Absolutely not! The Better Box Demand Automation Computer (DAC) is designed to save you money without compromising your comfort.
On a traditional electricity plan based on usage over time (kWh), saving money means cutting back—using less electricity to avoid higher charges. But with a Demand plan and the Better Box, the game changes. Since Demand plans cut your kWh rate by over half, the cost of running your appliances (like AC units) becomes far less significant. In fact, you could double your kWh consumption and still pay less overall if you’re managing your demand (kW) effectively.
Here’s why: On a Demand plan, your focus shifts to managing demand (kW)—keeping your average demand low during specific peak intervals defined by your utility. And here’s the exciting part: running your AC more often can actually save you more money.
How? Think of your home as a battery. When you keep it cooler (we recommend 71°F in summer or as warm as you like in winter), you store that cool (or warm) air inside your walls. This means your AC only needs to kick on for short bursts to maintain the temperature, which uses less demand (kW) during peak windows. With this approach, you create room in your demand allowance for other appliances without exceeding your target billable average.
The Better Box makes all this possible by allowing strategic, short-term demand spikes (like 6kW) to keep your home at your ideal temperature while maintaining an average demand of just 4kW. Load Controllers, on the other hand, would block those spikes entirely, making it impossible to balance savings with comfort.
With the Better Box, savings and comfort go hand in hand—especially during Arizona’s scorching summers. Imagine keeping your home cool without worrying about your bill going up. In fact, you’ll likely see it go down by 30-60%.
No more shutting everything off during peak hours or “super-cooling” your house to freezing temperatures before peak time, only to sweat it out later. With the Better Box, you can enjoy your dream temperature year-round, forget peak hours even exist, and watch your energy bills shrink.
Who wouldn’t want that?
