Is the "cool setpoint" the temperature when the air-conditioner goes on? Is the "heat setpoint" the temperature when the heater goes on?
Should the "cool setpoint" temperature be higher than the "heat setpoint" temperature?
It is actually the temperature they go off as the set temperature is met. I know what you mean though, one is for winter heating, the other for summer cooling.
Most thermostats have to be moved from heat to cool so if that is the case, the actual set temperature does not matter. If yours is fully automatic, then yes, the heat is below the cooling number In some industrial applications it is possible to run both heat and AC at the same time to get humidity control.
Hi, Easy to remember this way; cool down to, heat upto the set temp.
Except that most people to save on energy costs will cool up and warm down. A setting of 68-70 in winter will save on heating costs while a setting of
76-78 in summer will save on cooling cost.
Hmmm, My power and NG cost is fixed for long term. Any way is there any one who does not know that? One reason using programmable 'stat is to save energy. I use wireless 'stat. In summer, it moves to upstairs, in winter, it relocates to downstairs.
Hi Tony,
What do mean 'fixed for long term'? I'm locked in for a price per CCF on my gas for the next year, but the electric has yet to get the competition in our area so cost per KWH varies by month. Regardless the unit price, I still pay by how much I consume.
I haven't seen a wireless stat. I'll have go Google that! My stat is located in a hallway where it isn't always indicative of the temp I want in the living space. I have to adjust regularly based on what rooms we're using and the time of day. A wireless sounds like just what I need!
Mark
Don't worry about it...Soon you will get a wireless stat from The Obamalord and the government will decide how warm or cool your home is comrade...
That's the theory at least, however the savings are mostly based on unoccupied times, and for folks who are retired or otherwise always at home, those opportunities don't really exist. Rather similar to hybrid cars getting lousy MPG in areas with high speed roads and little stop and go traffic, the savings opportunities just don't exist.
The only hybrid I have read very detailed info on is the Prius. The EPA mileage is 48 city, 45 highway (EPA gives an idea what mileage is like). Consumer Reports *tests* had a higher highway mileage than city with
44mpg overall. (That is for the old Prius - there is a new 2010 model out - haven't seen much info except mileage is higher.)The Prius does not get "lousy" highway mileage.
The Prius gets high highway mileage because:
- I has a relatively small engine. You don't need high end power often and when it is needed both the gas engine and electric motors are used. The engine operates in a more efficient band.
- The gas engine is a more efficient Atkinson cycle - the intake valves stay open part of the compression stroke making the compression stroke, in effect, shorter than the power stroke. More of the energy is captured on the power stroke. The engine can change the valve timing. I have not seen it explained, but I believe the engine shifts toward a conventional engine when high power is needed.
A Ford Fusion hybrid coming out has the features above - haven't seen details.
bud-- wrote: ...
That doesn't make much (any?) sense; that "overall" is lower than either EPA...
...
and it's driving a toy.
I just recently finished a 3000 mi round-trip excursion to/from NC which included crossing the Smoky Mtn's both ways. The 300M did >32 overall in far more comfort and more stuff in it that could have put in a Prius w/o piling it on top or pulling a trailer, either of which would really improve the mileage I'm sure. :)
This is a '99 approaching 100k, not even new and sports the "touring package" which doesn't include the hemi but is geared slightly lower for more responsiveness than the stock version.
What mileage driven would it take to even break even $-wise, what more come out ahead irrespective of the comfort factor???
--
Yes, it does. The EPA MPG numbers have been far from accurate for most vehicles for a long time, and not in one particular direction either. They are of only marginal value to give you an idea of what MPG class a vehicle might fall into, and not useable to compare vehicles within the same class.
That brings up several points that the hybrid-ego folks try to ignore:
- The hybrid vehicles they tout as wonderful (though not all hybrid vehicles) are typically tiny little glorified golf carts that while great for the limited uses of urban commuting, have little value or applicability outside an urban setting.
- The cost of maintaining a second vehicle in order to have the capability to do all the tasks that a tiny hybrid isn't up to will more than eliminate any savings from the tasks that the tiny hybrid can be used for.
- There are smaller conventional IC only cars that are far more capable than the tiny hybrid cars, and get nearly as good mpg as the hybrids do under the most hybrid favorable driving conditions, and do so in all driving conditions and without any of the limitations of the tiny hybrids, and in many cases can eliminate the need for a second more capable vehicle saving significant $$$.
I agree with Pete. EPA is not noted for exactly representing reality. A couple years(?) back the EPA formula was changed to better represent reality. It also depends on what the assumptions are for what 'normal' driving is.
It is not particularly small. A lot of cars have similar space inside (or less). My kid and his wife have a couple cars and the space is similar. It is a hatchback which increases cargo volume over a regular car. Acceleration is reasonable. I think the 2010 Prius model is a little larger (with higher gas mileage).
Consumer Reports recently rated one of the Prius models as lowest cost to own. It was based on purchase price, resale price, cost to operate, insurance (I may have missed some factors).
That bit about resale price is where most all of these attempts to calculate a TCO for these vehicles fall flat. I have never resold a vehicle, I operate them and maintain them for a long service life. The TCO claims for the hybrids may be reasonable for people who replace their vehicles every few years, but they do not represent an accurate TCO for those of us who expect 10 years or better service life from a vehicle.
Boy did you guys get off-topic!
Back to the OP's question on set-back thermostats - My parents, both retired, had one and used it much the same way my wife and I use ours, even though they were home during the day while we use ours while we are at work. They set it cooler at night when in bed, warm things up just before they get up so it is comfortable while they are getting dressed, and sitting around reading the paper and eating breakfast. They set it back during the middle of the day when they are more active, and then warm it back up some in the evening while eating dinner and watching TV. Seems reasonable that it is working in much the same why ours is when we aren't home.
Hi. My KWh and Gigiajoule rate won't change next 5 years.
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