Save Electric with Air Con Timer

[Mr Bluesky]

If your air conditioning units are set up the same as ours then you'll probably know a short interuption in electric supply ie. power-cut will turn off units needing them to be manually turned back on after power supply resumes. If the electric circuits to each A/C unit could be interupted by a timer for one minute say three times a day 11am, 2pm & 9pm this would ensure the units are not left running all day long or in the evening when guests are out and about. Only a tip, but hope it helps any owners providing rental who are concerned about large electric bills ! 

[tango]

Such a simple idea, saves electricity and the environment. The way electricity is going up every little helps and this idea will reduce bills, particularly where guests leave about 6 units on all day whilst they go out for the day.

[Mr Bluesky]

Simple idea and probably no one notices very short distruption anyway. A/C units cool rooms quickly anyway, so this will save on bills, assist the supply demand to Kalkan and help the environment.

[Rosie]

This sounds a great idea Mr Bluesky. But I'm not a DIY or electrical wizard so forgive the question if it sounds daft, but can you tell me would 1 timer be enough for 5 A/C units? Also, what type of timer - the type that is used for turning lights on/off? If so then I guess each A/C unit requires a separate timer. If that is correct, then my concern is that guests could just unplug the timers!
Rosie

[Mr Bluesky]

Hi Rosie, it's not a daft question at all. You may have seen key cards in hotels which turn off all electric in room when you take out your key card. Well in your villa or apartment you will have a fuse box with probably quite a few trip switches... You will need a local electrician to connect all your A/C circuits via a timer (sounds complicated, but really quite a simple job), you will then have to set timer to switch off/on 2 or 3 times a day just for a minute... You'll need a digital timer to be able to set for just a short period and ideally one that has some type of battery/rechargable battery back-up so all timings keep on time even if Kalkan has genuine power cuts. I would expect to pay no more than £50 for timer and £20/£30 for local electritian. If anyone proceeds please post cost and who did it for you. I am in Kalkan end April / early May, I will update any progress.

[Mr Bluesky]

P.S. it may also be an idea to have timer positioned out of sight or in a small surrounding lockable cupboard to stop guests tampering with it ? 

[Mr Bluesky]

P.P.S.  Please send 50% of any savings to Mr Bluesky c/o Kalkan Bank !  seriously I hope this helps because I have seen our electric bills treble during past 5 years.

[Rosie]

Thanks so much Mr Bluesky for your detailed reply. At last here is a simple solution to a well known problem especially now that the bills have shot up.
It doesn't seem too difficult for the electrician to do so I'll probably go ahead and install it when I'm out in April. It will be such a saving because the A/C units are left on constantly by guests, whether they're in the room or out, and with doors/windows left open. It also drives my villa maintenance man mad when he sees the waste, he can't understand why people cannot follow simple instructions for A/C use - neither can I!
I imagine it would it be better/easier to find an digital timer here in UK
Many thanks
Rosie

[Mr Bluesky]

I have spoke to an electrical supply company in UK regarding timers that have a rechargable back-up (so they don't mess up if Kalkan has a power-cut). Anyone looking to introduce this idea may be interested in the following units which have 1000 hours rechargeable memory back-up

http://www.gil-lec.co.uk/products/Controllers/Timers/Immersion+Heater+Timers/24hr+Electronic+Immersion+Heater+Timer/2241700012

http://www.gil-lec.co.uk/products/Controllers/Timers/Immersion+Heater+Timers/7+Day+Electronic+Immersion+Heater+Timer/1265058777

Although they are described as Immersion Heater Timers I was assured by Paul at the store, they will be fine for controlling air-conditioning circuits. They also have the advantage of being digital and therefore able to turn on/off for just 1 minute (which you can do several times a day - relate to my first post regarding this subject).

I will be in Kalkan end April - beginning May, so I'll be the Guinea-Pig unless someone beats me to it - I'll update then.

[Mr Bluesky]

Another couple of links to the manufacturers website are:

http://www.timeguard.com/products/time/immersion-heater-controllers/etu2000-24-hour-electronic-immersion-heater-timeswitch

http://www.timeguard.com/products/time/immersion-heater-controllers/etu8000-7-day-electronic-immersion-heater-timeswitch

Hope this helps.

[Rosie]

You're a star, such a great help having this info, thanks Mr Bluesky! If I manage to get it all sorted out then I may just beat you to it!

[Speed Freak!]

