Allan

Parked the vette in a friends garage for the winter & tender has been hooked up since December.

Talked to the friend yesterday and she said that her electric bill went up ~$100 a month for each month the car was parked in her garage.

Does that amount sound correct? I'm thinking the dollar amount is high.

Thanks in advance for your reply.

1968swbbigblock

My bill is 80-90 bucks a month and changes very little with the tender hooked up.
Look at the wiring on a tender - it pulls very few amps.

99mallett

BT uses about 1-1.5 watts (depending on model). That's about 1-1.5 KWH per month, tops. If your power cost $.15 per kwh or even double that is a looooong way from $100 per month.

tennblkc6

lmao....those sound like "storage" fees

psp6158

Sounds like a friend without benefits! Jk, I have three hooked up for motor cycles and Vette and no change of bill...

richietables

Never noticed a change in the bill... The tender only tops off the battery when the need arises...

vetteright

That's absolutely absurd! Some friend!

64Ragtop

I've always used BT's on my Vettes. Never noticed a change in my bills. Sounds bogus to me!!

Torchsport

I call BS as well.

Dano523

The electric bill is ways going to go up in the winter time and in the summer time if your running the AC.

Winter time due to the days being shorter and turning the house light on more, and the fan running for the heater as well.


Hate to say it, but your being charged for Vet storage in a none direct way instead.

HK770

Two for boat ,One for lawn mower, one for Vette. Power bill With wife and i and normal living conditions in FL. Power bill is around $160 mo , I also call B.S. here.


luck

Don-Vette

It's her way of getting some money for storing your car there(which I agree with). It has nothing to do with the electric bill.

Now let me ask you this.....Did you offer her money when you stored you car there before winter? If not,shame on you.

I have plenty of friends who store their cars in other friends garages and barns during winter and the going rate amongst friends is about $150-180 a month.

AORoads

I used to know lots of friends who stored their cars for free, but since 1990 I've always paid in my area. $100 a month isn't bad, but high by long-ago standards for my area. Still, if it's well-kept, it'd be small change and I'd pay it and hope it was available next year for the same amount--how much would it cost to expand your garage, even if you could? But, I do agree: it has nothing to do with electric cost, just a storage charge. And rather than embarrassing the friend, I'd say if it's still available next year, you'd like to pay that to defray their "costs," and because it is somewhat of an inconvenience for them (even if it isn't for them).

Hameister

I would take a somewhat different approach than most.

I would use simple math to show her that her electric bill increased less than $2 per month, no matter what kind of tender you're using.

If it's a storage fee she's looking for, that's okay, we can talk about that, and I don't think $100 a month is unreasonable.

Just be honest with me, and don't insult my intelligence with claims of a totally ludicrous electric bill.

Unfortunately my experience with "friends", throughout my life is that most people are friends when it's convenient and benefits them.
When the perks they get by being a friend wanes, they're not so friendly anymore.

True, real friends are a blessing!

FortMorganAl

The 1-1.5W figure might be a little low if you consider losses but even charging a dead battery a 1 Amp tender should still be in the 10W range.

10W x 24 hours x 30 days / 1000 KWh/w x $0.15 = $1.08.

$100/month is enough electricity to keep that garage toasty warm all winter. It is 925W 24/7. Did she have an unregulated electric heater running in the garage all winter? Or fifteen 60W light bulbs that were never turned off?

Unfortunately, there is ignorance and then there is willful ignorance. There is no shame in being ignorant but too many people fall into the later category.

Ben101er

As everyone else has said, I kept one on all winter and had no larger electric bill than usual. My personal take is that I would pay the $100 per month, rather than lose a friend, and then decide, in the fall, if that is worth it, or do I want to find another place to store my car. $100 per month is probably not outrageous, but I would negotiate the price before I made a decision. You absolutely have to have an agreement, going into it, if you are dealing with family or friends. It is a shame, but true.

Hameister

Ben, I really don't get it.
What kind of a friend would charge another friend for storing their car for a few months?

If a true friend of mine asked me to store his/her car for a few months, I'd either say I'm sorry, I just don't have the room, or I'd say sure, and would not think of charging them a dime.

I cannot imagine telling a friend,..."sure I'll let you keep your car in my garage for $100.00 a month!"

su8pack1

I have 8 hooked up almost all the time and have seen no change in cost.

Ben101er

I totally agree with you, but all I'm saying is that he has to decide if he wants to continue any kind of relationship with this person, or not. If not, then thumb your nose at them and ask them what kind of friend tries to hoodwink you? But, if they have a long relationship, and possibly, just possibly, their electric bill did increase, they may truly think that the tender did it. Even though they are mistaken, is it worth losing a friend over? It is something that the OP has to decide for himself. I really do think that if you deal on a handshake, with a friend, neighbor, or relative, that both parties should understand, completely, what is being asked, what is being offered, and what each one expects, before agreeing to it. It just saves getting into a situation like this.

Torchsport

No rebuttal yet from the OP?