Greg Bitterling, member services manager and energy advisor at Fulton County REMC, challenges you to another pop quiz.
1. When comparing your electric bill with your neighbor’s bills, please select the questions you should consider.
a. What kind of heat does he have? At what temperature does he set thermostat? Does he use any additional heating sources?
b. How does he heat his water? How many showers does he take in a day? Does he wash his clothes in hot or cold water?
c. How many refrigerators or freezersdoes he have? How old are the units? Are they in a garage that may be 100 F in the summer?
d. All the above and many more!
2. Will running your furnace fan continuously save you money?
a. Only if all your duct work is in a conditioned space and if, as a result of running the fan, you are able to turn up your thermostat in summer and lower your thermostat in winter.
b. Only if it is a high-efficiency fan.
c. Yes, because it will move more air around the house.
d. Yes, because running a fan continuously uses no electricity.
3. If you are in a car or a piece of equipment touching a power line, what should you do?
a. If you cannot safely drive 40 feet away from the power line, stay in the vehicle and call for help, unless you’re in immediate danger because of a fire. If you have to escape, jump out far enough to avoid contacting the vehicle. Keep both feet together and shuffle or hop at least 40 feet away keeping your feet together the whole way.
b. Make sure no one gets within 40 feet of the downed lines.
c. If you’re safe in your vehicle, don’t exit the vehicle until a utility worker determines it’s safe for you to do so.
d. All of the above
4. How can a heat pump be more than a 100 percent efficient?
a. It uses electricity, not gas.
b. It simply transfers heat, rather than burn fuel to create it.
c. It uses a compressor.
d. It is a good player and always gives over a 100 percent on the field.
5. What is the safest way (the only right way) to connect a generator to your house?
a. Use wires that are twice as big as necessary.
b. Have a transfer or double throw switch installed.
c. Be careful not to spill gas when filling the generator.
d. Just move all your appliances out into the yard and plug them directly into the generator.
6. What does LED stand for?
a. Light-emitting diode
b. Light emitted downwards
c. Light-emitting device
d. Large, energetic dog
7. What voltage is present on the power lines of the Fulton County REMC system?
a. 120 volts and 240 volts — same as in your house
b. 7,200 volts on uninsulated lines
c. Amps only, no voltage.
d. None! The wires are there, so birds have a place to land.
Answers: 1=D • 2=A • 3=A
4=B • 5=B • 6=A • 7=B
Well, how did you do?
If you got 7 right, you are a TRUE MEGAWATTER and must have nothing better to do than read my articles!
If you got 6 or 7 right, you are a Megawatter in good standing.
If you got 4 or 5 right, you are a Megawatter in training.
If you got 2 or 3 right, you want to be Megawatter, but you really need to work on it.
If you got 0 or 1 right, you are probably my wife who does not care to read my articles because she has to listen to me babble on about this stuff all the time. (Just kidding, honey!)
Greg Bitterling
Member Services Manager and
Energy Advisor at Fulton County REMC
