Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site cbneb.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!ihnp4!cbosgd!cbscc!cbneb!cwb From: cwb@cbneb.UUCP (Bill Brown) Newsgroups: net.physics Subject: Re: Question about turning heat off Message-ID: <207@cbneb.UUCP> Date: Sat, 25-Feb-84 11:28:31 EST Article-I.D.: cbneb.207 Posted: Sat Feb 25 11:28:31 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 26-Feb-84 04:58:26 EST References: <1259@mhuxl.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus Lines: 18 A situation where it MIGHT cost more to heat up a cool house rather than keeping it warm all day is with an electric heat pump/backup resistance furnace system. Those that work like mine automatically kick in the resistance unit when the house is some amount cooler than the set point. When you turn the set point up to warm up the house the dumb system thinks resistance heat is needed. Because the resistance furnace is much less efficient than the heat pump (at reasonable temperatures) there are probably conditions where more total electricity would be used. This reason would not apply, of course, if you have any other type of system or a more intelligent control system. But there might be other effects (Ideas anyone?). By the way, in very cold conditions, do you have to worry about the house getting too cold for your house plants or, at the extreme, for your water pipes? What is the effect of temperature cycling on the house itself (wall cracking, for example) or on its contents (furniture, elctronic gear)? Bill Brown cbneb!cwb