# O/T You A/C setting.



## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

*O/T Your A/C setting.*

Well, for over the past month or so, it's been 105˚ outside, and 140˚ plus in the attic.
Can anyone explain to me the logic, how setting your AC on 78˚+, as opposed to 70˚
is supposed to conserve energy in this kind of heat? I never set my AC that low anyway,
but some folks get mad at others for not setting the thermostat on 78, why?


----------



## 440s-4ever (Feb 23, 2010)

Yikes man, 140 in the attic? Do you have a powered attic fan?


----------



## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

I think I know what you're getting at ... if the A/C is running constantly then why does it matter what the setting is on the thermostat? I think the conventional wisdom is that a typical A/C unit can produce a 20 degree drop then setting it at a higher temperature setting will allow it to occasionally turn off if the outside air drops to 20 degrees above the thermostat setting. A side benefit of setting your thermostat a bit higher is that your body will acclimate to the higher setting so trips outdoors will be less shocking.

Maybe looking at these pics will make you feel cooler:

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/photos-reunion-1967-1974-canam-cars/


----------



## slotking (May 27, 2008)

dude
it all BS, set it to what you like!
It all part of the BS about global warming. That farce was started so that a select few could make billions on trading carbon credits!

I found it funny that the north pole was shrinking and they said it was due to to man! yet the North pole on mars was shrinking at the same time.



> Simultaneous warming on Earth and Mars suggests that our planet's recent climate changes have a natural—and not a human-induced—cause, according to one scientist's controversial theory.
> 
> Earth is currently experiencing rapid warming, which some of climate scientists says is due to humans pumping huge amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
> 
> Mars, too, appears to be enjoying more mild and balmy temperatures.


Look at the stupid idiots who tell not to run the water when shaving!!!!
?? where does that water go? back to the water treatment plant and then into the Eco system! duh!

I am not running my AC at 61 because the wife pays the bills!
but we will be able to soon, cause we swapped to an energy provider that will allow to have free energy real soon


----------



## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Exactly folks. Thanks for the replies. 
I do have an attic fan, but its just too dang hot here right now.
It's the end of summer, and this can't continue, but, WOW, it's been hot.
If I turn my temp up to 85, the house just warms up to 85 and the ac stays on.
Turn it down to 74, and it acts the same way. All bs. I guess they are selling that 55mph logic.
The wind resistance against your car is less at 55 than 75, that's no lie, but that kind of 
thinking just doesn't work with an ac unit.


----------



## slotking (May 27, 2008)

whats interesting is the lack of information from the media about the hacked emails from the pro global warming scientist who talk about hiding info and lying to the public about false data.

\or that ice core data shows that the warming creates the increase in carbon and not the other way around.


----------



## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Bottom line?*

You can usually get warmer if your cold, but you can't always get cooler when it's hot. You should set your thermostat at what makes you comfortable, tempered by what you can afford to pay the electric company. Setting it higher does use less energy (= lower bill), but doing that doesn't feel cool enough to me either. Setting it lower will cost you more and feels cooler, I like cooler. You might even need a sweater when you come over (don't worry you can borrow one of my wife's that will match yer skirt) but you WILL NOT want for a cool breeze, that I can guarantee you. My AC goes in around late May and comes out early Oct. I don't need to lose sleep laying in bed sweat'n my grundies off due to being too hot... I got enough OTHER problems that cause that. As for the Energy Police who get their noses outta joint when you use YOUR energy the way YOU want to and not the way they say it should be used... well... tell them to tell their story walk'n. When they pay your bill then (and only then) can they have some input as to the allowable ambient temperature inside the 4 walls of your home. btw... Trivia for the day: Did you know that the Energy Police are related (by marriage) to the Livery Police?? lol


----------



## 22tall (Jul 28, 2002)

What requires less ice to keep something cold? A styrofoam cooler or a cardboard box? A house is closer to a cardboard box. A house is endothermic when it's hot and exothermic when it's cold. Put your thermostat at 78 iduring winter and it will cost more than setting it at 72. Blame Newton. Physics was his idea.

Carbon credits is a scam. Businesses that didn't need them got them and then sold them to places that did. Capitalism just doing it's thing. Global warming and cooling is cyclical. No disputing that. The rate at which things are warming is unprecedented. 

Global warming is just one piece of the pollution cesspool we call planet earth. Carbon, sulfer, mercury, dioxins, lead and so on. Pick your poison.


