They have done a lot to improve efficiencies of most of those things on your list. The AC and refrigerator, for example, are a lot more efficient today than they were 30 years ago. Back then, 10 SEER was the common AC. Today it's more like 14 and you can get 18 if you want to pay more. The problem is, as you point out, that you can only improve efficiencies so much, it becomes a declining benefit for a lot more cost problem, and you're running up against the limits of physics.
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Bingo. If new technology is good, cost effective, and works, people don't need to be forced to adopt it.
I replaced the GE frontloader with a GE toploader. But, this model did have a real agitator. There were other GE topload models that had a pimple on the bottom of the drum, where the agitator belonged. The sales guy said they will probably all be that way in the future. Don't know what purpose it provides ... probably a picture would have worked just as good.
I noticed you only mentioned COOLING devices. Yes, they have improved somewhat. Much only becuse of better insulation. And they claim some motors are more efficient, and I suppose there is some truth to that. But when it comes to heating devices, there are only so many BTUs in a watt, and it CANT be improved. Heating devices are my biggest drain in cold weather. My elctric bill in winter is at least $200 more than in summer. But I do use an electric space heater almost all the time, because I cant tolerate 55 to 60 deg in the house, and it would use too much propane to heat the whole house to 70deg. I just heat one room with the electric space htr to around 70, and stay in there most of the time.
But I also have heat tapes on pipes, and other heating devices to keep stuff from freezing. And being a farm, I have livestock tank heaters too, and they are a big draw. There is no way around most of this.
A neighbor bought one of those infared space heaters advertised on TV, and said they use much less electric than a conventional "hot coil" type of heater. They have heat lamps (bulbs) inside and a small fan blows the hot air out. She was bragging how efficient they are. Then I was talking to her landlord, who pays the electric bill, and he was bitching about her electric bill doubling in winter...... Once again, you can only get so many BTUs out of a watt of power.
About the only thing I have been able to do with heating devices is to insulate more. Example, water heater blanket, foam insulation around livestock tanks (which dont last long), and more insulation around heat tapes. I also keep my space heater on the LOW setting, an shut it off when I go away.
Pretty soon we'll have to go back to the bucket and scrub board!
Oh well, there are lots of older washers around and they are not that hard to fix. The timers seem to go first in most of them. Every washer I have ever had to junk, because of major issues, always still had a good motor. I always save them..... I had one washer that I used for years with a dead timer. I just had to advance the knob manually, Kind of a pain, but it did the job. The timer was too costly to replace. I finally got another washer from a relative who just wanted a new one, and he old one still worked fine.
It's not mostly insulation. There isn't any insulation that amounts to anything in the typical compressor/condensor unit, ie the typical ventral AC unit. The improvements have come from better compressor designs and better coils.
That's true if it's resistance heat. But that's certainly not a mainstream heating source, never has been. It's not true of heat pumps, which are a form of using electric to heat. There we've made similar gains in efficiency as in AC systems.
Heating devices are my biggest drain in
With propane, that's probably a reasonable option. But with NG, if it cost me $200 more a month in electric to run a space heater for one room, I'd be better off just keeping the whole house at the higher temperatre. I tried the electric space heater approach last winter. Like you found, the electric bill went up substantially, enough that I concluded I'm better off burning NG in my 94% eff furnace. Of course the results will vary, based on the cost of fuels.
I have an infrared heater. It does work and do what it claims to do, but it's the type with a parabolic dish and no fan. It's very good and efficient at heating whatever is right in front of it. By doing that, it's not having to heat the whole room. The drawback is that it's hard to get it pointed where you need it and even then the heat isn't uniform. It's not at all suited to certain needs, like when lying on a sofa watching TV.
Yes, having proper insulation, sealing drafts, can make a substantial difference.
Exactly what I meant. The pimple is just about as worthless as a picture. I don't know if GE still makes them, but the washer I bought has a real agitator and really sloshes the cloths around.
I remember when new products were tested by experts and later by a panel of selected consumers who were paid or given the product free for evaluating it.
It seems the latest trend is to just sell these new things to the public, and let them suffer with poor products.
Just look at all the car recalls, some of which have been deadly. And when it comes to software it's even worse. I've heard many times that when a new operating system is relased, to avoid it for several months until the bugs are worked out. Apparently they're now doing this with appliances too, and even some building materials.
I guess it's not just because we live in the age of greed, but we live in a time when the younger people cant exist without constant upgrades which often do nothing. Then add to that all the stupid laws that keep forcing products to change and often ruins a once good product.
I think you'll find that this is still done today, probably more than it was 50 years ago.
