Power Company Controls AC

[BobRip]

I signed up last May for a program where Dominion Power can turn off my AC unit for 15 minutes at a time and then back on for 15 minutes. They then pay you $40 at the end of the season. They connect a box to your AC to do this. I figured that my AC would still run half the time and how often would they really do this. This helps then deal with peak loads and handle green energy variability.

In August (we had been out of town for most of July and August), I noticed that our humidity was high in the house and then that the compressor was not running when the unit was in high speed. I called out my AC guy and after two hours we found that Dominion had disabled high speed. I had the AC guy disconnect the box. Then I called Dominion to reconnect it. I then found out the following.

1. Your use between 11 am and noon is monitored and between noon and 4 pm they give you half of that on time. These times may shift. If it is a cool morning and you do not use AC, then you get no AC in the afternoon.

2. They do this five days a week. Monday thru Friday.

3. They are removing 100's of these a week because of complaints.

4. My AC would run in the less efficient high speed mode a lot more making my overall consumption higher.

I left the control box disconnected. Does anyone else have experience with these.

 

[nikdfish]

We are in Progress Energy's program. Their approach is a little different. They indicate that their system does 10 -15 minute intervals within a 4 hour window on any given day (but no weekends or holidays), for a max of 60 hours of cycling (i.e. 15 days) any given year.

It is strictly a peak use trimming - they say they only activated it 4 times during summer 2010. We noticed it a few times this year when temps in the area were really high. The house temp would rise maybe a degree an hour during the 4 hour block of on/off cycling so it generally didn't get to more than 77 or so ...

I haven't noticed any differences in how the system sounds/runs since the device was installed when cycling is not in effect.

Nick

 

[General Lee]

I don't have what you have, but my electric company offers the same thing. I'm not getting it installed for the reasons you posted. I want to control the comfort of MY house, NOT big brother.

 

[BobRip]

I don't have what you have, but my electric company offers the same thing. I'm not getting it installed for the reasons you posted. I want to control the comfort of MY house, NOT big brother.

I am willing to give them some control, but they changed the contract conditions or did not explain them well at all. They went to the extreme, not just to trim an unusual peak, but to keep all peaks low routinely. My house is extremely well insulated and could easily stand a reasonable reduction. We lost AC for a week in July and the temperature went up about two degrees. We did run a dehumidifier and eventually a small AC.

 

[clemsonfor]

I signed up last May for a program where Dominion Power can turn off my AC unit for 15 minutes at a time and then back on for 15 minutes. They then pay you $40 at the end of the season. They connect a box to your AC to do this. I figured that my AC would still run half the time and how often would they really do this. This helps then deal with peak loads and handle green energy variability.

In August (we had been out of town for most of July and August), I noticed that our humidity was high in the house and then that the compressor was not running when the unit was in high speed. I called out my AC guy and after two hours we found that Dominion had disabled high speed. I had the AC guy disconnect the box. Then I called Dominion to reconnect it. I then found out the following.

1. Your use between 11 am and noon is monitored and between noon and 4 pm they give you half of that on time. These times may shift. If it is a cool morning and you do not use AC, then you get no AC in the afternoon.

2. They do this five days a week. Monday thru Friday.

3. They are removing 100's of these a week because of complaints.

4. My AC would run in the less efficient high speed mode a lot more making my overall consumption higher.

I left the control box disconnected. Does anyone else have experience with these.

We are in Progress Energy's program. Their approach is a little different. They indicate that their system does 10 -15 minute intervals within a 4 hour window on any given day (but no weekends or holidays), for a max of 60 hours of cycling (i.e. 15 days) any given year.

It is strictly a peak use trimming - they say they only activated it 4 times during summer 2010. We noticed it a few times this year when temps in the area were really high. The house temp would rise maybe a degree an hour during the 4 hour block of on/off cycling so it generally didn't get to more than 77 or so ...

I haven't noticed any differences in how the system sounds/runs since the device was installed when cycling is not in effect.

Nick

Not sure i would want my heat pump cutting on and off that often? Are you saying that on a very hot day they cut your AC off after 15 mins then back on for 15 mins then back off? If so this is very inefficient use of it, as it works best continually running. My Ac will run for an hour or more at a time once the programable thermostat clicks to reset to a lower temp.

 

[clemsonfor]

I am willing to give them some control, but they changed the contract conditions or did not explain them well at all. They went to the extreme, not just to trim an unusual peak, but to keep all peaks low routinely. My house is extremely well insulated and could easily stand a reasonable reduction. We lost AC for a week in July and the temperature went up about two degrees. We did run a dehumidifier and eventually a small AC.

How in the world if you lost AC in Virginia this july did your house only go up 2 degrees? You either live in a shaded hollow in the moutains or you keep your AC set to about 82 degrees! I live in SC a bit more southern but i know during that time we had plenty of days touching 100, and im sure virginia did as well. I dont have that good of insulation, barely any at all, but i do have an aunt and cousins who have more modern houses and there is no way in those houses in the summer that their houses would only go up 2 degrees.

Not saying yours didnt just seems strange?

 

[grsthegreat]

Yeiks... now I'm really glad i live in the wilds of north Idaho with hydroelectric power. There is no way id let them connect anything to my a/c and let someone else dictate to me when i can use it and when i cannot just to save $40/yr

 

[clemsonfor]

There is no way id let them connect anything to my a/c and let someone else dictate to me when i can use it and when i cannot just to save $40/yr

Exactly my thoughts when i read it! Plus im not convinced that that is not doing damgae to your A/C system with all the stop start cycles.

 

[Pete Judd]

AC? Turned it on once for 2 hours this summer, don't need it here, and I only have it in my shop. Now, my heating bills are another thing.