----------



## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

NTxSlotCars said:


> Exactly folks. Thanks for the replies.
> I do have an attic fan, but its just too dang hot here right now.
> It's the end of summer, and this can't continue, but, WOW, it's been hot.
> If I turn my temp up to 85, the house just warms up to 85 and the ac stays on.
> ...


mine's set @ 70o - 73o @ nite,,,,
w/ med issues...i'm going 2B comfy !!!!:thumbsup:

Bubba 123 :wave:


----------



## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

Rich-Feelin' it with ya', bud! Had to poke my head in the attic last week and nearly passed out! We had the same problem at our house. Set the central unit on 75 and it ran all day, staying around 78 or 80 in the house, until WELL after dark before it caught up. Seems most of our houses in this area just aren't insulated well enough and there isn't any way we are going to cool down from 105-108 outside to 75 or lower inside. Our electric was killing us ($700+). I did 2 things: installed a small window unit with a timer in our den with the vaulted ceiling. I had it set to come on @ 3:30 pm and set it to 78 and set the central to 80. That way it was comfortable in the den to watch TV when we got home. When we were ready to go to the bedroom we turned it off. Also installed a small window unit in the bedroom that we would turn on at night...that one I set to about 76. What I noticed was the central unit started actually cycling and our highest bill the last 3 summers has been around $350. 

You guys up north: our problem right now is the reverse of you in the winter...you will see weeks where it never gets above freezing, here we see weeks in the summer where it peaks at 100+ Every Stinkin' Day then NEVER gets below 85 at night. We have set an all time record for highest minimum temps...something like 60+ days now where the low has not gotten below about 84 (and that is around 5 in the morning)...that's the killer, nothing can cool off. Last night I left the 'cave' about 11:00 and the thermometer on the wall said 97...at 11 at night. On top of that we are at 58+ days above 100 this summer. But hey! October’s commin’!!


----------



## SplitPoster (May 16, 2006)

Off for a couple days, so I try to catch up as I can. 

TX and Beastie, I feel your pain. Our heat pump exchanger - evaporator this time of year, right? - is in the attic, which is necessary to route the vents (no basements). When the sun is really hot and the humidity is up it can only do so much. On hot days it runs all the time - no matter where the thermostat is set it can only get down to specific temps, depending on conditions. Where you set the thermostat makes no difference, and it has to work hard to pull the humidity out before it can cool efficiently (Dad - that's me - yells close the front door and don't take a 20 minute shower). I do wind up with a nice size puddle of cold water outside under the drain, cold even after draining through the attic. I hope various reptiles, amphibians, insects and birds appreciate how much it costs to provide that to them. What kills me is when the dryer is running. Not only does it heat the house itself, but that hot wet air that it blows out the duct from inside my house has to be replaced by hot wet air pulled from outside the house - I try to do that at night, as my house won't hold a vacuum for $#!+ LOL. We have a bonus room that never did stay cool, put a freestanding unit up there with a window vent. It really helps. 

I don't think my relatives who lived in PA/Del/Md ever could relate. You don't catch up much when the temps barely get below 80 overnight, the air is thick with moisture, and the sun is still 10 degrees or so higher in the sky than there. We had a front move through last week, got down to around 70 at night and the house cooled/dehumidified so much more quickly. 

I did go through the attic (not at midday) looking for cool spots in HVAC, found that the metal case that houses the coil and fan was not insulated as well as the ductwork, so I put some insulation on it so hopefully the air won't absorb that heat before it gets to me. Also got an infared thermometer a while back, incredibly useful. Found hotter and cooler spots in the house, big temperature range from surface to surface. Useful to find biggest heat offenders.


----------



## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

beast1624 said:


> Rich-Feelin' it with ya', bud! Had to poke my head in the attic last week and nearly passed out! We had the same problem at our house. Set the central unit on 75 and it ran all day, staying around 78 or 80 in the house, until WELL after dark before it caught up. Seems most of our houses in this area just aren't insulated well enough and there isn't any way we are going to cool down from 105-108 outside to 75 or lower inside. Our electric was killing us ($700+). I did 2 things: installed a small window unit with a timer in our den with the vaulted ceiling. I had it set to come on @ 3:30 pm and set it to 78 and set the central to 80. That way it was comfortable in the den to watch TV when we got home. When we were ready to go to the bedroom we turned it off. Also installed a small window unit in the bedroom that we would turn on at night...that one I set to about 76. What I noticed was the central unit started actually cycling and our highest bill the last 3 summers has been around $350.
> 
> You guys up north: our problem right now is the reverse of you in the winter...you will see weeks where it never gets above freezing, here we see weeks in the summer where it peaks at 100+ Every Stinkin' Day then NEVER gets below 85 at night. We have set an all time record for highest minimum temps...something like 60+ days now where the low has not gotten below about 84 (and that is around 5 in the morning)...that's the killer, nothing can cool off. Last night I left the 'cave' about 11:00 and the thermometer on the wall said 97...at 11 at night. On top of that we are at 58+ days above 100 this summer. But hey! October’s commin’!!


have a "Turbine-Vent" installed in attick roof...
uses no elect, but efficient @ lowing attic heat :thumbsup:

Bubba 123 :wave:


----------



## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

Bubba 123 said:


> have a "Turbine-Vent" installed in attick roof...
> uses no elect, but efficient @ lowing attic heat :thumbsup:
> 
> Bubba 123 :wave:


Got 3 of them...does not help when it's this hot!


