Thermodynamically Speaking: Should I keep my house at a constant temp to save money?

[GammaGlobulin]

Dear Folks,

 

Now is the HOT season.

 

To save money....

 

Should I keep my house at a constant temperature of 22-degrees C.

 

Or, should I let the rooms that I do not use rise to 32-degrees C, and then cool them down, when I want to use them?

 

IMHO, it might be better to just keep the house at 22-degrees C, consistently/constantly, rather than to let the rooms heat up, and then cool them down.

 

Sometimes it takes about 6 hours just to cool down the mass, after it has been heated up for many hours, during the morning and early afternoon hours, when the temps do reach 39-degrees C.

 

I guess you might have your own opinions.

 

BUT....

 

I will now test this and see.

 

I will just keep my house at 22-degrees C, during this hottest part of the year...and....

See what happens to my energy bill.

 

I guess this will not kill me, economically.

 

But, the heat just might.....

 

Thanks,

Gamma

 

Note:  Of course, I live in one of these GD old house which is not insulated....and....

 

I guess.

 

Here in Thailand....

 

Few people have the BRAINS to understand how insulation works....

 

And, I guess, Pluto is no longer considered a planet....

 

Do the guys here in Thailand even know the structure of the solar system, or....EVEN....what might be up in the sky....besides the Sun and the Moon.

 

As I said before.....

 

Most guys here in Thailand have ZERO interest in attending a first-year course at MIT in Astronomy.....

 

But, this ignorance has REAL-WORLD consequences in higher energy costs.....

 

IGNORANCE IS BLISS.....as I always say....because....

 

I SHOULD KNOW....

 

You would not find a person ignorant as I, outside of Thailand.

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

 

You can't always get it as cold as you want....

 

But, if you try so hard.....

 

You can get it to about 20-degrees C when the outdoor temp is 39....

 

 

 

But, how to maintain this temp at a sustainable cost???

 

This is the important question.

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

Some rooms get colder than others, at times...of course...

 

 

16 degrees is a bit cool, during the HOT season in Thailand.

 

Cooling by PANASONIC, of course.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

You need cooling.....

 

 

 

 

Not enough cooling, obviously.

A VERY BAD PERFORMANCE 

 

I prefer cooling ....

By PANASONIC....

 

[GammaGlobulin]

I am not crazy:

 

 

Therefore, it is incumbent upon me to maintain this temperature in my house.

 

If only for scientific purposes.

 

And, hopefully, I will be able to save energy costs by maintaining this temperature, constantly.

 

This is just basic science.

 

And, by the way, what is, really, the meaning of  NIST?

 

 

 

We need to maintain some basic standards around here, in Thailand.

Right?

 

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

As you can see:

 

I am just trying to keep my house at a NORMAL temperature....

 

And nothing....

More or less.

 

 

 

 

[scubascuba3]

3 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

You can't always get it as cold as you want....

 

But, if you try so hard.....

 

You can get it to about 20-degrees C when the outdoor temp is 39....

 

 

 

But, how to maintain this temp at a sustainable cost???

 

This is the important question.

 

 

I had that thermometer, threw it away, it was inaccurate, My Xiaomi one agrees with my Xiaomi air purifier.

 

As for the condo, close the rooms you aren't using, no need to make them cold. 27⁰ suits me 5pm to 4am, other times a breeze blows through 

[SAFETY FIRST]

4 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Should I keep my house at a constant temp to save money?

Most houses built in Thailand are inefficient, gaps in doors and windows, poor ceiling thermal insulation etc.

If you keep the rooms air conditioned your losses are too great, it will be very expensive.

 

Improve your house and its insulation, Double glazed windows, seal gaps doors and windows, roof insulation then you can keep rooms constant temperature. 

[GammaGlobulin]

25 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

other times a breeze blows through 

 

 

Have you ever visited CM during the Smoking Season?

 

The air stinks here....ALL THE TIME.....and....

 

This is the main reason I .... LOVE Chiang Mai.

 

By the way.....

 

Please tell me:

 

When do we get good air, here....?

 

As for whether it is better to maintain a constant temp or to close off rooms and then cool them up, every day....MY GUESS is that....

 

It is better, from an energy perspective to...just never turn off the ACs, and to keep them running.

