Go Back   EcoModder Forum > AltModding > Saving@Home
Register Now
 Register Now
 


Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 06-12-2019, 09:49 PM   #11 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
freebeard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 27,778
Thanks: 7,802
Thanked 8,609 Times in 7,090 Posts
Quote:
I can already hear freebeard typing a link to a dome home :P
I just now found the thread.
Quote:
Would it be a bad idea to block the upstairs return, forcing hot air down the stairwell into the basement return to get the air to mix?
I guess this is the question. I'd need a diagram, but it sounds like you're describing a counterflow arrangement where the fan moves air in the direction opposite it's natural tendency. What would force the air down the stairwell?

__________________
.
.
Without freedom of speech we wouldn't know who all the idiots are. -- anonymous poster

____________________
.
.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 06-13-2019, 12:53 AM   #12 (permalink)
Corporate imperialist
 
oil pan 4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NewMexico (USA)
Posts: 11,187

Sub - '84 Chevy Diesel Suburban C10
SUV
90 day: 19.5 mpg (US)

camaro - '85 Chevy Camaro Z28

Riot - '03 Kia Rio POS
Team Hyundai
90 day: 30.21 mpg (US)

Bug - '01 VW Beetle GLSturbo
90 day: 26.43 mpg (US)

Sub2500 - '86 GMC Suburban C2500
90 day: 11.95 mpg (US)

Snow flake - '11 Nissan Leaf SL
SUV
90 day: 141.63 mpg (US)
Thanks: 270
Thanked 3,528 Times in 2,802 Posts
Yeah providing hvac to the spiders isn't good.

Since I have done split heat pumps I will never install a big central air system in another house. I prefer the split units over the big central air systems.
__________________
1984 chevy suburban, custom made 6.5L diesel turbocharged with a Garrett T76 and Holset HE351VE, 22:1 compression 13psi of intercooled boost.
1989 firebird mostly stock. Aside from the 6-speed manual trans, corvette gen 5 front brakes, 1LE drive shaft, 4th Gen disc brake fbody rear end.
2011 leaf SL, white, portable 240v CHAdeMO, trailer hitch, new batt as of 2014.
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2019, 10:58 AM   #13 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: na
Posts: 1,025
Thanks: 277
Thanked 218 Times in 185 Posts
They make t'stats that will run the blower 15 minutes per hour when it doesn't call for heating or cooling to help even out the temperature in the house.

Last edited by roosterk0031; 06-13-2019 at 11:36 AM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2019, 11:47 AM   #14 (permalink)
Human Environmentalist
 
redpoint5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 12,483

Acura TSX - '06 Acura TSX
90 day: 24.19 mpg (US)

Lafawnda - CBR600 - '01 Honda CBR600 F4i
90 day: 47.32 mpg (US)

Big Yeller - Dodge/Cummins - '98 Dodge Ram 2500 base
90 day: 21.82 mpg (US)

Chevy ZR-2 - '03 Chevrolet S10 ZR2
90 day: 17.14 mpg (US)

Model Y - '24 Tesla Y LR AWD
Thanks: 4,219
Thanked 4,393 Times in 3,366 Posts
I've got an Ecobee I need to install.
__________________
Gas and Electric Vehicle Cost of Ownership Calculator







Give me absolute safety, or give me death!
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to redpoint5 For This Useful Post:
ksa8907 (06-13-2019)
Old 06-13-2019, 02:34 PM   #15 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 1,745

Volt, gas only - '12 Chevrolet Volt Premium
90 day: 38.02 mpg (US)

Volt, electric only - '12 Chevrolet Volt Premium
90 day: 132.26 mpg (US)

Yukon Denali Hybrid - '12 GMC Yukon Denali Hybrid
90 day: 21.48 mpg (US)
Thanks: 206
Thanked 420 Times in 302 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5 View Post
I've got an Ecobee I need to install.
Let us know how you like it. I've been looking for dynamic programmable thermostats but can't decide which one.
__________________




  Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2019, 02:15 PM   #16 (permalink)
Human Environmentalist
 
redpoint5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 12,483

Acura TSX - '06 Acura TSX
90 day: 24.19 mpg (US)

Lafawnda - CBR600 - '01 Honda CBR600 F4i
90 day: 47.32 mpg (US)

Big Yeller - Dodge/Cummins - '98 Dodge Ram 2500 base
90 day: 21.82 mpg (US)

Chevy ZR-2 - '03 Chevrolet S10 ZR2
90 day: 17.14 mpg (US)

Model Y - '24 Tesla Y LR AWD
Thanks: 4,219
Thanked 4,393 Times in 3,366 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by ksa8907 View Post
Let us know how you like it. I've been looking for dynamic programmable thermostats but can't decide which one.
I originally bought the Ecobee4 when I saw it on Slickdeals.net (where I find 90% of the things I buy) and intended it for my rental house. It's unoccupied much of the time, so I figured it made sense to have room occupancy determine if the schedule should run or not.

