ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Modem operable Thermostats...?

My local power company (Virginia Dominion Power) sent me a letter offering to put one of these in my home, free of cost, so they could help prevent blackouts and brownouts at periods of peak demand! They didn't offer any incentives, though, besides free installation of a fancy new digital thermostat that would ostensibly cut power bills. (Yeah, I'll bet I'll save a LOT of money when they turn my heat down to 60F for me!) I said "Thanks I'll tell my neighbors!" and then shivvered a little just at the thought of people being gullible enough to fall for such a cheap plot, and cranked the heat up a notch. Poco needs to get their ass in gear and just upgrade the overloaded infrastructure and build some more nuclear power plants. They *finally* upgraded the transformers down the street. Sure, they *could* have done it when all these (all-electric-heat/hot water/etc) houses were built, but instead decided to wait until it overload-tripped enough times to blow up the old one and leave us all without power for the better part of a day.

Everyone simultanously cutting their heat really *could* save us from blackouts, but it's the wrong answer.

What we do have here in Cali is a device that SCE will put on your AC that allows them to cut power during peak times if necessary. They give you a discount on your bill (which is pretty decent) for allowing them to install it.

I've had one on my AC for a few years now and have never had it knock down the AC, but I'm at work all day so I wouldn't really know if they had.

It's a little box that attaches on or near the compressor and has a little indicator light on it, and a short run of liquid-tite over to the make-up enclosure on the compressor. Oh, have I been tempted to crack it open and take a look at the components within? You bet ya! But I'm pretty sure my curiosity would cost me, so I'm just guessing it's a remote operated disconnect that can be activated from the office.

Our local school district uses this to control school conditions from the main office.

I have also found the feature useful when tying in an Ansul system to the HVAC.

PG&E used to have that program, not sure if they still do.

well i found another model here>>>>

Proliphix NT10e 1 Heat/1 Cool Programmable Internet Thermostat



i guess they all patch into this>>>>
Proliphix EPA-60 Ethernet Power Adaptor




anyone ever use these? i've never heard of the company....

~S~

They have that brand and a few more at smarthome.com. A lot of features are available.

Can't say anything about them good or bad other than they range in price from affordable to "holy schnikies, you want how much for that thing?"

I discovered these as I'm in the market for a new t-stat that does 2 stage heat and cool. New 14 SEER package unit is sitting in my backyard awaiting installation. New concrete pad, move gas, new feeders and prolly new t-stat wire.