Try to maintain a constant temp, and this might be the best strategy for saving money due to slight power savings.

 

Or, do you ACTUALLY have any evidence to the contrary?

Because, this is what I was asking for.

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

7 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Most houses built in Thailand are inefficient, gaps in doors and windows, poor ceiling thermal insulation etc.

If you keep the rooms air conditioned your losses are too great, it will be very expensive.

 

Improve your house and its insulation, Double glazed windows, seal gaps doors and windows, roof insulation then you can keep rooms constant temperature. 

 

Can't move to a house which is properly insulated.

 

The walls are built of brick with no insulation on the walls.

 

The windows are single pane glazing.

 

So, who knows....might it be better to just run the ACs to maintain a constant temp....?

 

Or, would it be better to shut off the ACs in the morning, and afternoon, and then try to  cool down the rooms after they have reached 32 degrees?

 

Actually....

I am not so sure which might be better....

However...I am going for the latter.

 

I will just keep the ACs going, 24/7, and set at 22.5 degrees C.

And then, the temp inside the house will remain constant.

 

And then....will this be the better option for saving money on electricity?

 

Certainly, doing this will be better for comfort.

And, no longer will the ACs need to operate at FULL BLAST.

 

They will just keep on cooking.

And, they will maintain the temperature of the mass of the house, including brick walls, at a constant temp....

 

No need to go from 21 degrees to 33 degrees, every day....if you get my meaning.

 

============

 

Proper insulation is almost unheard of here in Thailand.

 

They love the heat, here, and hate the freezing cold during the Cold Season.

 

 

[Lacessit]

I run our aircons at 28 C. Switch off when leaving the room. That saves money.

 

The op could try shedding some clothes, 20C is ridiculous.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

I run our aircons at 28 C. Switch off when leaving the room. That saves money.

 

The op could try shedding some clothes, 20C is ridiculous.

 

 

I think you meant 18C is ridiculous.

 

Because, for me, twenty is just balmy....

 

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

3 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

The op could try shedding some clothes,

 

 

I do not wear clothes in my house.

 

Did you forget?

 

(sometimes a towel)

 

 

[daveAustin]

22 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I run our aircons at 28 C. Switch off when leaving the room. That saves money.

 

The op could try shedding some clothes, 20C is ridiculous.

 

Me too, usually 29. 22 is insane and likely won’t achieve that, so they’ll just be running continuously. It will also seriously dry you out. Each to their own. 

[GammaGlobulin]

12 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

22 is insane and likely won’t achieve that,

 

 

a.  Yes. INSANE

 

b. You are incorrect.  I can achieve this. And, I DO.  Every day.

 

 

[Ralf001]

5 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

You can't always get it as cold as you want....

 

But, if you try so hard.....

 

You can get it to about 20-degrees C when the outdoor temp is 39....

 

 

 

 

 

 

your outside temp is 20.7, not 39.

[GammaGlobulin]

5 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

your outside temp is 20.7, not 39.

 

NO....!!!!

 

The sensor is just on a different part of my desk.

 

Are you....NUTZO?

 

((You are always looking for some way to prove me wrong.  BUT, you never will.  TRY AGAIN....))

 

Anyway...thank you for your interest...because....I have decided to just set all ACs at 22C, and let the chips fall where they may.

 

Except my bedroom AC.

I will turn that down to 18 during sleepy time....

 

And, when I say SLEEPY TIME....I mean...

 

Of Course.....

 

Sleepy Time....

 

 

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

NO....!!!!

 

The sensor is just on a different part of my desk.

 

Are you....NUTZO?

 

((You are always looking for some way to prove me wrong.  BUT, you never will.  TRY AGAIN....))

 

 

 

If you are going to make outlandish claims you should atleast provide factual evidence.

[GammaGlobulin]

4 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

If you are going to make outlandish claims you should atleast provide factual evidence.

 

Or, if I were to make outlandish claims then I should provide OUTLANDISH evidence.....

 

Correct?

 

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

I think you meant 18C is ridiculous.

 

Because, for me, twenty is just balmy....

 

 

 

Because, for me, twenty is just balmybarmy. Fixed it for you.

[Lacessit]

OP, what is your monthly power bill?

 

Mine is 400 baht for the condo, 300 baht for the house, which is not used as frequently.

