Florida Solar Energy Center Study

[Florida Joy]

Dec 2010 FPL = 580 KWH
Dec 2011 FPL = 579 KWH
Dec 2012 FPL = 566 KWH

Month to month comparison won't mean much until April or May when cooling season really gets underway.

Daily high temps in Central Florida are now upper 70's to mid-80's and the threat of "cold snaps" ended on Easter Sunday! So... it's pretty much "cooling season" from now until mid-November! I thought I'd provide an update on historical energy usage at my house as of my April 10th FPL bill.

Bill Date Days kWH $Bill
11/10/2012 30 794 81.05 *3-Ton Greenspeed installed 11/08/2012
11/10/2011 29 811 84.22

10/11/2012 29 1531 161.92 *3.5-Ton Rheem condemned 10/18/2012
10/12/2011 29 1489 159.87

09/12/2012 30 1680 179.09
09/13/2011 34 2081 229.53

08/13/2012 32 2360 257.78 *3.5-Ton Rheem leak repaired 07/31/2012
08/10/2011 28 2064 227.74

07/12/2012 30 1868 200.87
07/13/2011 33 2203 244.11

06/12/2012 33 1741 186.81
06/10/2011 30 1749 190.64

05/10/2012 29 1138 116.80
05/11/2011 29 1438 153.71

04/10/2013 29 910 92.68 *3-Ton Greenspeed (See NOTE)
04/11/2012 30 1119 114.06
04/12/2011 33 870 89.77

03/12/2013 28 594 63.14 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
03/12/2012 31 637 66.21
03/10/2011 28 420 46.64 *Windows open for Spring, 3.5-Ton Rheem off!

02/12/2013 32 604 63.30 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
02/10/2012 29 551 58.15
02/10/2011 29 723 74.59

01/11/2013 31 598 62.79 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
01/12/2012 33 795 81.04
01/12/2011 33 1137 116.60

12/11/2012 31 566 59.64 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
12/10/2011 30 579 61.95
12/10/2010 31 580 61.04

NOTE: 03/30/13 - 04/10/13: Had six family members visiting for Easter and four stayed on to help with garage sale and landscaping the following week. Extra daily baths, showers, dishwasher runs and hair dryer usage, cooking three meals a day, washer/dryer ran almost non-stop. They had all my doors and windows opened with A/C “off” for 12 hours a day while working between outdoors, the garage, the laundry, the kitchen, and cleaning out “junk” in closets. Outdoor temperature and humidity rose into the 80’s, Greenspeed “recovered” about 8 to 10 degrees each evening for sleep time.

[jtrammel]

Thanks for the update joy, hope all is well. Anxious to see how the greenspeed fairs this summer compared to last summer. I know the comfort will be greatly improved but I want to see the real savings so a projected ROI can be computed. Keep us posted as there is nothing like real world evidence of significant monthly savings.

[energy_rater_La]

I'm looking forward to seeing summertime comparisms also.
hoping you save a good bit in summer & have the comfort of
low RH!

thanks for the update.

[dan sw fl]

I would expect kW used to be similar to shown in attached file _IF_ the 2013 weather is close to 2012.

One might notice that about 600 kW per month is not related to Cooling.

[Florida Joy]

FSEC has been monitoring my energy usage for the past 6 months. On Friday, May 17th, they spent the afternoon doing the "shallow retrofit" portion of the study. They replaced all my incandescent light bulbs with either CFL, LED, or CFL/Halogen hybrid bulbs. They wrapped my water heater, cleaned the coils on my fridge, and installed a "smart strip" for my entertainment center to eliminate the "phantom" energy draw from components when the TV is not in use. They offered to replace my 2.5 gpm shower heads with 2.0 gpm low flow shower heads, but I declined. With all the other savings, I don't feel bad about splurging a bit when I jump in the shower!

Here's an update through my last FPL billing as of May 13, 2013. The milder weather this year over last likely has had a positive impact on my energy usage, but I'm convinced the Greenspeed is the major factor contributing to lower bills.

Bill Date Days kWH $Bill
11/10/2012 30 794 81.05 *3-Ton Greenspeed installed 11/08/2012
11/10/2011 29 811 84.22

10/11/2012 29 1531 161.92 *3.5-Ton Rheem condemned 10/18/2012
10/12/2011 29 1489 159.87

09/12/2012 30 1680 179.09
09/13/2011 34 2081 229.53

08/13/2012 32 2360 257.78 *3.5-Ton Rheem leak repaired 07/31/2012
08/10/2011 28 2064 227.74

07/12/2012 30 1868 200.87
07/13/2011 33 2203 244.11

06/12/2012 33 1741 186.81
06/10/2011 30 1749 190.64

05/13/2013 33 928 94.54 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto cooling (no heat needed)
05/10/2012 29 1138 116.80
05/11/2011 29 1438 153.71

04/10/2013 29 910 92.68 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling (See NOTE)
04/11/2012 30 1119 114.06
04/12/2011 33 870 89.77

03/12/2013 28 594 63.14 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
03/12/2012 31 637 66.21
03/10/2011 28 420 46.64 *Windows open for Spring, 3.5-Ton Rheem turned off!

