Recent content by SteveQ

The problem with heating and cooling is that we always heat and cool more than what is really needed. For example, I have a 50 gallon water heater but I hardly ever use 50 gallons of hot water per day (only when we have guests). But I specifically installed a bigger water heater so I could...

This is cool, thanks for finding it. Still requires a lot of changes to my water heater connections but would fit nicely into my current temperature monitoring setup. I'm not sure there would be much benefit for me to try to regulate the hot water temperature. I think my faucets and shower...

I don't have a thermal expansion issue because I have a well and a pressure tank. The large bladder pressure tank can handle the minimum expansion that occurs. I also have " anti hammering" air gaps on all my sinks. These also serve as expansion areas. Steve Q

'Lou Apo' timestamp='1365125428' post='193756']How about this. Put a "T" fitting on your hot water tank outlet. Thread the T fitting in with the long axis up and down so you have a straight shot into the tank from the top. Use the side port for your water to the house. Use the top port to...

'Lou Apo' timestamp='1365169652' post='193783']Just curious, I see no listing for electric heat/heat pump, which I assume means you have NG. Which, if indeed is the case, why don't you use the NG to heat your water? I did not include the whole table. There are 15 more lines which include...

The thread of my original posts from 2009 are still on the board:   http://cocoontech.com/forums/topic/14720-shut-off-water-heater-during-peak-power-times/?p=124717   I am still using this exact same approach. It has worked flawlessly.   Here is a summary of how I monitor and control my hot...

I recently investigated an electric tankless water heater for my house. Unfortunately it would require a major rewire to my water heater. The cost of rewiring and tearing up the walls makes this option somewhat unattractive. I would rather put that money into a geothermal heating system. Steve Q

Ano posted, "SteveQ, how many degrees does the hot water drop when you typically turn it off the hot water? If it is a rather short period of time, and I don't know where you live or where your hot water heater is located, you could be fine, but your savings seem to be totally associated to...

Dan, I will post the details of my water heater control and monitoring system in the next day or two. I'm in the middle of another project right now. Regarding the savings, clearly I don't have 4 years of before and after data. And clearly the savings depends on how much water is used and...

It's been a long time since I posted anything on this forum but I need to comment on this thread. First let me say that I have been controlling and monitoring my electric water heater for the past 4 years. I have 4 years of data and I know how many KWhrs I have used for heating water for every...

I am quite interested in this topic but the whole issue is a dillema for me. I need to get better cameras, but why invest in better cameras to get more pictures of birds and moving branches. So I need to get better software, but why get better software if all the pictures are blurry? I'm still...

Jim, I think you should reconsider your preference for a "wired" solution. I use AppleTVs to wirelessly distribute audio in my house. The sound from the optical out on the AppleTV into a 5.1 surround sound system is stunning! The reliability is outstanding, the installation is simple, and the...

I have a room similar to the one you are constructing but smaller. While under construction, I borrowed a projector and screen (from my work AV department) and tried it out in the room. At night it was OK, but during the day, there is no way you could watch it. So I gave up on the idea of a...

Sorry, I don't know anything about about PC Access. I used it years ago for remote access to my computer. Is this the program you are using? Not sure I understand what you are trying to do? Steve Q

Below is a .vb script that I wrote earlier this year:' This vb.net script will go to www.weather.com and retreive the current humidity and wind chill factor/heat index. ' This script is based on the Homeseer script entitled "Accuweather humidity and wind chill.vb" ' Written on 3/4/2010 by...