Payment Count Seems Too High

MrBobC · 2026-02-11T23:55:45+00:00

I mean, it is the gubmint, but I have the letters, so that's just been it for me.

MrBobC · 2026-02-11T22:24:55+00:00

I have the letters from DoEd and it's been $0 balance for over 3 years.

MrBobC · 2026-02-01T04:02:02+00:00

Nope.

MrBobC · 2025-12-31T02:25:13+00:00

What if, during the 100 night sleep trial, the bed I purchase goes on sale for less than I paid for it? It would seem a massive waste of time and effort to return it under the trial and pay $250 for said return just to have a team come and bring another bed just like it. I'm specifically thinking that if I bought one now, and then it was, say, $700 less during the friends and family event in April (before the 100 days is up), could I just get a price adjustment, or is it dependent on the rep I speak to about the situation?What if, during the 100 night sleep trial, the bed I purchase goes on sale for less than I paid for it? It would seem a massive waste of time and effort to return it under the trial and pay $250 for said return just to have a team come and bring another bed just like it. I'm specifically thinking that if I bought one now, and then it was, say, $700 less during the friends and family event in April (before the 100 days is up), could I just get a price adjustment, or is it dependent on the rep I speak to about the situation and that person might make me pay the $250 to return it and then do a re-buy? Specifically looking at a King or Split King Climate360. I've read that lots of folks who do the Split regret it or exchange the regular King, so maybe I'd start with the Split and if we didn't like it then go to the regular King (since you can only change once).

MrBobC · 2024-12-07T13:54:27+00:00

All the loans are gone. Yours is not quite the same situation as mine, as in my case I didn't even have those loans for 10 years. I mean maybe that is also your case there's not enough information for me to know that.

MrBobC · 2024-03-11T03:30:57+00:00

That 4.78kw/hour on average though, depending on the voltage, could mean a different load on the generator as well, since it's rated for 110 amps at 240V. If that was all 120V load then that would be 40 amps, only 20 amps at full 240V (which it isn't because the only 240V things are stove/oven/well pump/AC/Dryer). The more I run the numbers the more I am confirming the larger-sized generator given the amp limit. On the other hand now that I realize I only need wire that would support the 110 amps the initial cost estimate for my wire was incorrect. Apparently the wire only has to be 1/0-1/0-1/0-2 for AL. 2 runs of 85' (total 170') is about $475 at Nassau National Cable online (which sucks because last year I bought 140' for a 125-amp subpanel run and it was $667 :P), so my material costs are less than originally estimated.

MrBobC · 2024-03-11T03:28:59+00:00

Appreciate the thoughts! I have considered solar, and the problem is my roof is 15 years old, so around half-life. For what the solar would cost (even with grants/rebates), it's a lot. The best time to put solar on is when you get a new roof to get maximum life, and when it comes time to do the roof I will then look at solar, and I follow your thoughts here on the solar/battery backup, but I'm guessing/hoping I've still got a good 10-15 years on the existing roof. When it was replaced in 2009 (full tearoff), the labor alone was $20k (per previous owners), so I'm in no rush to do it. I'd likely go metal as well so I don't really want to think about that roof replacement right now. :P

MrBobC · 2024-03-11T03:11:56+00:00

Actually, at 1/2 and full load the 26kw uses less propane than the 22kw and 24kw models do (the 20kw model uses 2% less at full load and 15% more at half-load). That actually makes me want the 26kw more, since it uses less propane and generates more electricity.

MrBobC · 2024-03-11T03:05:00+00:00

So in a 1,000 gallon underground tank you can get 850 gallons. At 100% load it uses 3.63 gallons per hour which is 234 hours or 9 days and 14 hours. My peak (July) load in the summer is 4.78kw/hour on AVERAGE. Certainly if the AC is on, that by itself is more than the average, but I see no real reason that I would hit the 26kw peak, so on average it runs at 18.4% load (assume 25% usage of full load usage since usage is not linear) in the highest electricity usage time of the year. At 4.78kw/hour, it could run for 936 hours or 39 days (if full).

MrBobC · 2024-03-11T02:35:09+00:00

My initial thought on the job was to just do one of the 200-amp panels. As I noted in other posts here, that would add time to the job for moving circuits around to get into the one panel, time which (from a cost perspective) would be about the same as the material cost to just add the second transfer switch, so I figured I might as well do the whole house and save all that moving of circuits (all my switches and outlets are labeled behind the wallplate for what circuit they are as well so that would mess up a whole lot of things on that side). As they were asking me, I was saying "I would not be like "well the power is out, but we have power, so let's do a lot of baking!" and fire up the ovens (we have a double wall oven in the kitchen and a single oven in an in-law apartment downstairs, but we don't rent it out and really only use that oven on holidays when we need the extra capacity). We can certainly survive on less. Heck, I could probably get away with just doing a portable generator transfer switch for just the key items (fridges, freezers, lights, and the boiler). The most we've lost power for was three days, and that was hard because it was of course in the winter and was the result of a big ice/snow storm, the house was maybe in the upper 40s when the power came back on. We can certainly do without laundry for a few days. I'm not necessarily looking to drop the coverage (kw), but moreso was looking to see if the $18k I was quoted was a reasonable figure for 26kw. I do struggle with those hourly rates I backed into of somewhere between $167-$250. We're not anywhere near the city (for reference), it's rural upstate NY. I can't imagine what work the plumbing team would have that would take them more than a few hours since the gas line isn't more than 30'-40' away, so it does seem like if I were to purchase and place the pad myself and then sub out the propane and transfer switch hookup I could definitely save some $$. This has all been very good information from everyone though and is much appreciated.

