My heatpump is already backed up by NG. It also switches over to NG
when outside temp is about 40F, so why add heatstrips. Rumor has it
that in the next couple of years we are going to net metering of our
electrical use. This means nightime rates will be around 2 or 3 cent
per KWH. This would make electricity cheaper than NG. NG would still
be the cheapest to use during cold days when its not practical to use
the heatpump so I want to keep it especially since I already have it.
Are there existing Tsats that could control a system like this that t
would select the proper heat source according to time of day and
outside temperature.

Jimmie

JIMMIE wrote:

Are there existing Tsats that could control a system like this that t
would select the proper heat source according to time of day and
outside temperature.

Why tie it into your heatpump? If you put the heatstrips on a separate
thermostat that's fed off a timer and program your heatpump correctly you
wouldn't need to tie them together.

On Jan 2, 9:04*pm, Robert Neville wrote:
JIMMIE wrote:
Are there existing Tsats that could control a system like this that t
would select the proper heat source according to time of day and
outside temperature.

Why tie it into your heatpump? If you put the heatstrips on a separate
thermostat that's fed off a timer and program your heatpump correctly you
wouldn't need to tie them together.

Since at least parts of the country has gone to net metering I was
wondering if something was already commercially available to control
this type of 3 source system. My guess is that NG would be the
cheapest to use during peak electrical demand with the heatpump being
more economical during late evening if its not too cold out side with
straight electrical heating late night/ early morning. I can see that
heating your home economically is going to take a very smart control
system. Cooling it is going to be a nightmare involving some serious
lifestyle changes to remain affordable.

Jimmie

"JIMMIE" wrote in message
...
My heatpump is already backed up by NG. It also switches over to NG
when outside temp is about 40F, so why add heatstrips. Rumor has it
that in the next couple of years we are going to net metering of our
electrical use. This means nightime rates will be around 2 or 3 cent
per KWH. This would make electricity cheaper than NG.

Do you really believe that electricity will ever be that cheap. Rates are
not local, it is what your utility or provider has to pay for it when
competing with other utilities. So your rates will be comparable to others,
even to mine, which is not cheap. We used to have the cheapest rates in
North America, now we are in the most expensive category. We were constantly
told that "time of day meters" would give us cheaper electricity. Now that
it is a reality, rates have gone up. Nighttime rates are close to what they
were all the time with daytime, peak time rates much higher. So basically,
what you are paying now, is what you will pay in off hours, the prime time
rates will be much more expensive.

This is the same garbage that was spewed about deregulation of natural gas
and electricity. It did not get cheaper. I used to work for a natural gas
utility, when it contracted for gas it would purchase gas for the next 20
years, this gave stability and predictability to the prices. Now with
customers moving back and forth from provider to provider no one can predict
their customer's needs so the gas is all purchased now on the spot market,
which is premium priced and fluctuates daily and according to season. So
much for cheaper gas. Meddling with what works often creates chaos.

On Mon, 3 Jan 2011 18:09:02 -0500, "EXT" wrote:


"JIMMIE" wrote in message
...
My heatpump is already backed up by NG. It also switches over to NG
when outside temp is about 40F, so why add heatstrips. Rumor has it
that in the next couple of years we are going to net metering of our
electrical use. This means nightime rates will be around 2 or 3 cent
per KWH. This would make electricity cheaper than NG.

Do you really believe that electricity will ever be that cheap. Rates are
not local, it is what your utility or provider has to pay for it when
competing with other utilities. So your rates will be comparable to others,
even to mine, which is not cheap.

Electricity rates vary *widely* across the country, for many reasons.

We used to have the cheapest rates in
North America, now we are in the most expensive category. We were constantly
told that "time of day meters" would give us cheaper electricity. Now that
it is a reality, rates have gone up.

But they would have gone up more! (see: "jobs created or saved") ;-)

Nighttime rates are close to what they
were all the time with daytime, peak time rates much higher. So basically,
what you are paying now, is what you will pay in off hours, the prime time
rates will be much more expensive.

You're contradicting what you said above. Rates *do* vary across the country.

This is the same garbage that was spewed about deregulation of natural gas
and electricity. It did not get cheaper. I used to work for a natural gas
utility, when it contracted for gas it would purchase gas for the next 20
years, this gave stability and predictability to the prices. Now with
customers moving back and forth from provider to provider no one can predict
their customer's needs so the gas is all purchased now on the spot market,
which is premium priced and fluctuates daily and according to season. So
much for cheaper gas. Meddling with what works often creates chaos.

Anyone in the energy business that doesn't buy energy contracts is either
stupid or is in Kalifornika.

On Jan 2, 8:30*pm, JIMMIE wrote:
My heatpump is already backed up by NG. It also switches over to NG
when outside temp is about 40F, so why add heatstrips. Rumor has it
that in the next couple of years we are going to net metering of our
electrical use. This means nightime rates will be around 2 or 3 cent
per KWH. This would make electricity cheaper than NG. NG would still
be the cheapest to use during cold days when its not practical to use
the heatpump so I want to keep it especially since I already have it.
Are there existing Tsats that could control a system like this that t
would select the proper heat source according to time of day and
outside temperature.

Jimmie

I'm not sure that resistive will ever be cheaper than ng. I also
suspect that your air handler is a ng furnace with a A coil added to
it. There is no place for the addition of heat strips in that set
up. It's not like a regular heat pump air handler that has a section
for heat strips. You also do not presently have enough electricity at
the unit to run heat strips. Once you solve that then I am also not
aware of any controls for a 3 way residential unit. But you could
solve the control problem with a timer and a relay. Run the line that
activates the furnace through that timer/relay and then direct the
output to either the ng furnace or the resistive heat.