 

I estimate from my previous two billings at the condo the aircon, used every day in the afternoons and evenings, cost me about 250 baht/month extra. The cost of a massage.

 

Fess up, please.

[Lacessit]

I asked AI the following question:

 

"how much extra electricity is required running an airconditioner at 20 C compared to 28 C with an outside temperature of 40 C in a space of 36 sqm?"

 

Answer:

 

For every degree Celsius you raise your thermostat setting, you can save approximately 3-5% on your air conditioning energy consumption. In your case, the difference between 20°C and 28°C is 8 degrees. This suggests a potential saving of roughly 24-40% in energy consumption by setting the thermostat at 28°C instead of 20°C.

 

Cooling down to 20°C from 40°C requires a much greater effort than cooling to 28°C. The air conditioner's compressor will run for significantly longer periods, consuming substantially more electricity.

 

AI did forget to add the increased wear and tear on an aircon running at 20 C

 

[GammaGlobulin]

34 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

OP, what is your monthly power bill?

 

Mine is 400 baht for the condo, 300 baht for the house, which is not used as frequently.

 

I estimate from my previous two billings at the condo the aircon, used every day in the afternoons and evenings, cost me about 250 baht/month extra. The cost of a massage.

 

Fess up, please.

 

in Baht, you mean?

 

Cold Season...not that much.

 

Hot Season.....Bt.6000.00, or probably more this month.

 

I do my best to contribute to the nonexistent Global Warming situation.

 

But, am I any worse than somebody you might know who travels by his private jet....aboard.....

 

 

 

[rough diamond]

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Or, if I were to make outlandish claims then I should provide OUTLANDISH evidence.....

 

Correct?

 

Why change the habit of a lifetime as that is what you always do! That is if you do bother to provide any so called "evidence" when asked!

[Lacessit]

11 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

in Baht, you mean?

 

Cold Season...not that much.

 

Hot Season.....Bt.6000.00, or probably more this month.

 

I do my best to contribute to the nonexistent Global Warming situation.

 

But, am I any worse than somebody you might know who travels by his private jet....aboard.....

 

 

 

Not biting on the global warming comment.

 

So you happily shell out 6000 baht a month to freeze your nuts off, and then bitch when your chicken breasts cost a couple of baht more?

[GammaGlobulin]

40 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Not biting on the global warming comment.

 

So you happily shell out 6000 baht a month to freeze your nuts off, and then bitch when your chicken breasts cost a couple of baht more?

 

Yes.

 

I will very happily pay a lot of money to PEA....

 

IF only they would provide stable power to me.

 

Also, you are VERY MISTAKEN.....about breasts.

 

I will gladly pay more for chicken breasts if I can buy a few that are not made of rubber, or FLUBBER.

 

 

[KhunLA]

to the title ... I'm kind of partial to 26C, and once at temp, good inverters don't use much electric at all.

[scubascuba3]

6 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

It is better, from an energy perspective to...just never turn off the ACs, and to keep them running.

Try to maintain a constant temp, and this might be the best strategy for saving money due to slight power savings.

Of course it isn't, common sense should tell you that, do some research and come back to the table

[impulse]

46 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

7 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

It is better, from an energy perspective to...just never turn off the ACs, and to keep them running.

Try to maintain a constant temp, and this might be the best strategy for saving money due to slight power savings.

Of course it isn't, common sense should tell you that, do some research and come back to the table

 

From a power cost standpoint, you are correct.  But if you have barely adequate cooling capacity, you may have to leave your AC running all the time to reach and maintain your desired temperature.  I don't know anyone who installs enough cooling capacity to keep a Thai house at 20 C without running all the time.

 

Long story, I once had an apartment in Corpus Christi where I had to leave the AC running when I was at work because if I just turned it on when I got home, the temperature didn't drop until long after my bedtime.  I complained to management and they sent guys over to test the system and told me tough noogies.  It's working fine.  And it was sized according to the prevailing specifications for that size apartment.  That was before programmable thermostats became so common.  Had I been able to turn it on a few hours earlier, it may have been okay.

 

 

[sometimewoodworker]

3 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

I will gladly pay more for chicken breasts if I can buy a few that are not made of rubber

If you contract with a local villager you can get free range chickens, however the chicken breasts will be considerably smaller than the cage farmed chicken you will usually get.