Who's running an aircon while my electricity is out?

[duncan drennan]

Anyone have any idea what kind of an impact it would make if everyone just turned off their aircons?

Hmmm...maybe we can have National No Aircon Day!

[Debbiedle]

This got me thinking.......

We haven't switched aircon on since 14th January and it has been HOT!
We have switched TV's off at buttons as standby also eats power.
We are switching our geyser off for approximately 8 hours a day.
We have cut down on our wash cycle by manually controlling the machine.

What else can we do and how many others are trying to help?

[Dave A]

Anyone have any idea what kind of an impact it would make if everyone just turned off their aircons?

In Durban - I'm not sure there is a strong enough deodorant.

We're hot and humid. Very humid. Without aircon, my office is about 5 degrees warmer than outdoors when the sun is out. After a two hour load shed there is this ripe aroma in my office. I suspect it's me.

Goodness only knows how it would go if I sweated it out for a whole day.

[Chatmaster]

I was surprised to see how much power a tumbledrier uses, so we made some changes for use of our tumbledrier, it now only runs after 10pm. Our aircon is still at the shop so I am using a fan for the time being, but Krugersdorp is one of the coolest places I know of in summer so a fan is good enough. We also switch of the Geyser during the day, but it doesn't help much if no one else is doing the same...

[Dave A]

When it comes to geysers, insulating it properly would help. That aerolite stuff...

The problem with just going "switch off the geyser" is for most people that is during the day. Now they come home after a sticky summer's day and the first thing they do is...

Hmmm. Take a cold shower. But that has other possible side effects for the evening

[SilverNodashi]

get a gas geyer & stove, or even fridge.

The problem is, in spite of the fact that we need to focus on the global warming problem, we need to live. And let's face it, we need to store food,cook, wash cloths, work on PC's / tills / etc.

Also, gas equipment is expensive, but an answer to the problem. Gas geysers are nice, they're hot instantly and running costs are less as well. Gas stoves also cook faster, with less running costs

[duncan drennan]

Without aircon, my office is about 5 degrees warmer than outdoors when the sun is out. After a two hour load shed there is this ripe aroma in my office. I suspect it's me.

I feel your pain. But let's consider the alternatives for a moment.

Which would you rather have, no aircon and no electricity, or just no aircon?

Another alternative would be to run your aircons only on dehumidify, or to make sure that you turn up the temperature as much as is tolerable.

I realise that the concept of removing a comfort is a bit daunting, especially if it is only your office in the whole of Durbs sweating it out, but what are some alternatives? We've got to look at taking a massive load off of the grid. I reckon that aircons probably play a large enough role for us to seriously look at how we use them.

It would be interesting if Eskom/government ran a large advertising campaign for people to turn off their aircons for just one day, what the effect for that day would be. Would we all be hotter, but have electricity? Seems a price that some people would be willing to pay (especially if they are deodorant manufacturers )

[Dave A]

Ah. I was waiting for someone to get into settings and efficiencies.

We set them for 24 degrees. It dehumidifies and takes the edge off, but certainly no fridge.

We've also got insulated ceilings (both the ceiling material and aerolite on top), shopfitted insulated walls, and solar filmed windows.

[duncan drennan]

We've also got insulated ceilings (both the ceiling material and aerolite on top), shopfitted insulated walls, and solar filmed windows.

Nice! I wonder what else could be added to improve the aircons efficiency? What type of windows do you have? Anyone know anything about different types of glass for windows?

[Dave A]

Well - you do get double glazing which would make a big difference - but it being rented property, I'm not running to that kind of irrecoverable expense.

[duncan drennan]

you do get double glazing which would make a big difference

I've been wondering if we'll start seeing properties built differently in the future in SA, using double glazing, correct insulation, and the typical techniques that are used in colder countries. It benefits the user in the summer and winter, especially when using active heating and cooling. I *think* it just gets a bit heavy price wise, which keeps most people (and developers....) away from it.

Cheap electricity is both a boon and a bane when seen from different perspectives.

[irneb]

The basic idea would be to design buildings not to need aircons. A study was done in the late 70's (by CSIR) about what possible things can be done. They've found that if just basic improvements in building design is used (i.e. better insulation, double glazing, orientation to north, roof overhangs, etc.) there are actually very few places in SA which would require AC at all. Some places would need AC only during some months in the year or even just some hours of the day. The biggest requirement would not be cooling, but rather heating - this due to (then) Central Transvaal's freezing temperatures during winter & the greatest proportion of population living there. Places like Natal & Eastern Transvaal (Mapumalanga) were noted as requiring AC during most of summer.

BTW, there's a new "fashion" leaking into SA from European Architecture - it's called Green Building. There's a few sites regarding this (even here in backwards SA). http://www.greenbuilding.co.za/ engineering news

Also, if we can use new developments in alternative energy sources we might get somewhere to "lightening" Eskom's load. For example the solar panels used in Europe are much more efficient than the old stuff sold in SA - even with their cloudy days they get a 30% bigger output than ours on a sunny day. Unfortunately this is EXTREMELY expensive to import - that may have to become a government / Eskom incentive scheme?

There are a few mindsets to using AC efficiently. The one I think might just work in some places is: "Open all windows in the morning to allow the cooled air to instill into the building. Then once the internal temperature's started to increase to the setting at which you've placed the AC, turn it on to keep it there." This could even be controlled by the AC unit itself, but using the fan to supply only fresh air if the outside temp is below the setting. Otherwise the thing's heating in the morning, then cooling at about 10h00 then heating again at around 16h00. Of course this would mean that you'll have to live with colder temps - well you've got extra clothing right?

Also (especially now in Gauteng) we've found unusually low temps for Summer - so turn the AC off - if the temp is to low wear a jacket.

[Dave A]

Some great thoughts there, Irneb. Thanks for sharing them.

For example the solar panels used in Europe are much more efficient than the old stuff sold in SA - even with their cloudy days they get a 30% bigger output than ours on a sunny day. Unfortunately this is EXTREMELY expensive to import...

Is there any particular reason why we can't make them locally?

[irneb]

Yes, we're in a 3rd world country ... sorry that's sarcastic ... of course we could, but it's the mentality of those who have the investment capital which need to be changed before you can buy the rights to manufacture it here.

[seymour7]

The other day my friend was telling me how he loved his aircon, and how he switches it on whenever there wasn't any load shedding, because he loves it so much. Wow, I nearly killed him that day. :P