Heat Pump and power consumption

[LD1]

I have an ecobee.

I too like it.

But dont understand the idea of it saving energy?

It is "supposed" to have algorithms that learn your habits (time vs temp and rollbacks, etc)

But I just set it where I am comfortable. a simple finger swipe to raise or lower a few degrees, or swipe all the way down to lower it to my minimum setting......when I go away. Which is 65. Usually keep it 67-68 at night....and 69-70 when home.

So not sure how it saves me money.

but a few reasons I choose the ecobee.....
It is WIFI, meaning I download their app and I can control the t-stat from my phone. If I turn it down to 65 when away.....I can turn it up an hour or so before I get home. No big deal here as many t-stats have this feature.

One thing it had that others didnt was the ability to control the second stage on my geothermal. Meaning when it comes on or goes off. Alot of other t-stats didnt have this. Had basic setting where you could choose mild, moderate, or agressive for temp control. Agressive meaning 2nd stage runs more as it tries harder (and quicker) to get to the setting you put it at. Or mild where it wont try too hard or run second stage unless 1st stage just flat cannot keep up. Them moderate somewhere in between.

The ecobee gives me alot more control. I can choose a degree swing before 2nd stage kicks in.....like if I call for more than a 3* change.....just forget 1st stage and go right to second. Or I can choose a time....like if 1st has ran for more than 90 min then go ahead and use second stage, etc.

Same way with temp swing. Alot of t-stats wouldnt let this change. ecobee can,

 

[kcflhrc]

I keep our heat set on 68 day and night with a Heat Pump. I don't really see a need to change the temperature wildly when I'm at work. As others have stated a heat pump has a hard time with those big changes in settings without using aux heat, whether it be propane, heat strips or what. We also use a small space heater in the living room to take off the chill if needed. I also use a Honeywell WiFi Thermostat that can be controlled via an app or through Alexa. However, I rarely change it when I'm away. I also use the Honeywell outside temperature probe instead of the sensor in the outside unit, it gives you a truer reading of outside temp.

 

[MacLawn]

LD1, it saves money because I can turn it down from anywhere in the world. Then, turn it back to comfortable a few hours before we get back. It save alright.

 

[LD1]

LD1, it saves money because I can turn it down from anywhere in the world. Then, turn it back to comfortable a few hours before we get back. It save alright.

I understand that. But there are MANY MANY wifi thermostats out there that allow this.

The ecobee claims it is better than the rest because of its "learning" habits over time. That is what I dont buy into.

I choose the ecobee because it gave me the greatest control over my equipment. AND.....I forgot to mention earlier......I can go online and see run-time charts. See just how long my system runs in a given day or month or whatever. And being wifi....connected to web......I can also correlate that runtime to whatever outdoor temps (and wind speeds) were at the time.

Dont know my actual numbers....but for example....I can look and see that at 30* outside and 10mph wind......my unit will run for say 40 minutes then shut off for 30, back on for 40, etc.

At 20 degrees and 10mph wind......maybe on for 50 off for 20........or if wind is only 5mph.....maybe on for 45 off for 25...

Alot more information at my fingertips than the average person probably cares about or even understands. But I like it.

But the "learning algorithms"....that save even more........not really sold on all that jazz

 

[lman]

I like the ecobee because you can view the runtime from your computer and see how long second stage is running vs. first stage. My geothermal ran with out using auxiliary when it was -18 earlier this winter and second stage was running non stop for most of the day.

 

[LD1]

I like the ecobee because you can view the runtime from your computer and see how long second stage is running vs. first stage. My geothermal ran with out using auxiliary when it was -18 earlier this winter and second stage was running non stop for most of the day.

Sound like your system is sized about perfectly

 

[ultrarunner]

I installed a Johnson Control Optimum Start/Stop system in the Hospital about 20 years ago...

It controls 24 devices... a large 100% outside air built up unit and numerous package units, etc...

The optimum start/stop "Learns" when the unit has to start depending on desired in door temp relative to outside temp.

When it is 100 outside the unit may never shut off because it has learned to maintain the indoor temp it can't.

On Fridays I might have it programmed to shut down or go to after hour temp at 5 pm... but the unit will stop cooling or heating as much as 30 to 40 minutes prior if it has "Learned" the desired temp will be still met at 5 pm... so it coasts into closing time.

It really does work very well and changing Holiday Schedules are a breeze...

Where it really shines is in diagnostics... it will show real time supply and exhaust air... which allows me to zero in of a problem...

 

[dragoneggs]

I'm still goofing around with my Nest. I have mine set to 68deg day and 62 at night. My wife and I do not have a regular home/away schedule but it recognize when our phones leave and are getting close to home and it turns on/off between 62/68 based on phone GPS. I can set the ECO setting to whatever.

I am sitting in my hotel room a 1000 miles away and just took this screen shot of some history. Still digesting. I have a heat pump and air handling system. No idea yet on setting for ultimate efficiency.



Yes, I can also control my thermostat remotely or change program, yada, yada, yada.

 

[LD1]

I'm still goofing around with my Nest. I have mine set to 68deg day and 62 at night. My wife and I do not have a regular home/away schedule but it recognize when our phones leave and are getting close to home and it turns on/off between 62/68 based on phone GPS. I can set the ECO setting to whatever.

I am sitting in my hotel room a 1000 miles away and just took this screen shot of some history. Still digesting. I have a heat pump and air handling system. No idea yet on setting for ultimate efficiency.

View attachment 537250

Yes, I can also control my thermostat remotely or change program, yada, yada, yada.

I assume the orange bars mean its running?

Anyway to see how long it ran for....other than guessing by how long the bar is?

How far back can you view historical data? just the 5 days shown?

Is it a single stage or two stage system? And if 2, does it indicate something different when second stage comes on?

 

[dragoneggs]

I assume the orange bars mean its running?

Anyway to see how long it ran for....other than guessing by how long the bar is?

How far back can you view historical data? just the 5 days shown?

Is it a single stage or two stage system? And if 2, does it indicate something different when second stage comes on?

I'm still trying to figure out just what I have... and whether I set up the thermostat right. On a plane heading home so more detail later. But to answer your question on the graph... no this is all the detail I get... at least on Nest.com online. I have data from yesterday going back to the 16th. I have the schedule set at 68 at 9am and 62 at 10pm.

In the evening we turn on our propane fireplace insert so that is the reason for lack of heating activity then.