In the case of washing machines, I would think the real problem is govt regulations that limit the amount of water and electricity they can use. It's hard to make a washing machine that works well and uses little water and also make it cost the same as the basic model it replaced. Front loaders use less water, but they have always been more expensive. And they come with their own problems, the stinky door seal being one.
Of course 50 years ago, there were few recalls because the manufacturers could just ignore safety problems. The incidence of actual serious accidents or deaths from those defects is very small compared to the number of cars. I would suspect that 50 years ago those kinds of things were just lost in the noise, considered normal, etc. And the consequnces to the manufacturers was acceptable. They weren't worried about 100 millon dollar lawsuits, the govt hitting them with fines, the laws didn't even exit to cover that. Now if you have some minor problem that affects 100 cars out of a million, it may get recalled.
And
It's hard to believe that greed is any more prevelant today than it was
On Tue, 06 Jan 2015 07:19:03 -0600, snipped-for-privacy@spamblocked.com wrote in
Or even better: skip it entirely unless it a) fixes a feature that you need that is currently broken; or b) provides a new functionality that you want to have. I'm still running WinXPsp3 and nothing since does (a) or (b) for me. Of course, when my hardware dies I will likely be forced to upgrade.
I agree with that last statement. I have a relatively new cell phone that is now a piece of junk. It is a Motorola RAZR M. The latest OS upgrade (actually downgrade) broke the phone. You now only get a few hours out of the battery and it gets so hot that you have to take it out of your pocket. I am not, buy any means a power user. And, Android won't let you go back. Just fix it by buying a new phone. A Verizon guy recently told me to only upgrade a new phone when you buy it and only once after that, because the software is made for the newer more powerful phone and will bog down older hardware. Was he right! Sorry for the soapbox and hijacking.
From what I know, you can go back to a previous version of the Android OS. It may not be trivial to do, but if the phone is that bad, I'd look into it. Some googling should be productive. There are various help and hack forums that can probably guide you.
Did that phone come from the carrier? What do they say? Any chance it's a bad battery issue and just a coincidence?
So far, I haven't had any problems with OS or app upgrades. But, I know what you mean. Google released a new version of news and weather app a few months ago. I like the way the current one works and still haven't let it install the new version, because it's a very different look/feel and I'm not sure how I'll like it. From what I understand, you can go back to the old version, if you can find the image file and self install it.
Regarding software updates, The Fidelity Financial website is almost imposs ible to use compared to the previous version. When I complained to a local Fidelity office worker about the web site, he said that they were getting a lot of complaints. He also said that the new (crappy) website was put in service just a couple of months after Fidelity got an award for the best f inancial website. New and improved NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On Wednesday, January 7, 2015 11:29:49 AM UTC-5, snipped-for-privacy@sbcglobal.net wrot e:
ssible to use compared to the previous version. When I complained to a loc al Fidelity office worker about the web site, he said that they were gettin g a lot of complaints. He also said that the new (crappy) website was put in service just a couple of months after Fidelity got an award for the best financial website. New and improved NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
An example of that drives me nuts is the Microsoft Office Apps. I only use them occasionally. They've gotten to the point where it's almost impossible to do anything because they've changed them so much. I'll be like probably 95% of the users, I don't use any of the advanced features that they have piled on. And they changed the look/feel so much that it's hard to figure out how to do the most basic stuff that I want to do. Maybe the new features and look are great for someone that's a power user and needs them, but it sure has screwed the rest of us.
The only way to go back is to root the phone. And this is not officially allowed by Android/carriers. I actually should have done that, however, there is a risk of bricking the phone. So, it's off to the store for a new phone. I'll be careful this time.
If it's basically unusable as is, and you're probably going to get a new phone anyway, then why does the risk of bricking it to try to fix it matter?
I also assume you went through all the apps, particularly things like GPS, to make sure they aren't on? My Android, in the power settings, you can see what is using the power. Did you try that to see what the power hog is? Like maybe it's not the new OS perse, but somehow some setting got changed in the process, the new OS let's some app run that wasn't previously, etc?
Yes, I virtually killed everything. I even got the service provider involved and he had me do some other things I wasn't aware of. Sometimes it's not too bad, but at other times, it's horrible. Last night it was supposed to get down to single digits. The phone should help keep me warm!
Not sure what to tell you about that phone, and your company, but if the phone is getting that hot, DO NOT USE IT. Just google some stuff about exploding cellphone batteries.
I had a battery explode on a cordless tool once, and it's not just a little bang. There were pieces all over the room, and a chunk of plastic stuck in the skin on my arm, which I had to dig out and bandage. It could have been much worse if it was an eye or ?????
Why not file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau!!!! (you can do it online).
He wants to void the warranty with some kludge because he couldn't buy the washer his wife really wanted. Why not rewind the motor and install an Allison transmission?
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