CloudACM – Page 45 – Autonomous Computational Machines

Metering electrical service to the home

April 17, 2017 Patrick Gilfeather

This project involves working near and around the electrical service panel. Do not perform these steps unless you are a licensed and qualified electrician. You assume all risk and liability. The information contained here is merely for reference purposes, I do not take any responsibility for the loss of property or life should anyone not follow this warning. Home energy use accounts for 11% of the total energy consumed nation wide. Typically, homes have a variety of energy services provided…

Attic Fan Control

April 10, 2017 Patrick Gilfeather

During hot days, the air in my attic can reach temperatures much higher than the outside. This causes the rest of the house to warm up. As a result, cooling the living space requires more energy. To prevent this, I use gable fans to force the hot air from the attic to the outside. I have two fans, each located either on the east or west side of the house. Each fan has an independent thermostat that engaged the fan…

Space Heater Control

April 3, 2017 Patrick Gilfeather

I’ve got two wall mounted space heaters made by King Electric. They are the Pick-O-Watt series and have a built in thermostat for control. They are easy to install and the option to set the load is useful. Setting the output wattage to match the room they are installed in saves energy. However, they were not centrally controlled. If one was left on, energy was wasted and is potentially dangerous. I wanted to avoid this. First, lets look at how…