

I would like someone to inform me as to why I can not seem to run my central heating boiler ( 40000 Kcal/hr approx. 130000 Btu/hr ) with a 45 Kg LPG ( gas ) cylinder...The gas inside the cylinder freezes as the boiler starts to operate, I am using a 2 Kg/hr regulator on teh cylinder...why does the gas freeze and what is the solution to this problem...I am at a loss here and would like someone to help me out..Thank you.

and taking 40,000 / hour is equal to 666 kcal per minute, which is a really bad number,
but anyway,
sound like his boile would cover an instant on shower.

so about 500 kcal times 0.01757 kilowatts conversion factor

is about 8 kilowatts of power, which would be 8 microwavs at 200 a piece or cost about 1000 dollars to make one.

so you will need an 80 amp breaker to run the thing.

its better to use a water heater with a 19 dollar element than relying on 5 klystron tubes and 20,000 volts in proximity to water.

if the tank runs dry the heater willl fry.

Hi tech is always more expensive than low tech.

just insulate the water heater.

the energy loss is not in the holding tank, it is from letting hot water run down the drain.

water takes a LOT of power to heat and cool.

you should take the exhaust shower water and let it run into a tank and use a heat pump on it

now THERE yo would have something, the heat generated should heat the water tank.

Now yoyur talking.

[frankthetank]

What about building/buying a solar hot water heater? That would work awesome in the summer...

By the way, in the town near here i have seen several houses with two black tubes next to each other (about 6-8feet long), black, and they are mounted on the side of the house...what are these? and do they work? I know they have to be some sort of solar water heater...i'll take a pic if i get the chance.

[WisJim]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('frankthetank', '
')By the way, in the town near here i have seen several houses with two black tubes next to each other (about 6-8feet long), black, and they are mounted on the side of the house...what are these? and do they work?

[frankthetank]

Here we go...seem to be a few homes with them...



this weather sucks lately!...although the heating bill is going down down down!