02/12/2013 32 604 63.30 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
02/10/2012 29 551 58.15
02/10/2011 29 723 74.59

01/11/2013 31 598 62.79 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
01/12/2012 33 795 81.04
01/12/2011 33 1137 116.60

12/11/2012 31 566 59.64 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
12/10/2011 30 579 61.95
12/10/2010 31 580 61.04

NOTE: 03/30/13 - 04/10/13: Had six family members visiting for Easter and four stayed on to help with garage sale and landscaping the following week. Extra daily baths, showers, dishwasher runs and hair dryer usage, cooking three meals a day, washer/dryer ran almost non-stop. They had all my doors and windows opened with A/C “off” for 12 hours a day while working between outdoors, the garage, the laundry, the kitchen, and cleaning out “junk” in closets. Outdoor temperature and humidity rose into the 80’s, Greenspeed “recovered” about 8 to 10 degrees each evening for sleep time.

[energy_rater_La]

I thought there would be more savings. but hottest months are ahead of us.
05/13/2013 33 928 94.54 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto cooling (no heat needed)
05/10/2012 29 1138 116.80
05/11/2011 29 1438 153.71
May shows good savings, but I'm interested in june-sept savings
as ours is a cooling climate.

how is comfort Joy? RH%? do you find RH 50% say in april/may
or is it higher? if you are holding 50% RH, are you setting tstat temp higher?

I find at 50% RH in my house that setting tstat on 76 is great,
but when RH creeps up to 55%+ then tstat temp needs to be 72
for comfort.
still playing around with my whole house dehumidifier,
for the most part dehumidification comes from vs air handler.

thanks for sharing your info with us. I hope you'll continue
to do so through the summer into fall.

thanks!

[Florida Joy]

I thought there would be more savings. but hottest months are ahead of us.
05/13/2013 33 928 94.54 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto cooling (no heat needed)
05/10/2012 29 1138 116.80
05/11/2011 29 1438 153.71
May shows good savings, but I'm interested in june-sept savings
as ours is a cooling climate.

LOL! Me too! I'm really anxious to see how much I'll save this summer. If I could speed up time, I would!

how is comfort Joy? RH%? do you find RH 50% say in april/may
or is it higher? if you are holding 50% RH, are you setting tstat temp higher?

I find at 50% RH in my house that setting tstat on 76 is great,
but when RH creeps up to 55%+ then tstat temp needs to be 72
for comfort.
still playing around with my whole house dehumidifier,
for the most part dehumidification comes from vs air handler.

thanks for sharing your info with us. I hope you'll continue
to do so through the summer into fall.

thanks!

For April & May, I kept the daytime temp set at 75* with the %RH max set at 45%. With overcooling to dehumidify, my RH% has been 48-52%, except for the two weeks after Easter when my daughter and the "garage sale crew" kept all the windows and doors open until 8/9 o'clock at night and I had to turn the A/C off! The Greenspeed did recover quite well each evening, however, so that by 11 PM the temperature was right at 72 with about 50% RH.

[energy_rater_La]

don't rush summer...I'm enjoying these weeks prior to 90+ degree days later on!
I haven't got the soaker hoses set up for the vege garden yet!
today it is 98 degrees 68% RH outside
inside it is 76 degrees & 53% RH.
just vs ahu, no dehumidifier.

everyone notices the difference in the RH in
my house, even if they don't know beans about
% of RH.

[dan sw fl]

I thought there would be more savings. but hottest months are ahead of us.
05/13/2013 33 928 94.54 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto cooling (no heat needed)
05/10/2012 29 1138 116.80
05/11/2011 29 1438 153.71

thanks for sharing your info with us. I hope you'll continue to do so through the summer into fall.

thanks!

I have Cooling Degree Days at
CDD 5/2013 311
___ 5/2012 274
___ 5/2011 343

[Florida Joy]

Here's an update through my last FPL billing as of June 12, 2013. I'm thrilled to see my June power bill cut in half over prior years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course, the milder weather this year likely has had a positive impact on my energy usage, but I'm convinced the Greenspeed is the major factor contributing to lower bills.

