Florida Solar Energy Center Study

[Florida Joy]

Several months ago, when my 3.5-ton 1999 Rheem hp condenser started having problems, I discovered that the FSEC was soliciting participants in my county for an energy "study". It sounded like there might be some financial benefits attached to participation (maybe even a new heat pump?), so I submitted an application.

Well, as you all know, my heat pump died in October and after much research, with the help of pro's in this forum, I finally had a 3-ton Carrier Infinity Green Speed installed last week, along with some "tweaking" of existing ductwork. I had already had ductwork sealed and insulation added as a result of an FPL blower door test that I paid for the end of July. And another "free" blower door/infiltrometer evaluation by a contractor hoping to sell me a replacement heat pump.

So guess what? Now I'll get to find out just how well sealed the new ductwork is and how efficient the new heat pump is. I just got word the FSEC selected my home for participation in their study! They'll be here for 4 hours next Wednesday to perform another energy audit and to install energy monitors for selected equipment. My energy usage will be sent to them via wifi throughout the study period (6 months or so).

Should be very interesting. And who knows, there could be a solar hot water heater in my future!

[Shophound]

Sounds interesting and fun. Keep us updated with how this experience goes.

I found the FSEC study on "cool roof" strategies very informative as we were deciding on how to carry out our own cool roof. Sure wish we had a FSEC equivalent here in Texas. That said, a lot of their study results easily carry over here, as much of our state is hot-humid, like Florida.

[teddy bear]

Ask them to monitor CO2 levels.. This will give some estimate of actual air change rates.
Regards TB

[dan sw fl]

Several months ago, when my 3.5-ton 1999 Rheem hp condenser started having problems, I discovered that the FSEC was soliciting participants in my county for an energy "study". It sounded like there might be some financial benefits attached to participation (maybe even a new heat pump?), so I submitted an application.

Well, as you all know, my heat pump died in October and after much research, with the help of pro's in this forum, I finally had a 3-ton Carrier Infinity Green Speed installed last week, along with some "tweaking" of existing ductwork. I had already had ductwork sealed and insulation added as a result of an FPL blower door test that I paid for the end of July. And another "free" blower door/infiltrometer evaluation by a contractor hoping to sell me a replacement heat pump.

So guess what? Now I'll get to find out just how well sealed the new ductwork is and how efficient the new heat pump is. I just got word the FSEC selected my home for participation in their study! They'll be here for 4 hours next Wednesday to perform another energy audit and to install energy monitors for selected equipment. My energy usage will be sent to them via wifi throughout the study period (6 months or so).

Should be very interesting. And who knows, there could be a solar hot water heater in my future!

NO ONE
better to be selected for Study than a brilliant Young Lady _ FLORIDA Joy

BUT FSEC picked the WRONG 6 months.
The heat pump may run 100 hours in the December through February Period and
you won't get to know Anything about summer cooling performance.

[Florida Joy]

Ask them to monitor CO2 levels.. This will give some estimate of actual air change rates.
Regards TB

The homeowner agreement states they will perfom "indoor air quality tests, as applicable at the discretion of UCF/FSEC." To qualify for the study, no gas, oil, or other non-electric appliances are allowed and there's nothing stated in the agreement about CO2 testing. The following is included in the description of the initial energy survey:

"measure the interior temperature and humidity levels, measure interior formaldehyde and total volatile organic compound concentrations, measure the tightness of the building envelope, measure leakage of duct work, measure energy use, and complete a homeowner satisfaction/home operation questionnaire"

[Florida Joy]

NO ONE
better to be selected for Study than a brilliant Young Lady _ FLORIDA Joy

BUT FSEC picked the WRONG 6 months.
The heat pump may run 100 hours in the December through February Period and
you won't get to know Anything about summer cooling performance.

Dan, the young lady on the phone guessed at "6 months or so" when I asked how long the study would last. However, the agreement she sent me to sign actually states the study will last up to 2 years.

Should be very interesting!

[Florida Joy]

Sounds interesting and fun. Keep us updated with how this experience goes.

I found the FSEC study on "cool roof" strategies very informative as we were deciding on how to carry out our own cool roof. Sure wish we had a FSEC equivalent here in Texas. That said, a lot of their study results easily carry over here, as much of our state is hot-humid, like Florida.

While the study will be conducted by FSEC, it was commissioned by Florida Power & Light (FPL). I think FSEC has done a number of studies for entities in other states, including Texas. I'm sure the FSEC would be happy to do a study in your area if your local power company asked. I believe at least some of the funding comes from federal grants from the DOE. You could ask your local power company if they'd be interested in commissioning the FSEC to do a study in your area. As a matter of fact, here's a Sep 2012 FSEC publication that documents their study of homes in San Antonio.

http://fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/...CR-1933-12.pdf

[dan sw fl]

Dan, the young lady on the phone guessed at "6 months or so" when I asked how long the study would last. However, the agreement she sent me to sign actually states the study will last up to 2 years.

Should be very interesting!

I guess I'LL have TO STUDY WITH YOU?!

