Possible Discount on Electric Bill with CPAP

[Slinky]

There are many devices now a days, including various xPAP machines, that don't have on-off switches on the device.

Unless you have switches on the power outlet (common in some countries, rare in others) the only way to turn such devices definitively off is to unplug them from the power source.

There's always a good ole surge bar w/an on/off switch for cutting power to every appliance plugged into it.

[dllfo]

I was told this discount comes under the ADA. Some electric companies give
around 30-35%.

Just because your company doesn't ADVERTISE it, doesn't mean they don't have some state mandated program to help you.

Website first, then call and ask what programs they have under ADA to help people with life support machines.

Good luck.

[arthuranxious]

Does anyone know if Con Edison of NY offers a discount for CPAP users and other assistance? their rates are about the highest nationwide... they could afford to give a break for when we need long naps! Seriously, I don't know if i could face applying for special treatment. years ago I had trouble walking after a car accident, and used to take a taxi from parking space to the house but was ashamed to apply for handicapped parking, I was afraid I would get a response "You look perfectly healthy, what is your handicap?" Here too I am thinking, better to suffer in silence than to risk being made fun of for claiming special treatment for OSA.

[SisterShotgun]

[quote="arthuranxious"]Does anyone know if Con Edison of NY offers a discount for CPAP users and other assistance? their rates are about the highest nationwide... they could afford to give a break for when we need long naps! Seriously, I don't know if i could face applying for special treatment. years ago I had trouble walking after a car accident, and used to take a taxi from parking space to the house but was ashamed to apply for handicapped parking, I was afraid I would get a response "You look perfectly healthy, what is your handicap?" Here too I am thinking, better to suffer in silence than to risk being made fun of for claiming special treatment for OSA.

[extremeliver]

I just called "Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association" in Minnesota. Unfortunately they do NOT offer a discount, but I figured the 5 minutes it took me was tome well spent. Good luck to others doing the same.

[lilsheba]

Seems Portland General Electric doesn't offer a discount per se but offer easier payment arrangements and don't just cut off your power if you do pay late. They are faxing whatever form they need filled out to the sleep center and the sleep center has to fill it out and send it back to them. They did real good with the TriMet bus pass thing so I got a discounted fare. Let's see what this turns out.

[SleepingBeauty]

I should explain that the SCE discount is not really a percentage discount, it is an additional baseline allocation. In California, we pay a certain price for the baseline amount of power. Any power we use above that baseline amount is charged at a much higher rate. Baseline is set according to which zone you live in and whether or not your house is total electric or whether you have some gas appliances. Hotter zones and all electric homes get a higher baseline than those in cooler parts of the state with some gas appliances. Confusing?

Having the medical baseline allows us an additional 16.5 kWh per day above the normal baseline per day amount that we would have been alloted. This way, we don't get charged the higher rate for the extra electricity we are using, we get charged the lower baseline rate. We still have to pay for it. And if you exceed that 16.5 kWh per day, you will fall into the higher rate charge just like everyone else.

In essence, they are just increasing our baseline because they recognize we have a mandatory nightly need for more electricity than someone in our exact same circumstances without OSA.

[billbolton]

Having the medical baseline allows us an additional 16.5 kWh per day

Even when running a humidfier at full throttle, most CPAP machines are probably going draw ~2.4 kWh tops over a typical 8 hour operating period.

My supplier here in NSW, gives me a direct AUD ~$12 rebate every quarter as a CPAP user.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[josh55666]

I wanted to thank you for this great read!

[chunkyfrog]

Our S9's have a power brick which has a stated output of 90 watts, meaning that each of us uses a maximum of .9 KWH for around 7 hours a night. The brick draws about 1 watt when the blower is 'off'. (checked by Kill-a-Watt meter)
This uses about 6.47 KWH per 24-hour period; totaling 2361.55 KWH per year, per machine,
assuming the draw is a continuous 90 watts all night long.
I guess I could be hitting the switch on that power strip each morning--it would save 62.05 KWH per year. Hmmm!

[idamtnboy]

Our S9's have a power brick which has a stated output of 90 watts, meaning that each of us uses a maximum of .9 KWH for around 7 hours a night. The brick draws about 1 watt when the blower is 'off'. (checked by Kill-a-Watt meter)
This uses about 6.47 KWH per 24-hour period; totaling 2361.55 KWH per year, per machine,
assuming the draw is a continuous 90 watts all night long.
I guess I could be hitting the switch on that power strip each morning--it would save 62.05 KWH per year. Hmmm!

The problem so often with energy savings ideas is they are not money savers, which is what most of us notice the most. For example, your 62.05 kwh saving per year by turning off the power strip will save you about $5+/year. If you have to buy a power strip to accomplish this, it'll cost you $10 to $15 which means it'll take you from 2 to 3 years to pay for the strip, just about in time to replace it when the switch craps out due to being turned on/off every day. This may be a bit exaggerated, but you get the point.

I installed motion sensors in my house to turn lights on/off. But, to use CFLs with them I would have had to buy motion sensor switches at an electrical wholesale place for about $50 or so each. The ones at HD or Lowes are $20 each, but won't work with CFLs. I estimated it would take me upwards of 10 years in electricity savings to pay the difference, and that's not considering the extra cost of CFLs over regular incandescent bulbs. Energy savings ideas will languish, in many cases, until energy savings truly means money savings.

[hobbs]

I took the application to my doctor today and she told me that she has filled this out before for other other people with apnea. She said a CPAP is a form of life support, because the airway closes when I breathe. My RT calls it CPAP therapy but he also said that it is a form of life support.

Application filled out and sent in todays mail to the electric company. Even if the discount is small, it will be better than nothing.

I have had the SCE discount for the last two years. It is not a discount, but it lets you use more power before you go above baseline usage. I save zero in the winter, but electric bill is A LOT lower in the summer when the A/C is running.

[GumbyCT]

I took the application to my doctor today and she told me that she has filled this out before for other other people with apnea. She said a CPAP is a form of life support, because the airway closes when I breathe. My RT calls it CPAP therapy but he also said that it is a form of life support.

Application filled out and sent in todays mail to the electric company. Even if the discount is small, it will be better than nothing.

I have had the SCE discount for the last two years. It is not a discount, but it lets you use more power before you go above baseline usage. I save zero in the winter, but electric bill is A LOT lower in the summer when the A/C is running.

No clue what SCE means.

I recently inquired to CL-P.com for a discount. My 1st was online from their web page. Months later when we had storm outages, I remembered I did not get a reply. So the next day I called.

What I was told - there is no discount or priority restoration but IF I have my doctor fill out something online for me AND they had a planned outage - they would notify me. Isn't that nice?

Being a customer isn't enuff reason to be notified of a planned outage? I need a doctor to ask?

Thank You CL&P

[Slinky]

I have COPD and need to use an oxygen concentrator the better part of 24 hours a day. 02 concentrators can add up to $30-$60 a month to your electric bill. Our local power company does have a "life support" type of "discount". It amounts to $6.20 a month. Better in my pocket than theirs but ....

And, yes, it did require my doctor filling out a form verifying my need and use of the 02 concentrator submitted to the power company. My first month's discount barely paid the $5 fee for my doctor filling out the form and submitting it.

[josh55666]

very nice infoo

Gramicci