> Similarly off-topic. I've long wondered why residential HVAC
> systems don't
> have more sophisticated controls like commercial systems -
> thermostats that
> check the outdoor temperature and compensate accordingly. For instance,
> with a big old house in the frozen north, you have to push the
> thermostat up
> a little as it gets colder outside to compensate for the greater
> heat loss,
> and conversely on a warm day you tend to get a little hot if you
> don't drop
> the thermostat a bit. Similar needs in AC weather too.
>
> With today's electronics, it should be simple and cheap to offer a
> thermostat with an outdoor sensor, programmable compensation for
> the amount
> of bias to add with decreasing outdoor temperatures, electronically
> programmable setbacks, etc. etc. For that matter, you might as well throw
> in a hygrometer for outdoor humidity and an anemometer to check wind speed
> and compensate for those factors too.
>
> Easy for me to say..... ;-)
>
> Karl
>
>
> > It tracks how long it takes to warm up to a temperature at the time of
> > day. So if you set it to 70 degrees at 7 AM, it figures out when it
> > needs to start heating so that it will be 70 at 7 AM. Instead of
> > telling it when to start heating, you tell it what temperature to be at
> > what time.
>
I've been using a home automation system called Stargate for @ 12yrs. I
have outdoor and individual room temp sensors. With this system (and some
programming) you have unlimited control. I simply shut down my furnace when
when in an unoccupied or sleep state. I find the furnace is off for @12 hrs
a day, somewhat less on weekends. Never has the temp in the house dropped
below 50 and seldom hit 55. Oh, I live in SE Michigan btw, so it gets
fairly cold. Oops, I do have to take that back, it once hit 45 when away on
a long weekend, low limit to bring on furnace is 40.
Yep, I've saved $$$ over the years, big drop in usage at first, been fairly
steady ever since.
If you want to learn more, see http://www.jdstechnologies.com/. I have an
extra time commander plus if anyone wants to get started!
NFI, not affiliated, just an early adopter.
Safety Fast!
Gordie Bird
'62 MGA
'67 MGBGT
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