PV Gap

Debra Said:

How can I tell the max Amp provided to me from the Power Company to my home to see if I can add a hot tub?

We Answered:

The front faceplate of the meter should say voltage and eithr wattage or amperage.
The water heater should be 30 amp. the A/C units if window units should be 15 amp . if built in the wall could be 15,20,30 or 50 amp.

Eleanor Said:

Alternative home power sources?

We Answered:

I do not personally have solar panels but I am a home designer that has knowledge of them. Depending on the size of the panels it can supply a good amount of energy to your house, I have seen some projects that run only on solar power alone, with some to spare and sell back to the power companies. It usually includes an enclosed area in your basement to store the power. Of course for optimal use of solar panels you would want your house to be oriented south and north so you can catch the sun from the south side.

Pro... can supply power to the home and decrease or eliminate electricity costs

Cons.. they are expensive and might take some time to pay for their own cost. If something happens to them it could be costly to repair.

Other interesting things I have seen.. At one home a guy designed a waterfall that runs into a generator, was very clever. He supplied all the power to his house plus a coniderable amount more that he sold back to the power companies, using only water.

Of course you could also go with the less popular wind power, not so suffient in power supply as other options. That would require building some sort of windmill and hoping for a windy day.

Hope this helps, good luch on your ventures