----------



## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

beast1624 said:


> Got 3 of them...does not help when it's this hot!


yikes!!
need 2 try a thermo-switch elect. vent fan then....
@ least it w/ b same as outside temp....eventually....

Bubba


----------



## Hornet (Dec 1, 2005)

AC what's that,.
You guys just live in the wrong part of the world
We haven't hit 90 yet this summer,:thumbsup:


----------



## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

I would love that! Where you live, Hornet?


----------



## Hornet (Dec 1, 2005)

Little bit North of you guys in Texas
I'm up here in Calgary,Canuckville.
We'll pay this winter though,with 25 below
That's when you really want the insulation:wave:.
Our power bills go up a fair bit in the winter,trying to keep the house above freezing
I haven't used the AC yet in the house this summer,as we've actually had a relatively cool summer up here


----------



## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

I would love to live up in your part of the world but my wife (from New Jersy/Pennsylvania area) says no way will I ever get her back up north again. Just look at your summers as the reward for enduring your winters!


----------



## slotking (May 27, 2008)

Since this is off topic
and energy cost are high

take a look at Cheaper Energy or even Free Energy
for now it only in TX, NY, IL, PA, and MD
More states are coming in.

I have friends who no longer pay for energy costs

yes free gas and/or electric


----------



## Hornet (Dec 1, 2005)

I got a long extension cord,think they'd mind


----------



## Crimnick (May 28, 2006)

The biggest thing to do if you want to save money of cooling the house is to make sure you use a 220v AC unit...(most central air units are 220 already)...

My 220 window unit uses about half the amperage of a 110 window unit...and cools the whole house...

Remember....you dont pay for voltage....you pay for demand....aka amperage...


----------



## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

You pay for watts ... (billable in kilowatts per hour)

watts = voltage X current

Switching to a 220 V compressor motor will save you nothing on your bill from an electrical perspective unless there are other efficiencies involved. 

Now, if everything in your house were setup to run at 220 V you would have less power lost to transmission loss (copper loss) but I doubt this would be significant or measurable for the short wire runs inside a house. Higher voltage would allow for smaller wire sizes, which would be a one time savings at the time of home construction. If you have many very large electric motors in your home that result in a significantly large inductive load you could save some money with power factor correction, assuming the consumption savings exceeds the cost of the power factor correction devices.


----------



## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

the basics still seem to apply. turn off lights when not in use. unplug chargers when not charging. unplug instant on devices when not using. unplug all non-essential items when leaving for a prolonged period of time. 
many electric companies that used to buy from users who produced in some fashion no longer do so. 

I have bought my first LED light bulb and I plan on buying one per week until all my squigly florescents are replaced.


----------



## slotking (May 27, 2008)

> the basics still seem to apply. turn off lights when not in use. unplug chargers when not charging. unplug instant on devices when not using. unplug all non-essential items when leaving for a prolonged period of time.


leave them on! help employ more people!

Stop recycling paper and metal and help feed the children of the lumber jacks and miners:thumbsup:


----------



## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)




----------



## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Bubba 123 said:


> yikes!!
> need 2 try a thermo-switch elect. vent fan then....
> @ least it w/ b same as outside temp....eventually....
> 
> Bubba


 
This can never happen with direct sunlight on a black tar shingle roof.


----------



## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Well folks, it's that time of year again,.... already....
106 yesterday, 105 today so far.
Workin half days just to stay out of the worst of it.

But, hey, it's great for painting. :thumbsup:


----------



## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

Pretty sad when 80 degrees in a house with an iffy AC feels good compared to the outside temp.


----------



## clydeomite (May 5, 2004)

Well here in Southern Colorado we are workin on about our 5th straight day ov 105 or hotter supposed to kool down to 99 this weekend whoo hoo. Oh and everythinbg is on fire too... Poor firefighters it must be brutal dealing with double heat God Bless em all.
Clyde-0-Mite
But hey the Humidity is down to about 10%


----------



## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

You know whats good for that Texas heat............moving north. No stinking heat, spiders the size of small dogs or scorpions.

You guys probably don't know an ice sicker when you see one.


----------



## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

I need to get a summer job up there.


----------



## Jim Norton (Jun 29, 2007)

Since we are Off Topic here I have to ask a question thats been on my mind for a long time...............NTXSlotCars: Is that really a photo of you?! (if not who is it?!)

Thanks,

Jim Norton
Huntsville, AL


----------



## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

That's the most interesting man in the world!!! Stay thirsty, my friend!!