Bill Date Days kWH $Bill
11/10/2012 30 794 81.05 *3-Ton Greenspeed installed 11/08/2012
11/10/2011 29 811 84.22

10/11/2012 29 1531 161.92 *3.5-Ton Rheem condemned 10/18/2012
10/12/2011 29 1489 159.87

09/12/2012 30 1680 179.09
09/13/2011 34 2081 229.53

08/13/2012 32 2360 257.78 *3.5-Ton Rheem leak repaired 07/31/2012
08/10/2011 28 2064 227.74

07/12/2012 30 1868 200.87
07/13/2011 33 2203 244.11

06/12/2013 30 890 90.99 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto cooling (no heat needed) (See NOTE #2)
06/12/2012 33 1741 186.81
06/10/2011 30 1749 190.64

05/13/2013 33 928 94.54 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto cooling (no heat needed)
05/10/2012 29 1138 116.80
05/11/2011 29 1438 153.71

04/10/2013 29 910 92.68 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling (See NOTE #1)
04/11/2012 30 1119 114.06
04/12/2011 33 870 89.77

03/12/2013 28 594 63.14 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
03/12/2012 31 637 66.21
03/10/2011 28 420 46.64 *Windows open for Spring, 3.5-Ton Rheem turned off!

02/12/2013 32 604 63.30 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
02/10/2012 29 551 58.15
02/10/2011 29 723 74.59

01/11/2013 31 598 62.79 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
01/12/2012 33 795 81.04
01/12/2011 33 1137 116.60

12/11/2012 31 566 59.64 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
12/10/2011 30 579 61.95
12/10/2010 31 580 61.04

NOTE #1: 03/30/13 - 04/10/13: Had six family members visiting for Easter and four stayed on to help with garage sale and landscaping the following week. Extra daily baths, showers, dishwasher runs and hair dryer usage, cooking three meals a day, washer/dryer ran almost non-stop. They had all my doors and windows opened with A/C “off” for 12 hours a day while working between outdoors, the garage, the laundry, the kitchen, and cleaning out “junk” in closets. Outdoor temperature and humidity rose into the 80’s, Greenspeed “recovered” about 8 to 10 degrees each evening for sleep time.

NOTE #2: 06/10/13: My grandson moved in with me, so I'm expecting double the hot showers, dishwasher runs, cooking and washer/dryer usage throughout the summer. Hoping the FSEC retrogrades offset the increased power consumption related to a second resident.

[Florida Joy]

how is comfort Joy? RH%? do you find RH 50% say in april/may
or is it higher? if you are holding 50% RH, are you setting tstat temp higher?

I find at 50% RH in my house that setting tstat on 76 is great,
but when RH creeps up to 55%+ then tstat temp needs to be 72
for comfort.
still playing around with my whole house dehumidifier,
for the most part dehumidification comes from vs air handler.

thanks for sharing your info with us. I hope you'll continue
to do so through the summer into fall.

thanks!

We're into the summer stormy season now, so it's rained every afternoon for the past few days. Today we have dry air coming in from the North, so it's not as humid as usual. Right now the outside temperature is 88 degrees with 72% humidity. My Touchscreen thermostat/humidistat is set for 75 degrees/45% RH. With overcooling, the current inside temperature is 73 degrees with 51% humidity. Quite comfortable! While it runs almost constantly, it rarely ramps up above 40% compressor speed at 350 total cfm!!!!

And it's still so quiet inside and outside that you'd never even know it was running unless you were in a position to see the fan spinning (outside) or the "cooling" notation on the Touchscreen (inside).

[teddy bear]

We're into the summer stormy season now, so it's rained every afternoon for the past few days. Today we have dry air coming in from the North, so it's not as humid as usual. Right now the outside temperature is 88 degrees with 72% humidity. My Touchscreen thermostat/humidistat is set for 75 degrees/45% RH. With overcooling, the current inside temperature is 73 degrees with 51% humidity. Quite comfortable! While it runs almost constantly, it rarely ramps up above 40% compressor speed at 350 total cfm!!!!

And it's still so quiet inside and outside that you'd never even know it was running unless you were in a position to see the fan spinning (outside) or the "cooling" notation on the Touchscreen (inside).

