Reminder: Daylight Saving Time Changes.

ian408

Just a reminder that March 11th is the day DST goes into effect here in the
states. Daylight Saving ends on November 4th. This is a change from
previous years. The Energy Act of 2005 extended Daylight Saving Time by
changing the starting time to the second Sunday in March and the ending
time to the first Sunday in November in an effort to save energy.

Many devices that compute DST will require a patch (or patches) to enable
the new dates. Windows & OSX have available patches you should install.
Some GPS devices may also have firmware updates (one example is the
Garmin 2720 GPS).

If you haven't done so, you should look into updates you may require for
electronic devices that set the date/time automatically.

David_S85

Adding to Ian's post -- don't forget to change the time in your camera.

Angelo

just curious...

what was the old date DST went into effect?

David_S85

Angelo wrote:

just curious... what was the old date DST went into effect?

Used to end last weekend of October, and start, I think, first weekend of April(?).

Angelo

David_S85 wrote:

Used to end last weekend of October, and start, I think, first weekend of April(?).

thanks David

dragon300zx

You know I still don't get the screwy idea behind this.

Sounds to me like the goverment trying to make us all think they are doing something to help when in reality they are just doing something that makes so little sense everyone just gets fed up and thinks they must be right.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about getting to spend more time out in the sun after work but they are claiming that the extended sunlight will help with energy costs.

BUT what extended sunlight. We will get the same amount of sun each day no matter what. Just playing with the time isn't going to change that. It is still going to provide the same amount of hours of sun, so how is it going to help keep houses warm longer than before when it's the same amount of sun as before. The only difference is the sun will start to warm houses an hour later than before and last an hour longer but you are still going to have the same amount of time where the sun won't be helping out the furnaces. Makes more since that people buy and use programmable thermostates than screw everyone up with changing daylight savings time. If they could change the amount of sunlight or the truly extend the length of time the sun is out then I could see it making a difference, but all day are doing is changing the time of sun up and sun down.

Argh, am I the only one who thinks that the idea that changing the time of sun up and sun down saving peoples money on energy costs is crazy?

Angelo

the whole idea is screwy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time

ian408

I think the reasoning is not to increase hours in the sun but to shift the
hours so that folks are using them more efficiently. In otherwords, you
can leave that light off just a little bit longer.

Ric Grupe

dragon300zx wrote:

Argh, am I the only one who thinks that the idea that changing the time of sun up and sun down saving peoples money on energy costs is crazy?

Studies done in the 1970s by the U.S. Department of Transportation show that we trim the entire country's electricity usage by about one percent EACH DAY with Daylight Saving Time.
Daylight Saving Time "makes" the sun "set" one hour later and therefore reduces the period between sunset and bedtime by one hour. This means that less electricity would be used for lighting and appliances late in the day.
We also use less electricity because we are home fewer hours during the "longer" days of spring and summer. Most people plan outdoor activities in the extra daylight hours. When we are not at home, we don't turn on the appliances and lights. A poll done by the U.S. Department of Transportation indicated that Americans liked Daylight Saving Time because "there is more light in the evenings / can do more in the evenings."

While the amounts of energy saved per household are small...added up they can be very large.

In the winter, the afternoon Daylight Saving Time advantage is offset by the morning's need for more lighting. In spring and fall, the advantage is less than one hour. So, Daylight Saving Time saves energy for lighting in all seasons of the year except for the four darkest months of the year (November, December, January and February) when the afternoon advantage is offset by the need for lighting because of late sunrise.

dragon300zx

Ric Grupe wrote:

Studies done in the 1970s by the U.S. Department of Transportation show that we trim the entire country's electricity usage by about one percent EACH DAY with Daylight Saving Time.
Daylight Saving Time "makes" the sun "set" one hour later and therefore reduces the period between sunset and bedtime by one hour. This means that less electricity would be used for lighting and appliances late in the day.
We also use less electricity because we are home fewer hours during the "longer" days of spring and summer. Most people plan outdoor activities in the extra daylight hours. When we are not at home, we don't turn on the appliances and lights. A poll done by the U.S. Department of Transportation indicated that Americans liked Daylight Saving Time because "there is more light in the evenings / can do more in the evenings."

While the amounts of energy saved per household are small...added up they can be very large.

In the winter, the afternoon Daylight Saving Time advantage is offset by the morning's need for more lighting. In spring and fall, the advantage is less than one hour. So, Daylight Saving Time saves energy for lighting in all seasons of the year except for the four darkest months of the year (November, December, January and February) when the afternoon advantage is offset by the need for lighting because of late sunrise.

I guess that makes sense for those who get to sleep in. I'm up and at work by 7 so either way im using that electricity. I had heard on the news when it was all going down that it was supposed to reduce demand on heating oil which is what I thought was rediculous but for electricity for people who get to sleep in it makes sense. See just more proof I should ignore CNN.

gus

Introduced in Australia since 1916. Most states in 0z do it (currently 6) but my state does not as we get too much sun here.

Its no real worry except for people trying to do biz between 2 states that have a diff time zone on the east coast.

kdog

ian408 wrote:

Just a reminder that March 11th is the day DST goes into effect here in the
states.

Just a small correction. Arizona is "here in the states", but doesn't do Daylight Savings Time.

Carry on....
-joel