For the people in NE USA - how much oil do you use?

[deseqer]

Originally Posted by CeeBee

Yes...I am doing this and calculating the heating degree index for upstairs and downstairs by hour
However one can't directly convert kWh to oil because a heat pump's efficiency varies with the out-in temperature differential. Typical numbers that I found for one model used in Sweden show COP changing from ~2.3@ ~20F to 3@~40F - a 30% increase in efficiency, while for oil the efficiency is constant (use is proportional with the difference in temperature between in and out, disregarding additional heat input from the sun).
Furthermore, depending on humidity/temperature a heat pump may go in defrost mode more often, skewing the numbers.

thats cool. With all the work I have done to my house the past year. i wanted to see what difference I made in my electric heating bills.

I never have worked with Heat pumps so I didn't think about that the efficiency was driven by the Temp. Sounds like you have a really good handle on everything that needs to concidered in you calculations.

[Archer]

Have you considered an input for an external temperature sensor and although you dont have one a solar panel water tank reading?
The UK regs require all new boilers to be combi-boilers thus no water tank is required and all hot water comes straight from the boiler.This said new builds can have solar panels which provide heat to a pre-heat exchange tank for hot water and some even contribute to house central heating.

[CeeBee]

Originally Posted by Archer

Have you considered an input for an external temperature sensor and although you dont have one a solar panel water tank reading?
The UK regs require all new boilers to be combi-boilers thus no water tank is required and all hot water comes straight from the boiler.This said new builds can have solar panels which provide heat to a pre-heat exchange tank for hot water and some even contribute to house central heating.

I live in CT.. we don't get too much sun in the winter (and when we get it it's not nearly strong enough) and most of the oil usage is for heating. Furthermore I use 40% of oil in the morning between 7AM-10AM... Solar is an investment that that never pays off here. Summer is a different story, I have solar heaters for the pool and the water has been really warm - some 30 days with 80F+(27C) in the water in July and Aug, while outside temperature averaged 71F(22C) during the same interval and only some 7-8 days hit over 86F (30C).