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Grex > Coop11 > #26: Cyberspace Communications, Inc. finances through 8/31/98 |  |
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aruba
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Cyberspace Communications, Inc. finances through 8/31/98
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Sep 11 14:04 UTC 1998 |
Here is the treasurer's report on Cyberspace Communications, Inc. finances
through August 31st, 1998.
Beginning Balance $3,358.69
Credits $426.00 Member contributions
$227.00 Auction proceeds
$5.00 Grex Store proceeds
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$658.00
Debits $60.00 Pumpkin Rent for September
$66.36 Electricity for August
$20.00 Innovative Concepts phone line
$436.17 Phone Bill
$9.26 Bank service charge
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$591.79
Ending Balance $3,424.90
Our current balance breaks down as follows:
$2,432.32 General Fund
$816.00 Spare parts / 501(c)3 / Mail machine fund
$104.86 Silly Hat Fund
$65.00 UPS Fund
$6.72 Sales tax collected
The Grex Store activity looks like this:
Cash Stock
--------- ---------
Beginning Balances: ($128.60) $340.90
$5.00 (shipping paid for shirts sold in July)
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Ending Balances: ($123.60) $340.90
We had 3 new members in August (gjharb, vglore, and enthalpy). We are
currently at 102 members, 97 of whom are paid through at least September 15th.
(The others expired recently and are in a grace period.)
Looks like August was a decent month - we made expenses with room to spare,
thanks largely to the auction.
A couple of things to note:
- We received notice that our rent will increase to $63 on January 1st.
- Scott measured our power consumption so we were able to re-evaluate how
much we pay for electricity. It turns out we are using less than before
(the old reading was very out of date), so our electricity payment went
down from $83 to $66.36. Here's how I got that number:
current = 8.3 amps according to scott's measurement
power = current * 110 volts = 913 watts = .913 kilowatts
energy per month = power * 1 month = .913 kw * 730.5 hours = 666.9465 kwh
cost per month = energy * price = 666.9465 kwh * $.0995/kwh = $66.36.
I got the $.0995/kwh by calling Detroit Edison and giving them the address of
the Pumpkin.
Thanks to everyone who contributed in August:
atticus, bruin, coyote, dpc, enthalpy, filippo, gjharb, janc, kami, mta,
n8rxs, njt, obrien, phenix, quail, rosie0, scott, snow, toking, and vglore.
Thanks everyone!
If you or your institution would like to become a member of Grex, it only
costs $6/month or $60/year. Send money to:
Cyberspace Communications
P. O. Box 4432
Ann Arbor, MI 48106-4432
If you pay by cash or money order, please include a photocopy of some form
of ID. I can't add you to the rolls without ID. (If you pay by personal
check, we consider that a good enough ID.) Type !support for more info.
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| 25 responses total. |
i
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response 1 of 25:
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Sep 12 14:55 UTC 1998 |
My experience is that 120 volts is the normal voltage around A^2, not
110. Also, there's a state tax on electricity.
Not that i'm looking for ways to increase our bills.....
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aruba
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response 2 of 25:
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Sep 12 22:19 UTC 1998 |
Hmmm... Good points. That's why we discuss these things in public. :) I
will re-evaluate.
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aruba
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response 3 of 25:
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Sep 13 01:04 UTC 1998 |
STeve says to estimate the voltage at 118, and I gather from my home bills
that the tax on electricity is 4%. However there is also a credit on those
bills, mysteriously titled "PSCR". I will call Detroit Edison on Monday and
try to get more info out of them.
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saw
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response 4 of 25:
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Sep 15 02:23 UTC 1998 |
I've heard that the AC voltage ranges between 110-120 volts. The most
common ones are 110, 117, and 120. The best bet would be measure it
with a voltage meter. (Being from Tennessee, I can tell you NOTHING
about A^2 power except it's between 110-120 volts.) RadioShack sells
such meters, just be careful not to get a good shock when checking the
voltage.. :)
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danr
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response 5 of 25:
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Sep 15 13:10 UTC 1998 |
Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy...You just don't understand. If we actually had the
facts, there would be no debate. :)
Actually, measuring the voltage is a good idea. I suspect Scott has a meter
that will do this. If not, I do.
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aruba
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response 6 of 25:
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Sep 15 13:16 UTC 1998 |
Scott thinks that the voltage would vary quite a bit, and we should go with
118. I haven't called Detroit Edison yet.
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aruba
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response 7 of 25:
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Sep 15 13:16 UTC 1998 |
(Dan slipped in.)
