Dryer current draw

Status
Not open for further replies.

bth0mas20

Senior Member
Location
Maryland
Ive been doing some investigating in my panel to see if theirs anything that I can do to lower my bill. One of things im looking into is my dryer. Its old and Im thinking an energy star dryer would draw less current. How much difference do you think an energy star dryer would make than a 12 yr old dryer. Mine is running at about 22 amps.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Ive been doing some investigating in my panel to see if theirs anything that I can do to lower my bill. One of things im looking into is my dryer. Its old and Im thinking an energy star dryer would draw less current. How much difference do you think an energy star dryer would make than a 12 yr old dryer. Mine is running at about 22 amps.

What about clothes dryers?

ENERGY STAR does not label clothes dryers since there is little difference in the energy use between models.


Taken from here
 

bth0mas20

Senior Member
Location
Maryland
I understand what your saying. Its resistive heat. I was looking on lowes site and they rate them energy star or not energy star. That must be on everything else in the dryer that uses electricity except the heat. Such as the digital display.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I understand what your saying. Its resistive heat. I was looking on lowes site and they rate them energy star or not energy star. That must be on everything else in the dryer that uses electricity except the heat. Such as the digital display.

Well there are motors in a dryer but I guess the diifference is not significant because of the resistive heat.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I could not find an energy star dryer on the lowes site. I didn't look real hard but washers are all that came up
 

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Reading around a little more I found this Rule, for washer and dryers, that seem to set up todays higher standards.

10 CFR Part 430
Dept of Energy

I'd use the word dryer in the PDF search, I breezed over it half over & its mostly about washers, and remembered Search.

Page 7
(P&G ratio of maximum load size to average load size), nominal energy required to remove moisture from clothes (assumed constant for all clothes dryers, 0.5 kWh/lb)


Calc's start around page 24 of 36

& not lite reading !
 

Ken9876

Senior Member
Location
Jersey Shore
Make sure you vent is clean, or your dryer will be running a lot longer if it isn't. As for gas or electric I go with gas, neither are safe if you don't clean them.
 

suemarkp

Senior Member
Location
Kent, WA
Occupation
Retired Engineer
Perhaps focus on the washer instead, one that will get the clothes dryer than they are now. Then, the dryer doesn't have to do as much work. I've heard that the front load washers get the clothes a lot dryer than a top load unit. It must spin them harder or something.

You can always use the free clothes dryer -- a clothes line!
 

brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
Tpostpic.jpg


this is what my grandma uses. its a real energy saver.
 

neutral

Senior Member
Location
Missouri
What makes you think an electric water heater is better? And as far as which is more safe, I agree that if the vent is not cleaned for the dryer, neither is more safe.

For myself I wouldn't use gas for anything in my house even it it was free. But thats just me. Gas in the house is like having a basement full of dynamite. Every few weeks you see a news story where a house is completely leveled from a gas explosion. I agree the vent should be cleaned monthly for either gas or electric. We just built a house and we located the dryer so the vent would only be about 18-24 inches to the outside.
 

rattus

Senior Member
Ive been doing some investigating in my panel to see if theirs anything that I can do to lower my bill. One of things im looking into is my dryer. Its old and Im thinking an energy star dryer would draw less current. How much difference do you think an energy star dryer would make than a 12 yr old dryer. Mine is running at about 22 amps.

I doubt that you can save much on operating costs with a new electric dryer. However, the operating cost of a gas dryer should be lower, although its initial cost may be higher.

Also, a dryer with electronic (humidity sensor) drying will shut off when the clothes are dry saving a bit more energy over timed drying.

I have had a Maytag gas dryer for 20 years now, still going strong. Have replaced one solenoid coil. Have done nothing to the matching Maytag washer.
 

drbond24

Senior Member
Ive been doing some investigating in my panel to see if theirs anything that I can do to lower my bill. One of things im looking into is my dryer. Its old and Im thinking an energy star dryer would draw less current. How much difference do you think an energy star dryer would make than a 12 yr old dryer. Mine is running at about 22 amps.

Buying a new dryer would hardly same you any money in the short term even if it operated a lot more efficiently somehow. The cheapest energy saver dryer I saw on Lowe's website was $318. Even if it saved you $20 a month on your electric bill you would have to wait 16 months to see a profit because of the money you spent on the dryer. Also, unless you are a special case, a female will be picking out the new dryer and therefore it will cost at least double what it should, so use $800 and see that it will then take 3 years 4 months to see that profit.
 

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Yes, the vent line should be checked yearly and or replaced, and should be all metal(gauge/foil). Also by building Code the vent should be within 6' or use of additional services is required. A turbo exhaust, I can't remember the exact name.
 

drbond24

Senior Member
Replacing the 12 yr old washer is the saver. Newer ones, even top loading, do a better job at spin drying. Worked wonders at our house.

I'm with you on that. I bought a new washer and dryer a couple of years ago. That washer has an 'extra high' spin speed that spins so fast the clothes are practically dry when they come out of the washer. Even a full load of towels aren't much work for the dryer after that.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top