----------



## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Jim Norton said:


> Since we are Off Topic here I have to ask a question thats been on my mind for a long time...............NTXSlotCars: Is that really a photo of you?! (if not who is it?!)


Here are some of my favorites....


























... and a compilation of some older ones ...






This is probably the most interesting link...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Most_Interesting_Man_in_the_World

Here's my real picture.


----------



## SplitPoster (May 16, 2006)

You're a little older than I pictured you Rich, other than that you're exactly as I expected. What an original look, I think it could catch on. 

Heat? We were SUPPOSED to get a low end tropical storm... nice rain. BUT NO, it moved east and instead of rain we get a hot, dry north wind. It felt like Oklahoma here yesterday, 97 and a 25 mph north wind. Or is that Texas too?


----------



## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

sethndaddy said:


> You know whats good for that Texas heat............moving north. No stinking heat, spiders the size of small dogs or scorpions.
> 
> You guys probably don't know an ice sicker when you see one.


I hear you, been trying to convince the wife for 12 years the we need to move to Montana...except they're like Clyde and as hot or worse than we are right now. My daughter lives in Harrisburg. She loves the summers but hates the winters. We were up for a visit this time last year and it sure was nice! I overheard a guy the other day say 'no matter where you live there will be about 3 months of the year that you won't like the weather'. I think he just about pegged it.

And no, I don't know what an ice sicker is.


----------



## tossedman (Mar 19, 2006)

Rick, you read my mind. I was about to ask the same question. And, I don't think we've been much above 24°C. Whatever that in in °F. 80°?


----------



## clydeomite (May 5, 2004)

Well for anyone looking to change locations Pueblo CO has a low cost of living index, 300 days of sunshine per year and low humidity. Plus we now have a slot car facility... I am helping the owner set up a 24th drag strip he wants to put my 4 lane tomy track in it has tracmate and 2 power packs per lane. 45 ft per lap. Also a Ho drag strip too to be full service. slot car emporium. He already has a Ogilve 8 lane 24th tri-oval and has an indoor and outdoor R/C track for those folks...
Think about guys...
Clyde-0-Mite


----------



## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

Clyde
Our company has an office in Golden. They've been trying to get me and the wife up there for the last 2 years. I would do it in a heartbeat but she won't budge. Next time I have to drive up there I'll give you a shout!


----------



## TCR Russ (May 7, 2012)

Sounds like a lot of us are getting too much heat.
Chicago area will go up over a hunnert tomorrow w/ high humidity.

A round of ice sickers for all doesn't sound half bad right about now.


----------



## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

...ok...so inform us Texans who are lucky to see a few flakes fly once every 2 or 3 years...what is an ice sicker? Slang for ice cycle? ...we don't see many of them either.


----------



## clydeomite (May 5, 2004)

Hey Beast: I'm Hundred miles south of Golden/ Denver area. But there is a strong group of Ho racers up there in that area. 2 different groups actually a magnet racing group and a more tradtional group of t-jet/ Mag trac racers. 
I can try to hook you up with them when you travel North. Just let me know& bring your favorite controller.
Clyde-0-Mite


----------



## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

beast1624 said:


> ...ok...so inform us Texans who are lucky to see a few flakes fly once every 2 or 3 years...what is an ice sicker? Slang for ice cycle? ...we don't see many of them either.


Yeah basically...

It came from a Flea-Bag listing for hacked up custom Tyco bikes made into garish theme trikes. "Mr Freeze" was riding one of them and shooting icesickers. Naturally we've been wearing it out ever since.


----------



## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

A goof had a slot motorcycle on fleabay(see ebay craziness thread), and instead of saying ice sickle he said ice sicker. and the way it was quoted was so funny (and look thems icesickers shooting out his fingers).
I was in tears reading this guys auctions, and yes, he is that dumb.


----------



## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

I had a ridge vent installed last month. What a blessing.
Now my garage and attic stay within a few degrees of outdoor temps.
Huge difference inside too. Much cooler.
Hope it works out well in the winter...


----------



## [email protected] (Jan 31, 2010)

Had one warm spell here of about a week and a half where I ran the central air. Lets just say I also had to run the heat in the middle of July as we had 5 night where the low was in the mid to upper 30's and the high was in the upper 50's. It's been an average summer for precipitation but cool as far as temps go.:thumbsup:


----------



## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Wow, in July!!!

We are running our AC on about 78˚ most of the time....

Highs here around 105˚, lows around 82˚.
It's usually around 95˚ around 10pm with my garage at around 98˚.

Comfy...


----------



## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

Nice day today...what a relief! Only got up to 99 so far and mostly cloudy.


----------



## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Dude, the ridge vent. So glad we did this! 98 outside, 94 in the garage!!!


----------



## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

Still sucks that it's 90 out at 2 in the AM


----------



## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

BUT relieve on the way! Hasn't been a really bad summer so far.


----------