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n8nxf
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response 8 of 25:
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Sep 15 13:26 UTC 1998 |
It is just about imposible for the electric utility to regulate the voltage
at your outlet. There are I^2*R losses that will cause the voltage to
fluctuate from moment to moment. One must also consider the power factor
of the equipment connected to the lines. If it is reactive, I*R is not
equal to watts. The best way to measure power is with a power meter. These
are not cheap.
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dino1
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response 9 of 25:
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Sep 15 13:39 UTC 1998 |
the average RMS voltage in Beerburrum, Australia is 240volts, it ranges
between approx. 220 and 250. most of the time it's at about 246
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saw
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response 10 of 25:
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Sep 15 19:19 UTC 1998 |
To Dan: I am just now getting into bbs and thought I'd try to help out
in here. :)
In response to #9... Australia uses a different voltage system than the
USA does. That's why you have to buy those foreign power converters when
you travel overseas--to convery say Australia's voltage down to American
voltage.
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keesan
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response 11 of 25:
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Sep 15 20:51 UTC 1998 |
We have the refrigerator plugged into something that claims to regulate the
voltage and save on power usage.
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lilmo
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response 12 of 25:
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Sep 15 23:54 UTC 1998 |
Re #11: What is it? If it would both save on power usage and even out the
voltage, that sounds like someting that would be good for both our computers,
and our budget!!
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keesan
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response 13 of 25:
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Sep 16 00:36 UTC 1998 |
electronic energy saver, it says, it reshapes the sine waves and changes the
voltage depending on the load, the voltage drops when there is no load.
Computers may not draw more power when starting, like refrigerators do.
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rcurl
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response 14 of 25:
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Sep 16 03:40 UTC 1998 |
You better be careful. Motors hate running at reduced voltage. In any
case, if there is no load, why does it matter what the voltage is (short
of doing damage)? What is it called? Sounds like a scam to me.
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n8nxf
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response 15 of 25:
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Sep 16 10:30 UTC 1998 |
It's a power factor controller. It's a device that looks at when the
voltage is at its peak and when the current is at its peak. If the times
coincide, the motor is running most efficiently. If not, the device either
increases or decreases the voltage, using a triac, to keep the two in phase.
They are effective because most induction motors are designed to run in
low voltage situations without burning out. Especially in constant load
situations like refrigerators and freezers. When these motors are run
above this minimum voltage, the power is wasted as heat. These devices
are very effective in situations where an induction motor spends a lot of
time running at no load. They also work pretty well on old refrigerators
and freezers, even though they always run under full load, because these
motors were over built to survive significant declines in line voltage.
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rcurl
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response 16 of 25:
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Sep 16 17:10 UTC 1998 |
Interesting. I don't know what the relation between the power factor
(I/E phase) and the load is for induction motors, but it seems to me
that you want them as out of phase as possible for proper operation
as that is when the power factor is least and the least power is being
consumed at that voltage.
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keesan
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response 17 of 25:
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Sep 16 20:37 UTC 1998 |
Why do old refrigerators always run at full load? And how does the 'soft
start' advertised for a central vacuum cleaner work? It said something about
gradually increasing the voltage, I think. Why?
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scott
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response 18 of 25:
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Sep 16 21:21 UTC 1998 |
This might be a better discussion for the hardware conf, I thinks...
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keesan
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response 19 of 25:
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Sep 16 21:26 UTC 1998 |
Could someone who knows how copy the last few items to another conference -
I thought hardware was mostly computers, so maybe a refrigerator item in
dwellings?
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n8nxf
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response 20 of 25:
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Sep 17 11:12 UTC 1998 |
I will give it a go. Look for the new refrigerator item in the Dwellings
conference area.
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lilmo
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response 21 of 25:
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Sep 22 22:38 UTC 1998 |
But the question remains as to whether this would be something good for our
computers...
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dang
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response 22 of 25:
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Sep 27 18:19 UTC 1998 |
Probably not, as your computer already has a power regulator in it's
power supply. As a matter of fact, mine does all kinds of power
regulation.(However, it's a newer atx, rather than an older at).
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lilmo
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response 23 of 25:
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Sep 29 00:22 UTC 1998 |
I wasn't talking about each individual's computer, but the computers that host
Grex's online community.
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rtgreen
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response 24 of 25:
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Sep 30 02:51 UTC 1998 |
not appropriate for electronic devices. Only works for highly reactive
loads like motors. Resistive loads already draw their current in phase.
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