Glad you are happy. Personally, I would prefer 78^F, 45%RH. A properly set up simple a/c with a small whole dehumidifier would provide this using less energy. Less of an investment and lower operating cost.
Also will be interested in hearing about your %RH with cool wet weather. Also many duct systems do not provide uniform air distribution throughout the home during low air flow. Also during the off cycle, interested in observation of the moisture re-evaporation of the moisture on the large coil back into the home.
Keep us posted.
Regards TB

[Florida Joy]

Glad you are happy. Personally, I would prefer 78^F, 45%RH. A properly set up simple a/c with a small whole dehumidifier would provide this using less energy. Less of an investment and lower operating cost.
Also will be interested in hearing about your %RH with cool wet weather. Also many duct systems do not provide uniform air distribution throughout the home during low air flow. Also during the off cycle, interested in observation of the moisture re-evaporation of the moisture on the large coil back into the home.
Keep us posted.
Regards TB

TB, I don't want to sound ungrateful for your advice, or to be argumentative, but I have to quote what I said in an earlier post:

"I don't see how such a unit could be installed near the ahu in my laundry room.... also wouldn't want to add another $15 a month to my electric bill.

I also don't see a need for additional ventilation in my house. Two separate infiltrometer tests have shown that my existing ventilation exceeds the ASHRAE minimum, with duct leakage at less than 5%.

So far, the Green Speed dehumidification has cost me almost nothing! I mean my kWh usage for the 2 months since installation is as low as it's EVER been... less than in ANY prior year duing months when NO A/C or heat was used (usually Dec & Feb)."

Furthermore, I haven't noticed any "re-evaporation back into the home" during the "off cycle". Like I said, the unit runs pretty much all the time on the lowest speed for dehumidification. The fan is set to "auto" so it doesn't blow across the coil when the unit is not cooling or dehumidifying. Therefore, when it's not running, any moisture on the coil drips into the condensate drain and doesn't "re-evaporate".

And lastly, my contractor "tweaked" my ductwork to provide almost perfect airflow distribution throughout the home. I chose him because he was an honest-to-goodness expert who wasn't too "know-it-all" to listen to what I was telling him about my previous airflow imbalance. The unit runs at minimum cfm pretty much all the time and the airflow is balanced from the front guest quarters to the back "add-on" office and everywhere in between throughout my long, narrow floor plan.

I'm really happy!

[dan sw fl]

Glad you are happy. Personally, I would prefer 78^F, 45%RH. A properly set up simple a/c with a small whole dehumidifier would provide this using less energy. Less of an investment and lower operating cost.
Regards TB

LISTENING to the Customer is the Most Important Attribute of a Technician or Salesperson.

COMFORT IS DESCRIBED BY A VAST RANGE OF CONDITIONS. Reference - ASHRAE 55

80'F and 42% R.H. is fine with me
in a Family Room environment or
on a 30 mile bicycle ride.

_ ..... _____ _________ ...
xxxxxxxxxxxx ___ ____ xxxxxxxxxxx

[Florida Joy]

High temperature in Central Florida this afternoon was 96*, yet the Greenspeed is still holding 75*. The inverter did have to ramp up to 75-80% for awhile with about 600-700 total cfm from the air handler, but it's been comfy all day at my house!

Perhaps I could have gotten away with a 2-ton after all, but I'm thrilled that I stuck to my guns and downsized from the old 3.5-ton Rheem to the 3-ton Greenspeed. Most dealers refused to install less than a 4-ton in my 1827sf house!!!!!!

[tedkidd]

High temperature in Central Florida this afternoon was 96*, yet the Greenspeed is still holding 75*. The inverter did have to ramp up to 75-80% for awhile with about 600-700 total cfm from the air handler, but it's been comfy all day at my house!

Perhaps I could have gotten away with a 2-ton after all, but I'm thrilled that I stuck to my guns and downsized from the old 3.5-ton Rheem to the 3-ton Greenspeed. Most dealers refused to install less than a 4-ton in my 1827sf house!!!!!!

Sa WEET!!!

Glad to see that "from great risks comes great rewards" is holding true here. As I recall this was WAY bigger investment than you were first considering. That, when combined with the "downsizing" fear you were being fed by your local guys, meant the decision took huge guts.

(Turns out the 2 ton doesn't really turn down much lower than the 3 ton, so it probably would have only saved the difference in cost, not provided less cycling, more savings, or better comfort.)

[Florida Joy]

Here's an update through my last FPL billing as of July 11, 2013. The hot, humid Central Florida summer season is well underway and I'm extremely pleased with my low electric bills, given that I now have two people living in my home instead of one! Greenspeed is great!

