FAQ: CONNECTED WATER HEATER STUDY

Q: What is the Connected Water Heater Study? 

A: The Connected Water Heater Study will help your utility learn how customers can connect their water heaters to the grid and adjust their energy use. This study is conducted by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and SkyCentrics, in service to your electric utility.  

Installing the EcoPort module and enrolling takes just a few minutes, and participating is easy. 

 

Q: What incentives can I earn by participating in the Study?  

A: You’ll earn a one-time incentive of $25 for connecting your water heater by installing the EcoPort module and answering a few survey questions. You can earn an additional $25 per additional survey completed (2 surveys planned). This is an initial small group of homes to prepare for the success of a larger scale rollout. 

 

Q: Do I have to pay for any equipment to participate in the Study?  

A: No, all equipment and services are being provided at no cost to you. In fact, you can earn incentives for participating as described above.  

 

Q: How long will the study last? 

A: The initial study will last for a maximum of 1 year and may be extended by your utility company.  

 

Q: Can I opt out of the study if I no longer want to participate?

A: There is a way for you to pause the smart features for 72 hours on your water heater. This is a standard feature of water heaters equipped with an EcoPort socket. If for any reason you want to no longer participate in the study and no longer want to receive any remaining Study incentives, you can do so at any time by contacting 415-962-1510 or info@skycentrics.com 

 

Q: What does the EcoPort module (the white device installed on water heater) do? 

A: Water heaters typically store 50 gallons or more of hot water for long periods of time, turning on only when the temperature sensors indicate it is needed. When your water heater is connected through the study, we’ll help it know when to heat and when not to heat. In the future, this can help your utility to align your energy use to times when energy use on the grid is lower or when renewable energy is more plentiful. You should never run out of hot water as part of this study. Think of your water heater as a “thermal battery” that understands your water heating needs. 

 

Q: How do I install the EcoPort module into my water heater?  

A: A guide to installing your EcoPort module is available here

 

Q: What do the colored lights on the EcoPort module mean? 

A:  Solid White: Powering Up

       Blinking white: Attempting to Connect

       Solid Red: Cannot Connect to Cellular Network

       Blue: Connected to Cellular Network​​​​​​

 

Q: Will I run out of hot water? 

A: This study should not disrupt your hot water availability and should be invisible to you. If you do encounter a cold water event, call SkyCentrics support at 800-940-9774. 

 

Q: What should I do if I experience cold water when I am expecting hot water? 

A: This unlikely event can happen for any one of the reasons below:  

High hot water usage has depleted your hot water stores in a manner unrelated to this study 

• Suggestion: If you’ve used a lot of hot water in a short period, wait about 2 hours and test to see if your water heater has recovered 

• If your water heater has recovered after this period, it is likely due to normal depletion of hot water from high usage. If not, it is likely an issue with your water heater. 

There is an issue with your water heater: 

• Suggestion: Call your water heater installer or manufacturer to diagnose the problem – Contact information will likely be available on the nameplate of your water heater. 

Even though there are smart algorithms in your water heater to prevent a “cold water event”, there is a very minimal chance that the external management of the Connected Water Heater Study caused the cold water event.  

• To report a cold water event, contact support at 800-940-9774. Cold water event support is available 24/7, and we will investigate your event report between the hours of 8am and 5pm PST Monday through Friday.