sandcruiser
....back in the saddle again....
Hey all,
I'm cross-posting this to the electronics forum as I'm not sure where to put it, but hoping a mudder can help with my HVAC question:
we've got 4 mini-split AC units in a 3br house (1 for the common area). I plan to be renting the house out to short-term clients in the near future, and know that the average short-term client can be a real AC nightmare. Folks typically crank all 4 units to about 50 degrees, then leave sliding doors wide open so that they can hear the kids in the pool... and I pay $500 for the monthly electrical bill.
So what I'd like to do is limit the coldest setting. Right now the remote will scroll down to about 16* C. That's much colder than anyone should expect to be in a tropical vacation home. I feel that if people can only set the AC to 20*C (which is still 68* F and a damn sight colder than our 90+ ambient) that they'll be just as happy as if it were set lower.
So does anyone know of an "easy" way to limit the coldest setting? I've thought about maybe installing a discreet digital thermostat that can cut the compressor's power if/when the interior temperature of the room is below X (x=68, for instance), but I'm wondering if there is some other, equally good approach.
Thanks for ideas
Steve
I'm cross-posting this to the electronics forum as I'm not sure where to put it, but hoping a mudder can help with my HVAC question:
we've got 4 mini-split AC units in a 3br house (1 for the common area). I plan to be renting the house out to short-term clients in the near future, and know that the average short-term client can be a real AC nightmare. Folks typically crank all 4 units to about 50 degrees, then leave sliding doors wide open so that they can hear the kids in the pool... and I pay $500 for the monthly electrical bill.
So what I'd like to do is limit the coldest setting. Right now the remote will scroll down to about 16* C. That's much colder than anyone should expect to be in a tropical vacation home. I feel that if people can only set the AC to 20*C (which is still 68* F and a damn sight colder than our 90+ ambient) that they'll be just as happy as if it were set lower.
So does anyone know of an "easy" way to limit the coldest setting? I've thought about maybe installing a discreet digital thermostat that can cut the compressor's power if/when the interior temperature of the room is below X (x=68, for instance), but I'm wondering if there is some other, equally good approach.
Thanks for ideas
Steve