NationStates Jolt Archive

California is proposing revisions to it's building codes that will allow the "State" to control your home thermostat. You will not be able to override this as long as it is in state control. This of course is all in the name of energy conservation. Question is does the State of California or any other government entity have a right to come into your home and mess with your thermostat and then tell you you can't do anything about it? Is this another step to the Big Brother state? What's next a device on cars that disables it if you drive over an allotted amount of miles? Or is this nothing to worry about?





"There is nothing wrong with your thermostat. Do not attempt to adjust the temperature. We are controlling your power consumption. If we wish to make it hotter, we will turn off your air conditioner. If we wish to make it cooler, we will turn off your heater. For the next millennium, sit quietly and we will control your home temperature. We repeat, there is nothing wrong with your thermostat. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... SACRAMENTO!"*

What should be controversial in the proposed revisions to Title 24 is the requirement for what is called a "programmable communicating thermostat" or PCT. Every new home and every change to existing homes' central heating and air conditioning systems will required to be fitted with a PCT beginning next year following the issuance of the revision. Each PCT will be fitted with a "non-removable " FM receiver that will allow the power authorities to increase your air conditioning temperature setpoint or decrease your heater temperature setpoint to any value they chose. During "price events" those changes are limited to +/- four degrees F and you would be able to manually override the changes. During "emergency events" the new setpoints can be whatever the power authority desires and you would not be able to alter them.

In other words, the temperature of your home will no longer be yours to control. Your desires and needs can and will be overridden by the state of California through its public and private utility organizations. All this is for the common good, of course.


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1948341/posts

http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2007/03/23/who-controls-your-thermostat/

H4x!

The Govenator strikes again!!!1!

Man the chip in my head was going crazy, I guess this is what it was all about.

And what if you wanted to set your theromostat for lower than they said? It's retarded anyway. People are just going to plug in their portable elctric heaters and electric blankets if it's too cold or their window mount AC. So bascially you would be removing peoples power to use less power and make them look for new ways to use more.

And what if you wanted to set your theromostat for lower than they said? It's retarded anyway. People are just going to plug in their portable elctric heaters and electric blankets if it's too cold or their window mount AC. So bascially you would be removing peoples power to use less power and make them look for new ways to use more.

Yes you hit that on the head. This whole idea is idiotic.

My house will be computer heated.

if the state is willing to pay for my heating and cooling bills then go right ahead (and not raise my taxes more then half that i am currently paying for heating and cooling cost)

Heh. They could they that here, but as my computer throws off a huge amount of heat (50% over-clock FTW), I doubt I'd notice!

Heh. They could they that here, but as my computer throws off a huge amount of heat (50% over-clock FTW), I doubt I'd notice!

I have my Opteron 260s pushed to about 25 percent or so ... add that to 7 Hard drives in that machine and things like 2 added network cards and raid controllers and such I end up not being able to close my windows all winter :)

Then there are the other 6 - 10 machines I have going at a time ...

Yeah heat has never been on in my apartment or the floor of a house I lived on :)

I would care more if California wasn't sapping all of the power out of Washington, Oregon, and a couple other states because they can't keep themselves running.

And some people don't know what is good for them. 70 isn't that different than 72 and it saves money, and 76 is too damn hot.

I would care more if California wasn't sapping all of the power out of Washington, Oregon, and a couple other states because they can't keep themselves running.

And some people don't know what is good for them. 70 isn't that different than 72 and it saves money, and 76 is too damn hot.

I happen to agree I would much rather it be cold then warm I keep mine at 68 or less if I can, in the winter at least

I would care more if California wasn't sapping all of the power out of Washington, Oregon, and a couple other states because they can't keep themselves running.

And some people don't know what is good for them. 70 isn't that different than 72 and it saves money, and 76 is too damn hot.

Mine is at 67 now I think, but it goes down to 55 when no one is home in order to save...well, money.

Mine is at 67 now I think, but it goes down to 55 when no one is home in order to save...well, money.

No reason to worry about it then until your standard summer emergency.

I don't use my climate controls. I don't turn on my heater or my air conditioner. I live in a temperate enough climate that I can keep my window open most of the year. As a matter of fact, during the big storms we just had I didn't turn the heater on and I had my window open, it really wasn't that bad. So if the state starts fucking with my system they're going to end up making me use more energy than I would on my own.

I doubt this will fly, really. It's a bit of a looney idea.

I think that there should be a reasonable maximum on them, something that wont let people go absolutely bonkers and turn it way up but not enough that people will have to go out and get other things to make themselves warm. Just something built into thermostat..

Electric heaters. Lets see them turn those off.

California is proposing revisions to it's building codes that will allow the "State" to control your home thermostat. You will not be able to override this as long as it is in state control. This of course is all in the name of energy conservation. Question is does the State of California or any other government entity have a right to come into your home and mess with your thermostat and then tell you you can't do anything about it? Is this another step to the Big Brother state? What's next a device on cars that disables it if you drive over an allotted amount of miles? Or is this nothing to worry about?

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad I do not live in California.

Question is does the State of California or any other government entity have a right to come into your home and mess with your thermostat and then tell you you can't do anything about it?

Answer is "NO!"

Is this another step to the Big Brother state?

Yes.

What's next a device on cars that disables it if you drive over an allotted amount of miles?

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Don't give them any ideas!

Or is this nothing to worry about?

This is definitely something to worry about. At least if you live in California, which thankfully I don't.

Yes you hit that on the head. This whole idea is idiotic.

QFT.

I do love the 4th amendment. And the Supreme Court of the United States for ruling that the Fourth Amendment is applicable to state governments by operation of the Fourteenth Amendment.

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

This seems like it would require a warrantless search of one's home.

Meh. My family already signed up voluntarily, about six months ago. But I agree that it's a bit nutty to make it mandatory.