[teddy bear]

The homeowner agreement states they will perfom "indoor air quality tests, as applicable at the discretion of UCF/FSEC." To qualify for the study, no gas, oil, or other non-electric appliances are allowed and there's nothing stated in the agreement about CO2 testing. The following is included in the description of the initial energy survey:

"measure the interior temperature and humidity levels, measure interior formaldehyde and total volatile organic compound concentrations, measure the tightness of the building envelope, measure leakage of duct work, measure energy use, and complete a homeowner satisfaction/home operation questionnaire"

This will be great. VOC formaldehyde is good. I just completed a year of monitoring a GS.
Regards TB

[dan sw fl]

Program description ... effectiveness of FL Building Codes.

http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/research/...deresearch.htm

[Florida Joy]

Program description ... effectiveness of FL Building Codes.

http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/research/...deresearch.htm

I wasn't aware of that study. Wouldn't qualify anyway... my house was built in 1980. The one I applied for is an FPL retrofit study for 30 homes in Brevard and 30 homes in Dade/Broward counties.

http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/research/...plretrofit.htm

[teddy bear]

While the study will be conducted by FSEC, it was commissioned by Florida Power & Light (FPL). I think FSEC has done a number of studies for entities in other states, including Texas. I'm sure the FSEC would be happy to do a study in your area if your local power company asked. I believe at least some of the funding comes from federal grants from the DOE. You could ask your local power company if they'd be interested in commissioning the FSEC to do a study in your area. As a matter of fact, here's a Sep 2012 FSEC publication that documents their study of homes in San Antonio.

http://fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/...CR-1933-12.pdf

No %RH data. Passive fresh air ventilation, guess it is not important. To bad, wonder why.
Regards TB

[Florida Joy]

No %RH data. Passive fresh air ventilation, guess it is not important. To bad, wonder why.
Regards TB

The stated goals of this Texas study related specifically to energy consumption and peak demand. I'm not surprised that comfort considerations would be outside the parameters of the study.

[Florida Joy]

I wasn't aware of that study. Wouldn't qualify anyway... my house was built in 1980. The one I applied for is an FPL retrofit study for 30 homes in Brevard and 30 homes in Dade/Broward counties.

http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/research/...plretrofit.htm

This may be a follow-on to an earlier study that used only foreclosed properties.

http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publicati...-PF-448-10.pdf

[tedkidd]

REALLY exciting!

[Florida Joy]

NO ONE
better to be selected for Study than a brilliant Young Lady _ FLORIDA Joy

BUT FSEC picked the WRONG 6 months.
The heat pump may run 100 hours in the December through February Period and
you won't get to know Anything about summer cooling performance.

Dan, the young lady on the phone guessed at "6 months or so" when I asked how long the study would last. However, the agreement she sent me to sign actually states the study will last up to 2 years.

Should be very interesting!

November through February there is usually very little heat pump usage (cooling or heating) at my house. Over the past week, the temperature outdoors has varied between 58/59 at night to 80/81 during the day. However, my indoor temperature hasn't moved below 70 or above 73. No need for heating or cooling!

The Green Speed does go into dehumidification mode thoughout the day, but I've been monitoring my meter readings daily and I can tell the energy usage is negligible.

[Florida Joy]

November through February there is usually very little heat pump usage (cooling or heating) at my house. Over the past week, the temperature outdoors has varied between 58/59 at night to 80/81 during the day. However, my indoor temperature hasn't moved below 70 or above 73. No need for heating or cooling!

The Green Speed does go into dehumidification mode thoughout the day, but I've been monitoring my meter readings daily and I can tell the energy usage is negligible.

I've discovered the Infinity Control will only dehumidify (i.e., overcool by 3 degrees) when the system is "idle" in the "cooling" mode. That means if "auto" changeover between heating and cooling is selected, the last heat pump operation has to have been in "cooling" mode or it will not dehumidify until the temp reaches the "cooling" setpoint and the hp switches to "cooling". If the last hp operation was "heating", the hp will sit idle in "heating" mode and no dehumidification occurs until the setpoint for "cooling" is reached.

I see this programming logic as a minor irritant during the "shoulder season(s)" here in Florida, which is pretty much November through February. But it's still a great improvement over my old "on" or "off" 10 SEER 3.5Ton Rheem!

For the time being, I've elected to set the control at 75* for cooling 24/7 and I have the heating set for 70* during the day, 64* from 11pm to 8am (cool sleeping is great), and 68* for "wake-up" time (8am-10am). For the last 2 weeks, it's occasionally been cold enough overnight for the heat to come on briefly at wake-up time, but the house will stay between 70* and 73* during the day so the A/C never comes on. After the occasional morning warm-up, there's no need for heat during the day either.

When it gets to 72/73* in the house, I'd still like to see it dehumidify automatically, but it won't when the last hp event was heating. When I feel the humidity is getting a little high, I actually have to go to the control and switch it from "auto" to "cool" and then back to "auto" so it will dehumidify as needed and still be ready for heat in case it gets cold overnight. It appears this will be a daily task for awhile unless Carrier updates the software sometime in the future. (Sorry, Teddy Bear, but I still have no room nor interest in a whole house dehumidifier.)

[Brent Ridley]

What are you setting your humidity level at? 50% is optimal. In the "winter" months, you shouldn't have much need for dehumidification.

Maybe some of the other experts can chime in who are more keen on dehumification than I.

[Florida Joy]

What are you setting your humidity level at? 50% is optimal. In the "winter" months, you shouldn't have much need for dehumidification.

Maybe some of the other experts can chime in who are more keen on dehumification than I.

Humidity is set for the lowest level possible with the Infinity Control... Home = 45%, Away = 55%. This is Florida, 5 miles from the Atlantic Ocean as the crow flies across the Intracoastal Waterway, so humidity outside during the "winter" stays between 65% and 85% during the day and occasionally gets over 90% at night (foggy morning drive-time is common). Without some form of dehumidification, indoor humidity sometimes reaches 70%. Of course I never realized that until I started monitoring temps and humidity a few months ago!

[Florida Joy]

I forgot to mention that I recently adjusted the auto cooling setpoint from 75* to 72* for "sleep" time (11pm until 8am) to allow for additional dehumidification in the overnight hours. So before I go to bed around 11:30, I also have to make sure the hp is idle in the "cooling" mode so dehumidification will happen. This hasn't been a problem so far, since the indoor temp has never gone below my "sleep" time heating setpoing of 64*.