So Big Brother wants control of my Air Conditioner now?

[SilasSoule]

So I receive this offer from my power company. They will give me and install, free of charge, a programmable thermostat for my Central A/C & Heating unit. I get a web address where I can change settings on my theromostat from any internet connection.

Sounds great right? but the Catch -- I've got to hand over control of my A/C compressor to a company.

"When demand for electricity is at its highest, Peak Saver participants agree to let CPS remotely access their central air conditioners to cycle compressors off for short periods of time-- no more than ten minutes each half-hour-- from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, from May through September.

Cycling generally occurs no more often than it would with an ordinary system-- it just helps CPS manage peak electric demand. The temperature variation is generally no more than 2 degrees."

Now this actually sounds like a good idea to me because no one is home until about 5:30 at our house, that programmable thermostat with internet accesss sounds great, and It may actually be a good idea to better manage the added stresses to rapidly aging power grids. I dunno maybe I'm overracting here, but there is just something about handing over control of the climate of my house to a government or corporation that gives me the creeps.

Anyone else have programs like this? do they work? IS everyone sure we sure they aren't installing listening devices or those teeny tiny cameras in those wall thermostats?


..

[SOteric]

1. For $10 I sent my brother down to the hardware store

and had him install a programmable thermostat on my apartment that the power company has no control over. I don't need the heat on during the days most of the time, but when it's really cold, I don't want the cats to be horribly uncomfortable. I've programmed it to go on in the morning just in time for it to be reasonably warm when I slide out from under the covers, and to heat up just before I get home at night.

It has several programs it can run, so it can turn itself on and off at different times during the week. I set it twice a year when I'm checking the smoke alarm batteries.

[NoPasaran]

2. We have that option in Austin

I will never under any circumstance let any outside agency have control of my thermostat. Not enough juice to go around? Let the Wal Mart shoppers sweat

[Skittles]

3. LOL, in TEXAS ????

NO F***ING WAY.

[alwynsw]

4. Get your own programmable

any idiot with a screwdriver can install it.

[Catshrink]

11. Hey, I resemble that remark!

Actually, I did install my own and one for my parents. It's so nice to have the house warm when I get up. Takes some of the pain out of mornings!

[pmbryant]

5. Actually, this sounds like a good idea

If they violate their promise, you can always rip the thing out and buy your own thermostat right?

But if this kind of voluntary program can help obviate the need for new power lines (or even worse, new power plants), to be built, then I am all for it. I haven't heard of this yet, but I may just try it out.

:-)

--Peter

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. No, I wouldn't do it

I don't think there's anything suspicious or sinister about this - in actuality, I think it's pretty cool that we're to the point that we can help preserve some resources by remotely controlling these things and turning them off when not needed, etc.

But, I wouldn't do it for this reason - you can buy your own controller for a few bucks, and then you don't have to submit to the whims of someone else. I absolutely don't think that the power company would necessarily attempt to screw you on air conditioing (though they will attempt to screw you otherwise), but just for me, I'd rather be in control totally of my own climate. I would imagine that most times, they'd do very well, but I would be afraid that on those really, really hot days, they might not be offering as much air conditioning as I'd need. I hate heat. :-) And also, personally speaking, I'm sure I'd actually use the air conditioner less than they'd be firing up, since I'm not home much.

But in terms of Big Brotherness, I don't see anything like that sitting behind this idea, but I still wouldn't want to trust to it.

[silverlib]

7. I use the program in Austin

Oh, well, so now I guess I am flame bait.

I've had it for two years, and yes, my electric bill went down, but only because of the programmable option, not because the a/c was remotely shut off.

My decision was based on being energy conscious. Big Brother never entered my mind. Perhaps it should have, but so far I haven't lost any more freedom than the average guy. If it's ever been shut down during high usage, I didn't realize it was happening.

Wait, maybe those weren't hot flashes last summer! (just kidding)

[SilasSoule]

8. Anyone know how they do this?

How do they get that remote control? Through a phone line?

..

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. Well, it obviously has to be connected to the internet

Though how, I don't know. I'd assume you'd have to plug a phone line into it, but it's kinda odd that way.

But hell, who knows - it might get its own IP address through the power lines themselves.

Worth asking - not for paranoia, but this engineer would really, really like to know how they hook it up!!

[gbwarming]

13. 2-way paging probably

found a couple that do it that way http://www.cannontech.com/products/dr.asp

The data rate required is really low and they don't need a phone line that way. They could also use the data channel for analog cell phone for the purpose too and I've seen descriptions of methods to send kwh meter data through the phone lines themselves (but the data rates were quite low)

The thermostat wouldn't need to have an internet capability per se - it only has to transmit and receive a few bytes of data back and forth through the paging network to a server somewhere that can handle the fancy web interface.

[Thor_MN]

10. I'd guess that you would need to have an "always-on" internet connection

i.e. DSL, Cable, etc.

[silverlib]

12. Austin is not through the Internet

It has to be in the hookup and wiring to the thermostat. When mine was installed, Internet was not a requirement, although I do not have the capability to control the thermostat on-line. A phone line was not a requirement.

Now I'm curious as to how it works. All I know is how is doesn't work. I signed an agreement saying they could automatically shut it down in high use situations.