# Alt energy for mobile in VT?



## jlillis (Dec 13, 2012)

Hey all, I have purchased a mobile home. I live in northern Vermont. I was told the reason my electric bill is SO HIGH is because mobiles use a lighter gauge wire than ordinary homes??? Seems like a little mobile should use far less than the two zone huge house I just moved out of, instead of double! 

I am looking into supplementing my energy supply with alternative, renewable energy sources. 

I found this:
http://www.newenglandsolarthermal.com/diykits.htm

It also has a section on heating your home with solar for a lot less...

I would greatly appreciate any and all direction on ANY affordabe, renewable alternative energy sources. 

I am a single mom who basically is living from paycheck to paycheck...keep that in mind, please!

Thanks in advance to all who reply!

~Jill~


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Who ever told you about that "lighter gauge" wire is blowing smoke at you.

Far more probable cause is the lack of proper insulation in the unit you have....

Trying to over come the lack of insulation with "Solar" will be very costly . . .

Investigate adding insulation first...............


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## Marcintosh (Dec 30, 2012)

I've lived in VT in the past. If you're on a hill, are there pine trees around to break the wind?
Do you have single pane windows?
Have you taken a look to see if the windows are sealing well?
Is the door caulked? 
Do you have jalousie windows?
How old is your M.H.? Older ones had minimal wall thickness.
Thinking of walls, are yours cold to the touch?
Do you have a "Skirt" around the bottom of the M.H.?
Are you on a slab or on dirt?
Do you have an opening into a traditional wood frame room?
Do you have a Propane or Natural gas hook-up or oil heat?
There are some cost effective things you can do to improve your situation. Solve your heat loss issues first and then think about augmenting your heating system. Forget solar for now. That bit about thinner wire? Don't even borrow sugar from that person. 
Get back to me about this and we'll go from there. If you need to you can PM me.
M.


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## JohnP (Sep 1, 2010)

One of the best things you can do on a MH is what's called a roof over. They lay foam insulation on your existing roof and then install new metal over that. I think you can have that metal (aluminum) extended out to give you some overhang. They can also build a gable roof over which is even better because it gives you the equivalent of an attic space. MHs are pretty good candidates for solar space heaters due to their height off the ground. In fact, I think you can even use the siding/skin as a collector if it's aluminum. Check builditsolar for that. Skirting can make quire a difference too. Fully skirted with just enough ventilation so it doesn't stay wet under the trailer. 

For now and for cheap, start with weatherproofing. Get rid of any drafts or air leaks. weatherstripping around doors, window stretch film, heavy curtains over windows (at least at night to prevent heat loss, blankets work too) Make sure your HVAC filter is not clogged. 
I'm thinking you probably have what's called a MH unit for central hvac which is an inefficient (design to start with comapred to a split system) and they usually don't have a heat pump which is where the a/c sort of works in reverse. Instead it probably just has electric heat coils with the fan blowing it into the ducts. Think of it as a HUGE space heater. They're terrible energy hogs. Find any way you can to not lose any of that valuable heat. Look underneath or have someone look to make sure there's no open spots in the floor. Some older MHs have exterior access panels to things like the hot water heater and sometimes they lack insulation. Hot water pipes running under the trailer wastes energy though if that were the case you probably would have already had frozen pipes. Any plumbing or electric that goes in/out of the building should be checked to see if they need caulking or spray foam insulation. 
I don't know how old your unit is but some of the older ones had 2x3s instead of 2x4s for wall studs. That along with thin metal on the outside and thin paneling on the inside makes for thin walls. That and the lack of an attic is why they're inefficient. 

Way cheaper to save energy than to make it.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

That line . . . . "Don't even borrow sugar from that person" . . . . could well be the "Post of the day"

Sometimes the truth really hurts.


On older MH's being torn down I have even seen 2 X 2 wall studs.
It has got to be virtually hopeless to ever insulate something like that up to what it should be..


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## jlillis (Dec 13, 2012)

My home actually seems to retain it's heat very well. I haven't detected any significant drafts or air leaks around the doors or windows and I'm able to keep my heat quite low. The only really cold area is my bathroom, at the end of the home farthest from the furnace. I heat with oil. 
My electric is what is abnormally high, and this seems to be a problem in our area. Some folks with mobiles have reasonable bills, others seem to have very high bills? People tend to suspect it is because the in very rural areas, some of our wires start at other people's barns or mobiles and etc. Mine is routed through the neighbor's barn, also rented from the same landlord, but in the summer, my bill was high, but not astonishingly so. 
I would just like to perhaps figure out a cost-effective way to maybe convert my electric hot water heater to solar, and perhaps augment my existing system with some solar electric. 
Any ideas? 
There was some cold air coming in under the microwave. I don't even use a microwave and I covered the leaks with duct tape in the Fall, also I just noticed that at the sides of my garden tub un the bathroom, quite a cold draft which I'm going to tape up this week. 
But it's mainly the electric I'm concerned about.
Thanks for all your input. 
As soon as I buy the land I am leasing, I do intend to plant some wind-breaks. 
~Jill~


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

"Mine is routed through the neighbor's barn, also rented from the same landlord, but in the summer, my bill was high, but not astonishingly so."

You just answered your own question. Find the circuit breaker panel in your home. Cut EVERY circuit breaker off in the evening some night. Walk to the electric meter. Stand around for a few minutes and see if it is spinning. Dollars to doughnuts, your landlord is lighting his barn (and more) on your dime.

How you handle it can be delicate. You could ask the power company for a new trailer pole and hookup, you can discuss this with the landlord, or you can take him to court for electric theft.

I would get at least two RELIABLE people to see what is going on. A free power audit from the power company might be one, a real estate person with a camera another. Once that is done, time for a heart to heart. I'd opt for a rent reduction and rebate as the easy route out.


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## jlillis (Dec 13, 2012)

Well, the barn is rented to someone else---not the landlord's dime---unless he includes electric with their rent. I believe the previous owner of the mobile did have the electric company do an audit...I believe I will try your suggestion, of turning off all the circuits, on day or night when it isn't -17 degrees. 
Thanks!
I just don't get why it more than doubles in winter.


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## jlillis (Dec 13, 2012)

I'm still interested in a reasonably inexpensive way to augment with solar.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

"why it doubles in the winter".........

What is in the barn . ?
Electric critter water heaters ??
Electric space heaters for critters . .??


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## caveskier (Jul 2, 2011)

HI,
I purchased a 1970 Titan moblie with 20 X 20 additions on it in Washington, NH.
The additions are very well insulated but the 2 mobile sides are not. The house
has a "roof over" and a loft. The house has thick cedar sidin. On the mobile sides,
I attached pink insulation board and redsided over that (after replacing the old windows) make a HUGE difference. The entire house is heated with 2 wood stoves.
One in the addition that has the loft and another in the other addition that forms a
large kitchen/dining area/family room section that is all open. There are also
wood stove that are rated for mobile homes as well. I pulled out the old oil furnance to go stricty with wood. Dont forget to use skirting around the mobile as well to help
insulate.

caveskier


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