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03Lightningrocks wrote:Here ya go wild bill... I'm no chemist but .... I can google foo with the best of them

Freon is actually a brand name for a class of compounds known that contain fluorine, and are gases at room temperature. If the compound also contains the halogens chlorine or bromine, these compounds are known ozone depleters (CFCs, HCFCs, and so on). The fluorine presents no challenge, but the other halogens do. == Free radical chain reactions == For instance, Freon R-12 is CCl2F2. These compounds were commonly used until it was discovered that they can catalytically destroy ozone. Bromine from Halons has a very similar effect. Here is what happens when these man-made molecules are released into the atmosphere: # They mix in the troposphere # They mix into the stratosphere # When exposed to UV light, the C-Cl bond is broken and the free radical Cl. is formed # Cl. reacts with ozone (O3) to form O2 and ClO, another radical. # ClO reacts with O to form O2 and Cl. # Go back to step 4. and the process repeats itself until the Cl is rained out as HCl. It could repeat ozone destruction 10,000 times plus or minus, depending only on other compounds to tie it back up, and UV not to release it again. The net chemical reaction is this: O3 + O --> 2O2 CFC's remain in the atmosphere for something like 50 years, continually destroying ozone. Since they were banned by the Montreal Protocol, they have largely been replaced by similar molecules, but these new ones are less stable. These new molecules are destroyed before they are able to reach the stratosphere, where the protective layer of ozone is found, and do not destroy ozone. Many developing nations continue to use the old dangerous CFC's however. The R12 Freon (for one example of hundreds) refrigerant was phased out due to being a Ozone (O3) destroying / interactive chemical. It was replaced with R134. Since the phasing out of R12, measurements of the Antarctic Ozone layer show that the Ozone is recovering and is therefore cited as a positive change resulting from environmental policy

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_does_Freo ... z1ykFQgXWQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

tacticool wrote:They can have my Freon when they pry it from my cold, cold fingers.

03Lightningrocks wrote:

Winchster wrote:If you are letting the temperature get more than 5 degrees out of your normal comfort zone, then you aren't really saving anything. The amount of time required to move the temp back down is longer, therefore easily offsetting the "savings" of letting it sit. Think of it this way, under x outdoor conditions it takes the unit in your house y minutes to move the temperature 1 degree farenheit. The further you allow the temperature in the house, to get from your comfort zone, the longer it will take to achieve.

smoothoperator wrote:

Winchster wrote:If you are letting the temperature get more than 5 degrees out of your normal comfort zone, then you aren't really saving anything. The amount of time required to move the temp back down is longer, therefore easily offsetting the "savings" of letting it sit. Think of it this way, under x outdoor conditions it takes the unit in your house y minutes to move the temperature 1 degree farenheit. The further you allow the temperature in the house, to get from your comfort zone, the longer it will take to achieve.

If you're going out for two hours, I agree to leave it set the same. I think it you're going out of town for two weeks, you're wasting money by cooling the house while it's empty. The question is where does that line get crossed. 4 days? 4 hours?

Winchster wrote:

smoothoperator wrote:

Winchster wrote:If you are letting the temperature get more than 5 degrees out of your normal comfort zone, then you aren't really saving anything. The amount of time required to move the temp back down is longer, therefore easily offsetting the "savings" of letting it sit. Think of it this way, under x outdoor conditions it takes the unit in your house y minutes to move the temperature 1 degree farenheit. The further you allow the temperature in the house, to get from your comfort zone, the longer it will take to achieve.

If you're going out for two hours, I agree to leave it set the same. I think it you're going out of town for two weeks, you're wasting money by cooling the house while it's empty. The question is where does that line get crossed. 4 days? 4 hours?

In general, I'm referring to the 10 hours or so you're gone while at work. If you are going to be gone for extended periods it's my recommendation to use a setpoint of no more than 85 and leave the unit on. That's what we do in the controls business

03Lightningrocks wrote:

Winchster wrote:

smoothoperator wrote:

Winchster wrote:If you are letting the temperature get more than 5 degrees out of your normal comfort zone, then you aren't really saving anything. The amount of time required to move the temp back down is longer, therefore easily offsetting the "savings" of letting it sit. Think of it this way, under x outdoor conditions it takes the unit in your house y minutes to move the temperature 1 degree farenheit. The further you allow the temperature in the house, to get from your comfort zone, the longer it will take to achieve.

If you're going out for two hours, I agree to leave it set the same. I think it you're going out of town for two weeks, you're wasting money by cooling the house while it's empty. The question is where does that line get crossed. 4 days? 4 hours?

In general, I'm referring to the 10 hours or so you're gone while at work. If you are going to be gone for extended periods it's my recommendation to use a setpoint of no more than 85 and leave the unit on. That's what we do in the controls business

What do you mean by leave the unit on?

WildBill wrote:I have a question that has come up a few times.

I have heard that, in the summer, it is more efficient and economical to keep your house at a temperature slightly above your comfort level rather than to completely turn off the A/C when you aren't home. So when you get home to can turn on the A/C and cool it down faster and more effeciently. True or No? Comments?

03Lightningrocks wrote:I wanted to be sure folks did not misunderstand and think you meant to leave the fan set on. This causes humidity to rise drastically in a house. I would agree with your assertion. I set mine to 86 when I am not home and have it programmed for 78 when I get home.

03Lightningrocks wrote:I wanted to be sure folks did not misunderstand and think you meant to leave the fan set on. This causes humidity to rise drastically in a house.

sjfcontrol wrote:

03Lightningrocks wrote:I wanted to be sure folks did not misunderstand and think you meant to leave the fan set on. This causes humidity to rise drastically in a house.

What would make that happen?