estimating GGE costs of home fueling

[GreggC]

I'm debating getting a home fueling device, but first I need to figure out how much per-GGE my home natural gas costs. Residential gas rates are about 10 cents/mcf right now where I live. Can someone help me with a formula?


(Thread moved to refueling)

[Lakewood90712]

Re: estimating GGE costs of home fueling

A gallon of gasoline equivilent (gge) is about 120 cubic feet of natural gas.

In southern cal. we are paying about 49 cents per therm (100 cuft = 1 therm), it was about double of that last winter.

Electric required for compression is about 2 KW per gge with Phill, and a little less with a larger fuelmaker.

In so cal with a Phill , fuel and energy comes out to about $1.45-$1.50 /gge.

Avg. installed cost of a Phill is $6,000. Service life if no failures ocour is 6,000 hours. The unit shuts down at 6,000 hours. Fuelmaker warranty is 1 year and an extended waranty is no longer available. Any failure out of warranty requires a refurb unit ($1900 + shipping 2 ways, + install by a fuelmaker dealer) Fuelmaker will not ship a new or refurb unit to an owner.

.42 gge per hour x 6,000 hr service life = 2520 gge. This part is ugly when you do the math.

Long term, A FMQ is the only way to go. Higher up front cost, much better for the long haul.

[Steve]

Re: estimating GGE costs of home fueling

One more thing to add is that out of a 6,000 hour life, 500 hours of the Phill is spent in the drying cycle where no fuel is pumped.

[CNGfamily]

Re: estimating GGE costs of home fueling

[QUOTE=GreggC;19654]... Residential gas rates are about 10 cents/mcf right now where I live. Can someone help me with a formula?
...QUOTE]

Kind of a nit when compared to the other costs, but one additional item may be relevant for you (it is for Southwest Gas in Chandler, AZ as well as City of Mesa, AZ gas service): The rate charged for natural gas used in the home can be different than the rate charged for your VRA and you may get an additional monthly charge for the second meter. In my case, the fixed monthly meter charge has always added a few cents per GGE

[Amfuel]

Re: estimating GGE costs of home fueling

I figure gge as therm = 100,000 btu gasoline w/10%ethanol = 112500btu
cost per therm X 1.125 = gge

Fuel Maker announced that the hour meter on the Phill can now be disabled via a reprogramming of the programmer. Service techs can get this done for you. We don't have any older units around here so I didn't look into it. Later, much later. Run er til she drops.

[Lakewood90712]

Re: estimating GGE costs of home fueling

Gregg: can you verify the gas cost of 10 cents per 1,000 cu ft (mcf) ?.

I just looked at an energy chart from Center Point Energy in TX. , showing residential rate $0.96 per 100 cuft and $.14 per kw for electric. Looks like retail price for last winter.

[freedml]

Re: estimating GGE costs of home fueling

There have been long discussions on this.