Anyone using an Aquanta? What are your thoughts on it?
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Hello everyone,
I’m going to be moving to time of use rates with my utility and I’m looking for ways to take advantage of them as much as I can. I’m trying to decide between the aquanta (https://aquanta.io/) and a programmable water heater timer. (https://www.amazon.ca/Intermatic-EH40-Electronic-Water-Heater/dp/B000NCYPOM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499822313&sr=8-1&keywords=eh40)
I’m having trouble seeing how an aquanta could save me more than just careful scheduling of the timer. The vacation mode and the logging features would be really nice, but I don’t think I’m willing to pay twice the price for them.
I kind of wish I could rent an aquanta for a month or two, get all the information from it, and go to a basic timer that isn’t internet based. Mind you I wish I could do that with several of these logging devices. I don’t need or want to keep it long term.
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Replies
Calum,
The company claims that savings for homeowners are "between 10% and 30%."
But here's something worth noting: Aquanta CEO Matt Carlson told a reporter that “our biggest opportunity, and the way we see most devices being put into the market, is as part of a utility efficiency or load control program. That’s the party that has a benefit to incentivize or promote technology like this.”
Translation: utilities look forward to remotely controlling your water heater to handle peak loads on the grid. That aspect has more advantages for the utility than the homeowner. So this might be seen as a "Trojan horse" product. But perhaps I am too cynical.
Well, if that's too cynical, I'll be wearing a tin foil hat to the cynical pride parade right along with you... I didn't like the idea of a web based product to begin with. If they're servers have an issue all of a sudden I can't get hot water unless I uninstall the device. When I was emailing Matt (the fact that the CEO is the one to respond when I asked a question is kind of telling as well) he mentioned that time of use rates will be implemented soon. I found that really curious as they already allow manual schedules to be input. Now I understand.
Thank Martin. I'll go with the simple device. I doubt the price difference between the two would be enough to justify the savings anyway.