 

[DANOCHEESE]

Power company gives us a free water heater they control the heater. Off during peak on at night. It is super insulated. Only noticed once water was warm. If we keep our peak manageable we avoid higher cost. We onyl runt he AC about 15 days a year.

 

[BobRip]

Not sure i would want my heat pump cutting on and off that often? Are you saying that on a very hot day they cut your AC off after 15 mins then back on for 15 mins then back off? If so this is very inefficient use of it, as it works best continually running. My Ac will run for an hour or more at a time once the programable thermostat clicks to reset to a lower temp.

This was my initial understanding, but I was wrong. They measured your usage from 11 am to noon and gave you half of that. So if your air conditioner ran for 15 on and 15 off from 11am to noon, then they would only allow it to run 7.5 on and 22.5 minutes off from noon to 4 pm.

 

[BobRip]

How in the world if you lost AC in Virginia this july did your house only go up 2 degrees? You either live in a shaded hollow in the moutains or you keep your AC set to about 82 degrees! I live in SC a bit more southern but i know during that time we had plenty of days touching 100, and im sure virginia did as well. I dont have that good of insulation, barely any at all, but i do have an aunt and cousins who have more modern houses and there is no way in those houses in the summer that their houses would only go up 2 degrees.

Not saying yours didnt just seems strange?

I agree it seemed strange. However we are in a shaded valley and my walls are insulated concrete forms. They are concrete with foam on the outside and inside, plus brick outside of that. Also our attic insulation is R55. We did have a small window unit towards the end. The thermal mass of the walls plus the concrete is cooled somewhat from being in the ground. Plus the house is super tight.

Edit - this was not this summer, but about 7 years. It was hot, but not like this summer.

 

[BobRip]

Exactly my thoughts when i read it! Plus im not convinced that that is not doing damgae to your A/C system with all the stop start cycles.

Normal operation of an AC unit when it is not real hot can cycle a unit every few minutes. My big issue is that their reference temperature from 11 am to noon will most likely be much colder than later in the day. You may get 10% of your needs and maybe none. Also they force my unit to a less efficient mode.

 

[kenmac]

I signed up last May for a program where Dominion Power can turn off my AC unit for 15 minutes at a time and then back on for 15 minutes. They then pay you $40 at the end of the season. They connect a box to your AC to do this. I figured that my AC would still run half the time and how often would they really do this. This helps then deal with peak loads and handle green energy variability.

In August (we had been out of town for most of July and August), I noticed that our humidity was high in the house and then that the compressor was not running when the unit was in high speed. I called out my AC guy and after two hours we found that Dominion had disabled high speed. I had the AC guy disconnect the box. Then I called Dominion to reconnect it. I then found out the following.

1. Your use between 11 am and noon is monitored and between noon and 4 pm they give you half of that on time. These times may shift. If it is a cool morning and you do not use AC, then you get no AC in the afternoon.

2. They do this five days a week. Monday thru Friday.

3. They are removing 100's of these a week because of complaints.

4. My AC would run in the less efficient high speed mode a lot more making my overall consumption higher.

I left the control box disconnected. Does anyone else have experience with these.

The power co in my area did this several years ago. customers were paid about $20. bucks a year at that time). It didn't work out well with the customers.Most of these boxes were disconnected by HVAC guys after service calls about no A/C. I don't know any in my area that are still in use today. The power co no longer advertise these boxes

 

[whistlepig]

The power company left us with out power this past February for four days with zero degree wind chill. That's about as much power control that I want to give them and do not wish to volunteer for any more.

 

[BobRip]

I don't have what you have, but my electric company offers the same thing. I'm not getting it installed for the reasons you posted. I want to control the comfort of MY house, NOT big brother.

A lot of people agree with you since 100's are dropping out every week. My philosophy is that I would rather they turn off my AC than have to turn off everything. With the public attitude of NIMBY (not in my back yard) power companies have trouble building any kind of power plant. Also if they have solar or wind these can stop generating when a cloud pops up or the wind stops. They cannot control production, so they need a way to control consumption. So what is it, AC off or everything off? Maybe you have better suggestions.

 

[MicroPilot]

Have the power company control the thermostat. A 1 or 2 degree change in the set point would likely result in the same amount of energy saving as turning off the AC for a set amount of time, and maybe wouldn't tick people off as bad.

 

[grsthegreat]

A lot of people agree with you since 100's are dropping out every week. My philosophy is that I would rather they turn off my AC than have to turn off everything. With the public attitude of NIMBY (not in my back yard) power companies have trouble building any kind of power plant. Also if they have solar or wind these can stop generating when a cloud pops up or the wind stops. They cannot control production, so they need a way to control consumption. So what is it, AC off or everything off? Maybe you have better suggestions.

Let the EPA allow more hydroelectric power plants...... thats the ticket. I pay $0.06/kwh with NO peak times or other nonsense. There is enough science now days to allow fish ladders, etc to ease the environmental impact. Hydro is the best green energy source but govt regs have strangled it.

 

[BobRip]

Let the EPA allow more hydroelectric power plants...... thats the ticket. I pay $0.06/kwh with NO peak times or other nonsense. There is enough science now days to allow fish ladders, etc to ease the environmental impact. Hydro is the best green energy source but govt regs have strangled it.

There are not any big sites left. Small sites take the same effort. Also as you said the government and private citizens will stop anything. I guess when the rolling blackouts start we will start doing something.

 

[BobRip]

Have the power company control the thermostat. A 1 or 2 degree change in the set point would likely result in the same amount of energy saving as turning off the AC for a set amount of time, and maybe wouldn't tick people off as bad.

I think that is a much better approach. Technically it may be harder to implement. Of course Dominion is not doing well with their present approach since people are disconnecting so much.