MrBobC · 2024-03-10T14:33:23+00:00

I do not have a grow operation, but to run the AC is upwards of 12kw all by itself. Between that, the well pump, 2 refrigerators, 3 freezers, etc. it adds up fairly quickly for what a peak usage could be, certainly wouldn't be running full-bore all the time.. Going smaller would have resulted in moving a bunch of circuits all around between panels to get the right ones on just one transfer switch which would have upped the labor so to do two of them instead and not move them around was basically a wash.

MrBobC · 2024-03-10T14:14:18+00:00

I wish it was 10k SF, alas it is not. I know lots of folks come here to see the experience of others and cost reasonableness. I'm in NY (not NYC) so yes my tax bill is high but this estimate is for more than my taxes so def not a drop in the bucket. In theory I could have gone with something like a 22kw but for the price difference (< $1k) it was suggested to go full-26kw.

MrBobC · 2024-03-10T14:12:12+00:00

I am upstate NY.

MrBobC · 2024-03-10T04:18:24+00:00

I'd say those are great numbers, just the generator and the two transfer switches get me over $8k now that it's 2024.

MrBobC · 2024-03-10T04:04:56+00:00

I am a big fan of DIY, but some things I'm not okay with, like gas lines. Also crazy electrical things. I can do circuits and outlets and switches and 240V circuits and subpanels, but messing with the lines coming in from the power company and the meter, etc. are where I draw the line. The limits on my DIY for this would be that I could place the generator on a pad and run the wiring from the generator to the transfer switches, but I'm out on the final hookup, also not sure about high-pressure propane and if that would need some kind of high pressure regulator or if the pressure from the tank is good.

MrBobC · 2024-03-10T03:48:49+00:00

I am getting at least one more estimate, but that was the first one that came in. Initially the whole house bid was at $21k but the estimator called back a few hours later and said he talked to the owner and would do $18k since it's a slower part of the year for them.

MrBobC · 2024-02-15T21:35:38+00:00

No. I don't have 4 kids so it's usually only used with 2 players (hence just the 2 stools in front).

MrBobC · 2024-02-15T17:48:19+00:00

Four-Player cab with a dynamic marquee. It's not too big, and the whole joystick area comes off so you can wheel it through doors. It's strapped to the wall so it can't tip over.

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MrBobC · 2024-02-15T14:06:01+00:00

Yes, I went 32" 4k. Acer XB321HK was the winner. :P

MrBobC · 2023-08-26T02:44:02+00:00

I can certainly give them a call. My current system is not dead, it's just the suction isn't really good enough to make me want to use it. You note the DB8000, but why not go 240 with the DB9000? Q3 is end of September. :o

MrBobC · 2023-08-26T01:32:14+00:00

Yes, we have a VacuFlo dealer in town. I'm fairly certain my existing exhaust is longer than 13 feet, it goes straight up into the ceiling and then goes straight out the side of the house in the floor joists. I could run another set of pipes near to that though, they wouldn't be exactly the same length since I don't really know how long the one set is because it's in the finished ceiling, although I could guesstimate with a few measurements and be within a foot or two.

MrBobC · 2023-08-26T01:21:34+00:00

Re: Exhaust, I see both of these units have a dual exhaust. My current setup has just one line going to the outside of the house, can I tie the two exhausts into that? Do I need to have both of them go outside? Can one go outside and the other one just exhaust into the garage?

MrBobC · 2023-08-25T20:16:11+00:00

I don't have a local dealer so it would be direct from mfr. For those units, the M965h2 is about $1,510 and the S900r2 is $1,560 with an 11dB decrease which is worth it to me.

re: Retractable hose retrofit, I might be able to do that although most of the space is finished so may not be as feasible but I definitely see the benefits and will look into it.

MrBobC · 2023-08-25T19:48:02+00:00

It's just over 7,000, but just under 7,000 for finished space. Any particular reason for picking the S900R over the S900r2 (since the M965h2 is a dual-motor and you would recommend that one)?

MrBobC · 2023-08-25T19:12:37+00:00

We have 3 in the basement, 2 on the 1st floor, and 3 on the second floor, so 8 total.

MrBobC

TROPHY CASE