8 ms·

So you can end up getting charged ~13x the price if you opt-in? No wonder it's not particularly popular.

erichurkman 12y ago
It works really well if you have a programmable thermostat (Nest or otherwise). Particularly if you are at work during the high afternoon temperatures. If you're at home frequently during those periods, or in an area where it does not cool off until 9 pm, it probably does not make sense. A high insulation rating helps, too.
- jamesaguilar 12y ago
  > If you're at home frequently during those periods, or in an area where it does not cool off until 9 pm, it probably does not make sense. Although this is something you have control of as well. For the right amount of money, I can arrange to be out with my friends when it is hottest, then come home later. :)
joezydeco 12y ago
Like I said, I've saved money with the program. If you're not able or motivated to monitor your usage and the current price then yeah, it's not going to work. This is where a more intelligent system than the Nest could be beneficial. I'm not for the power company modulating your use but if you had a system that cooperated locally with your habits I think there's a lot of potential. Nest is 50% there.
- ironchef 12y ago
  I'm on RRTP too. I've saved > 25% using it in the summer. In the summer (for example), I'll crank it down to mid to low sixties overnight (it's pretty cheap) and give it one final kick down to high fifties / low sixties just shy of 6 am. Then set it for 76 or so for most of the day (If it's pretty hot and the temp has drifted up I may do a mid day cooling for a short bit)....then kick things down again at 8 pm or so. You can follow the pricing here: https://rrtp.comed.com/live-prices/?date=20140522 https://rrtp.comed.com/live-prices/?date=20140522 (that's today) or predicted next day: https://rrtp.comed.com/live-prices/predicted-prices/ https://rrtp.comed.com/live-prices/predicted-prices/
  - joezydeco 12y ago
    Preloading the house is definitely a great trick for the hot summer days. I've toyed with the idea of building some kind of thermal storage unit in the basement for the really cheap periods...but it was getting kind of silly. But if you know anyone selling a cheap commercial ice maker I'm all ears.

It works really well if you have a programmable thermostat (Nest or otherwise). Particularly if you are at work during the high afternoon temperatures. If you're at home frequently during those periods, or in an area where it does not cool off until 9 pm, it probably does not make sense. A high insulation rating helps, too.

jamesaguilar 12y ago
> If you're at home frequently during those periods, or in an area where it does not cool off until 9 pm, it probably does not make sense. Although this is something you have control of as well. For the right amount of money, I can arrange to be out with my friends when it is hottest, then come home later. :)

joezydeco 12y ago

Like I said, I've saved money with the program. If you're not able or motivated to monitor your usage and the current price then yeah, it's not going to work. This is where a more intelligent system than the Nest could be beneficial. I'm not for the power company modulating your use but if you had a system that cooperated locally with your habits I think there's a lot of potential. Nest is 50% there.

ironchef 12y ago
I'm on RRTP too. I've saved > 25% using it in the summer. In the summer (for example), I'll crank it down to mid to low sixties overnight (it's pretty cheap) and give it one final kick down to high fifties / low sixties just shy of 6 am. Then set it for 76 or so for most of the day (If it's pretty hot and the temp has drifted up I may do a mid day cooling for a short bit)....then kick things down again at 8 pm or so. You can follow the pricing here: https://rrtp.comed.com/live-prices/?date=20140522 https://rrtp.comed.com/live-prices/?date=20140522 (that's today) or predicted next day: https://rrtp.comed.com/live-prices/predicted-prices/ https://rrtp.comed.com/live-prices/predicted-prices/
- joezydeco 12y ago
  Preloading the house is definitely a great trick for the hot summer days. I've toyed with the idea of building some kind of thermal storage unit in the basement for the really cheap periods...but it was getting kind of silly. But if you know anyone selling a cheap commercial ice maker I'm all ears.