Since I moved into a house that has both gas heat and AC, I figured I'd just install the new stat here, though I don't want the built in Alexa. There was also something like a $50 utility rebate I received for purchasing it.

Installing the hardware was a breeze. The C (common 24v) wire was sitting in the wall not being used. It was also not hooked up on the control board of the air handler, but stripping the end and connecting it at both the thermostat and air handler ends was simple. 15 minutes to change out the old stat with new.

The horrid part was getting the dam app to work. The t-stat said it connected properly to wifi and registered with Ecobee servers, but the app on my iPhone was asking for the code that was displayed on the Ecobee to pair it. The app wouldn't accept the code saying it was invalid. Online troubleshooting talked about menu items that didn't exist on my Ecobee. Rebooting the T-stat and uninstalling/reinstalling the app didn't help. About 2 hours later I found some obscure and unmentioned menu item on the Ecobee to unregister the device, then run through the setup again which was successful.

I can confirm that simply running the fan and mixing upstairs/downstairs air goes a long way to keeping the upper level cooler, and the lower level warmer. It heated up a couple degrees in the 20 minutes my air handler wasn't running.

There's a couple remote sensors too that can signal heating/cooling to come on. Wish there was a setting that simply ran the blower if the temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs exceeded some limit. At least I can monitor the temperatures and turn the fan on with the app.

Haven't had the unit long enough to say how well I like the other features. Supposedly it works with IFTTT, though I don't know much about that, and I think there's an associated fee.

If I can find an Ecobee3, I'll install that instead, and move the 4 to my rental so they can play with Alexa if they want.
__________________
Gas and Electric Vehicle Cost of Ownership Calculator







Give me absolute safety, or give me death!

Last edited by redpoint5; 06-14-2019 at 05:42 PM..
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to redpoint5 For This Useful Post:
Daox (07-19-2019)
Old 06-14-2019, 05:38 PM   #17 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
freebeard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 27,778
Thanks: 7,802
Thanked 8,609 Times in 7,090 Posts
Quote:
I can confirm that simply running the fan and mixing upstairs/downstairs air goes a long way to keeping the upper level cooler, and the lower level warmer. It heated up a couple degrees in the 20 minutes my air handler wasn't running.
Which would happen automagically in a dome. There, are you happy now?

How does the Ecobee 4 compare to Nest? https://duckduckgo.com/?q=nest+thermostat+security+issues
__________________
.
.
Without freedom of speech we wouldn't know who all the idiots are. -- anonymous poster

____________________
.
.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2019, 05:51 PM   #18 (permalink)
Human Environmentalist
 
redpoint5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 12,483

Acura TSX - '06 Acura TSX
90 day: 24.19 mpg (US)

Lafawnda - CBR600 - '01 Honda CBR600 F4i
90 day: 47.32 mpg (US)

Big Yeller - Dodge/Cummins - '98 Dodge Ram 2500 base
90 day: 21.82 mpg (US)

Chevy ZR-2 - '03 Chevrolet S10 ZR2
90 day: 17.14 mpg (US)

Model Y - '24 Tesla Y LR AWD
Thanks: 4,219
Thanked 4,393 Times in 3,366 Posts
My impression was that Nest is like an iPhone, where it thinks it knows best and is simpler to use, with Ecobee being more similar to Android, with increased complexity and configuration.
__________________
Gas and Electric Vehicle Cost of Ownership Calculator







Give me absolute safety, or give me death!
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to redpoint5 For This Useful Post:
ksa8907 (06-14-2019)
Old 07-19-2019, 02:34 PM   #19 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Elmira, NY
Posts: 1,782
Thanks: 319
Thanked 356 Times in 297 Posts
It's 95 F here today and I opened the door to our full basement (76 F). There are thee window fans blowing out 2nd floor windows. Crude but effective. First floor remains below 80 F with windows closed.
.
  Reply With Quote
Old 07-19-2019, 05:53 PM   #20 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
freebeard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 27,778
Thanks: 7,802
Thanked 8,609 Times in 7,090 Posts
I upgraded my whole-'house'* fan. The new one is 1230cfm. If the door is halfway open (4ft away) and you turn the fan on, it sucks the door closed.

Next step is a fan controller so it doesn't run at full speed. Apparently they're a little more complicated than a light dimmer switch.

*256sq ft

__________________
.
.
Without freedom of speech we wouldn't know who all the idiots are. -- anonymous poster

____________________
.
.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread






Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com