Bill Date Days kWH $Bill
11/10/2012 30 794 81.05 *3-Ton Greenspeed installed 11/08/2012
11/10/2011 29 811 84.22

10/11/2012 29 1531 161.92 *3.5-Ton Rheem condemned 10/18/2012
10/12/2011 29 1489 159.87

09/12/2012 30 1680 179.09
09/13/2011 34 2081 229.53

08/13/2012 32 2360 257.78 *3.5-Ton Rheem leak repaired 07/31/2012
08/10/2011 28 2064 227.74

07/11/2013 29 1204 124.82 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto cooling (no heat needed) (See NOTE #2)
07/12/2012 30 1868 200.87
07/13/2011 33 2203 244.11

06/12/2013 30 890 90.99 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto cooling (no heat needed) (See NOTE #2)
06/12/2012 33 1741 186.81
06/10/2011 30 1749 190.64

05/13/2013 33 928 94.54 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto cooling (no heat needed)
05/10/2012 29 1138 116.80
05/11/2011 29 1438 153.71

04/10/2013 29 910 92.68 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling (See NOTE #1)
04/11/2012 30 1119 114.06
04/12/2011 33 870 89.77

03/12/2013 28 594 63.14 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
03/12/2012 31 637 66.21
03/10/2011 28 420 46.64 *Windows open for Spring, 3.5-Ton Rheem turned off!

02/12/2013 32 604 63.30 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
02/10/2012 29 551 58.15
02/10/2011 29 723 74.59

01/11/2013 31 598 62.79 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
01/12/2012 33 795 81.04
01/12/2011 33 1137 116.60

12/11/2012 31 566 59.64 *3-Ton Greenspeed 24/7 auto heating/cooling
12/10/2011 30 579 61.95
12/10/2010 31 580 61.04

NOTE #1: 03/30/13 - 04/10/13: Had six family members visiting for Easter and four stayed on to help with garage sale and landscaping the following week. Extra daily baths, showers, dishwasher runs and hair dryer usage, cooking three meals a day, washer/dryer ran almost non-stop. They had all my doors and windows opened with A/C “off” for 12 hours a day while working between outdoors, the garage, the laundry, the kitchen, and cleaning out “junk” in closets. Outdoor temperature and humidity rose into the 80’s, Greenspeed “recovered” about 8 to 10 degrees each evening for sleep time.

NOTE #2: 06/10/13: My grandson moved in with me, so I'm expecting double the hot showers, dishwasher runs, cooking and washer/dryer usage throughout the summer. Hoping the FSEC retrogrades offset the increased power consumption related to a second resident.

[tedkidd]

May June July looks like 5390, 4747, 3022

Using 44% less than 2 years ago.

It looks like 4-500 kwh base use? This means for those 3 months, for cooling you went from 3890 to 3247 to 1522 kwh.

61% savings on cooling consumption from 2 years ago. Difference last year was noticeable too, that due to weatherization ya think?

Could weather normalize month to month and year to year. You don't happen to have those numbers in a spreadsheet we can play with by chance?...

Invited Danny Parker, maybe he'll share some thoughts.

[Florida Joy]

May June July looks like 5390, 4747, 3022

Using 44% less than 2 years ago.

Two years ago I lived alone and didn't have visitors or garage sale activity for the May billing period, or a second resident for the July billing period.

It looks like 4-500 kwh base use? This means for those 3 months, for cooling you went from 3890 to 3247 to 1522 kwh.

My best guess for base use would be 500-550 kwh.

61% savings on cooling consumption from 2 years ago. Difference last year was noticeable too, that due to weatherization ya think?

Reduced energy consumption last year was primarily due to me raising the thermostat from 75* to 78* to conserve energy. I wanted it cooler, but the old Rheem couldn't keep up anyway.

Could weather normalize month to month and year to year. You don't happen to have those numbers in a spreadsheet we can play with by chance?...

I don't.

[tedkidd]

Thanks, wow, lot of savings in that thermostat change! Or maybe not, 650 kwh for 90 days of discomfort (?). Looks like $20-25 a month? How uncomfortable was it? Worth it?

Hmmm. The grandson, if you had to guess, 200 kwh add?

When was the weatherization work? Do you recall seeing savings or comfort improvement from that?

Would you say this is meeting your expectations of savings? Do you recall what that expectation was?

Have you had any super hot days where the equipment didn't quite keep the place as comfortable as you would like (trouble keeping up)?

I believe you are becoming somewhat expert in your understanding of RH and dew point. (you might enjoy this http://bit.ly/comfortcalculator)
Are you using the equipment to drive RH down to low target levels? If so, does it allow you to have a higher comfortable temperature setting? (I'm trying to parse out operational strategies that consider managing RH and Mean Radiant Temperatures thereby allowing higher summer and lower winter settings with the same or better comfort, and if there is any meaningful savings opportunity in this thinking. I think you understand what I just said, but if it's gobbledy gook let me know where I failed.)