Hi Bluesky, As an owner and an electrician it is a good idea for cost saving and the enviroment to fit timers to your a/c's and pool pump's, quite how our guests would be able to turn these items back on if required im not to sure?
Obviously you have to lock away the timers and your agent would have to have the key incase access was required to over ride the programme if required, but, if they are not available how would the guest sort the issue of burning up when it's 50 degrees outside?.
As said i totaly agree with the idea but have you thought of how to sort this possible and quite probable issue out without upsetting your guests and them complaining on return, im interested as I would have the same issue!

As for the technical side a usual timer would only be around a 13 amps so you would need to find out what the power usage would be of your paticular A/C, these can differ pending size and output, yes a local Turkish sparky could tell you this on the spot, but if you wish to buy the timers in the UK you would need to know this before hand, maybe if you ask your agent they would check the specification plate which would give you all the info you require and allow you to purchase more than one if required.
You would also need to check the breaker size in the board, the A/c's are possibly only on a ten amp fuse due to wire size so once again more timers and breakers may be required to spread the load!.
A few issues to check I feel befor running out and buying Just One timer!

Sorry if that was boring but sometimes buying things in the Uk dont always end up cost effective when you get there, and am speaking from experience!!!

[fidimax]

what about the things that they use in hotels,you have to put your key fob in a slot to turn on your a/c,if your guests are out they will have the fob with the keys.

[MartynE]

what about the things that they use in hotels,you have to put your key fob in a slot to turn on your a/c,if your guests are out they will have the fob with the keys.

We have them in our apartments and I'm sure they save us a fortune!

[tango]

Speed Freak, I think what Mr Blue Sky is saying that if you set your air con timer to switch off for one minute, the units will not come back on unless you switch them back on. This would save electric with those guests that leave the villa at 9:00am for the day and return at about 4:00pm having left the air con on all day. The same when they go out in the evening. If the temp hits 50 degree and they are in the villa they simply switch it back on.  I think this may work, without annoying your guests

[Mr Bluesky]

Hi Speed Freak, I did take advice from an electrician at the store before purchasing my timers and posting my comment. Hopefully one timer may surfice, if not I have a couple more as back-up which I'm sure will come in useful to friends if not required (from what I can gather one will most probably do the job).

If you are thinking of interupting your A/C ten times a day, then yes I'm sure guests won't be too happy. However I was thinking maybe 3 times, say 11am, 2pm & 9pm, which I don't think will inconvenience anyone other than guests who waste energy and show no respect for the environment or owner - you know as well as me; A/C units chill a room very quickly anyway, so hitting the 'on' button when needed shouldn't cause any great shakes.

[Speed Freak!]

Hi Bluesky, I have been doing a little home work on the timer issue for the air-cons and have included the output figures below, these figures were taken from our units at our villa and are of a standard type and size, these may give you a better idea of how many timers you would require prior to heading out to kalkan, hope it helps and will be interested to read how you get on when you return!.
9200 Btu/h      4.2A  0.92kW
12 500 Btu/h    5.8A  1.28kW
14 500 Btu/h    6.7A  1.46kW
19 000 Btu/h    9.2A  1.95kW
24 500 Btu/h  12.6A  2.67kW


Cheers Speed freak!

[Mr Bluesky]

Hi Speed Freak, interesting... I presume you are a sparky as you appear to know your technical jargon. Looking at the figures you have quoted could you give me an indication how many timers I would need based on the btu/h size units you are quoting

example:

1 x 13A Resistive (3kw), Inductive 6A timer will operate 1 x 24500 btu/h 12.6A  2.67kW Air Con unit ?

1 x 13A Resistive (3kw), Inductive 6A timer will operate 2 x 12500 Btu/h 5.8A  1.28kW Air Con units ?

1 x 13A Resistive (3kw), Inductive 6A timer will operate 3 x 9200 btu/h 4.2A  0.92kW Air Con Units ?

Grateful if you could reply and shed a little more light on this (and confirm if my calculations above sound right) as it would be very helpful to calculate exactly how many timers are required... or in your professional opinion would you fit one timer for each Air Con unit ?  even if you need to purchase 5 or 6 individual timers, I'm sure we could still make a big saving over a relatively short time.

[alantj]

Another way of cuttıng aircon costs ıs replacıng the unit sounds drastıc but can pay off quıte quıckly. If you have an 3-5 year old cheap inificient unit [the sort builders tend to fit unıt as standard unless you specify otherwise] you might be able to more than half your bills by changing to a modern high efficiency unit.   

[kalkanbelle]

If the air con unit has an auto re-start after a power cut wouldn't this defeat the object of having them on a timer as they would just come on again automatically unless they had been switched off?

Don't most air con units have an auto re-start or is it just the new ones?