Load controllers have continued to gain popularity as they are an effective means of forcefully ensuring that your energy usage does not exceed a specific amount at any given time. Energy users that have thought about or own solar power have particularly been made to be aware of the controllers by firms that sell and install solar. This is because it has turned into a somewhat integral component of solar power systems. Before going into the solar aspect of things, let us go back one step to cover the basics of what a controller precisely happens to be in relation to ways to reduce energy usage at home.
There are three basic ways to decrease energy usage at home.
- Produce it yourself via the generation of solar power. Though, you should not forget to decrease your usage before you begin to produce.
- Decrease energy usage at home via energy conservation. Energy conservation involves wearing a sweater during winter instead of turning your thermostat higher, or changing into shorts during summer and being a bit uncomfortable instead of decreasing the thermostat in summer, turning ceiling fans off in empty rooms… these are lifestyle alterations.
- Utilize less energy via energy efficiency. Energy efficiency involves the elimination of waste by sealing ductwork, adding extra insulation in the correct way, buying an extra efficient AC… upgrades that do not alter your lifestyle, they all function behind the scenes together with load controllers to reduce energy bill.
What is a controller?
It’s a device that places a cap on how much electricity your home can use at any given time. They connect directly into your home’s electrical panel and place a limit on the amount of power that the home can draw at any given time. Let us assume that it’s mid-summer and your AC is on full blast, your televisions are on, you begin preparing dinner and turn your electric oven on, and you’re running hot water so the electric water heater is also turned on… all of these loads running simultaneously will send a signal to the controller that your power demand or usage has started to exceed the controller’s rating. It then begins to shed load by turning off your AC and appliances to level your demand or usage off. It’s understandable that this could instantly be a turn off for some homeowners.
Some would think why should the controller turn off their AC during the hottest period of the day, while that is their entire reason for having it in the first place? Well, the controllers aren’t just excellent for utility firms, they are also excellent for your pocket or wallet too (but you must first ask yourself whether you are ready to have your AC shut off during the hottest period of the day during the summer season).
This is all you need to know when it comes to the use of load controllers to decrease the energy usage in your home, and the resultant bills that you pay. Even though there are several and varying ways of decreasing energy usage, this one is quite valuable, effective, and functions in the background.
