dryer: what's more efficient
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I am guessing that it is a 220 unit. If it wasn't, you could buy a Kill-A-Watt meter and check for yourself.
At the laundromat, they claim that a dryer stuffed full of cloths drys just as fast as one with a small amount of cloths, but I don't believe that. I think the hot air need to circulate in order to dry the cloths.
When I had my own dryer, I would usually put it on medium heat because my shirts would shrink if I used the high setting. After a few drying on high, my baggy t-shirts would start to look like bikini tops, and that is something you don't want to see me in.
Theoretically, it should take the same amount of heat energy to dry your cloths whether or not it does it fast or slow, but there are other factors. The greater the difference in temperatures the faster the change. If you have it on high, your cloths will dry faster, but most of the heat will go out the exhaust. If you use a low heat setting the fan motor will be on longer which uses up electricity. There might also be something like humidity saturation of the air, or whatever it is called.
At the laundromat, they claim that a dryer stuffed full of cloths drys just as fast as one with a small amount of cloths, but I don't believe that. I think the hot air need to circulate in order to dry the cloths.
When I had my own dryer, I would usually put it on medium heat because my shirts would shrink if I used the high setting. After a few drying on high, my baggy t-shirts would start to look like bikini tops, and that is something you don't want to see me in.
Theoretically, it should take the same amount of heat energy to dry your cloths whether or not it does it fast or slow, but there are other factors. The greater the difference in temperatures the faster the change. If you have it on high, your cloths will dry faster, but most of the heat will go out the exhaust. If you use a low heat setting the fan motor will be on longer which uses up electricity. There might also be something like humidity saturation of the air, or whatever it is called.
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It should be automatic.....start with high when clothes are damp and reduce it as they get dryer.
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Have an electric clothes dryer. Has high and low heat modes. Given unlimited time, which is more efficient for electricity? I'd like to think low, as it gets more time for fan air and fluffing. Anyone else pondered this?
Yes, I have. I like to analyze efficacy of small volume processes like laundry.
Unless it's heavy fabrics like jeans I always use the low heat setting. In our auto dryer the heat does not vary from high to low during a cycle, it just holds the timer still until the heat reaches a certain setting and then shuts off heat and runs the drum a few minutes to fluff and cool.
I imagine that low heat means a longer lasting heating element and lower electrical consumption. The downside would be longer operation.
Have an electric clothes dryer. Has high and low heat modes. Given unlimited time, which is more efficient for electricity? I'd like to think low, as it gets more time for fan air and fluffing. Anyone else pondered this?
Yes, I have. I like to analyze efficacy of small volume processes like laundry.
Unless it's heavy fabrics like jeans I always use the low heat setting. In our auto dryer the heat does not vary from high to low during a cycle, it just holds the timer still until the heat reaches a certain setting and then shuts off heat and runs the drum a few minutes to fluff and cool.
I imagine that low heat means a longer lasting heating element and lower electrical consumption. The downside would be longer operation.
JTK
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I think the efficiency would depend on the mix of what's being dried.
I can see the concept of a fuller load drying quicker than a small one. More surface area tumbling around, in contact with the dry air.
I also wonder if electric is more efficient than a gas dryer?
Joel
I can see the concept of a fuller load drying quicker than a small one. More surface area tumbling around, in contact with the dry air.
I also wonder if electric is more efficient than a gas dryer?
Joel
Originally Posted By: JTK
I also wonder if electric is more efficient than a gas dryer?
Joel
A gas stove is more efficient than an electric stove. Instant heat, instant off.
I also wonder if electric is more efficient than a gas dryer?
Joel
A gas stove is more efficient than an electric stove. Instant heat, instant off.
Natural gas is also cheaper to use than electricity. Of course, an outside clothesline is the cheapest of all!
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Originally Posted By: Loobed
Originally Posted By: JTK
I also wonder if electric is more efficient than a gas dryer?
Joel
A gas stove is more efficient than an electric stove. Instant heat, instant off.
Electric stoves are horroble. Gas is the best way to go.
Originally Posted By: JTK
I also wonder if electric is more efficient than a gas dryer?
Joel
A gas stove is more efficient than an electric stove. Instant heat, instant off.
Electric stoves are horroble. Gas is the best way to go.
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Have an electric clothes dryer. Has high and low heat modes. Given unlimited time, which is more efficient for electricity? I'd like to think low, as it gets more time for fan air and fluffing. Anyone else pondered this?
I'd be more concerned about the age of the dryer than the setting on the timer(knob dial or touch buttons) because older dryers used bigger heating elements than needed assuming you have 220 volts dryer because 110 volts ones are killers on the bill.And it's always better to use Automatic Setting on the timer,Yes it saves energy but funny enough the automatic setting always go bad first in most dryers with timer problems.Make sure the vent hose is cleaned up at least once a year .BTW,The bigger the load the less expensive it gets on your bill if you dry the same total amount of clothes anyway
Have an electric clothes dryer. Has high and low heat modes. Given unlimited time, which is more efficient for electricity? I'd like to think low, as it gets more time for fan air and fluffing. Anyone else pondered this?
I'd be more concerned about the age of the dryer than the setting on the timer(knob dial or touch buttons) because older dryers used bigger heating elements than needed assuming you have 220 volts dryer because 110 volts ones are killers on the bill.And it's always better to use Automatic Setting on the timer,Yes it saves energy but funny enough the automatic setting always go bad first in most dryers with timer problems.Make sure the vent hose is cleaned up at least once a year .BTW,The bigger the load the less expensive it gets on your bill if you dry the same total amount of clothes anyway
http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/appliances/dryers.html
electric dryers are more efficient however gas is cheaper per btu, so for now at least gas is less expensive to run
electric dryers are more efficient however gas is cheaper per btu, so for now at least gas is less expensive to run
Thanks guys I have the laundry process to a very efficient point except for the clothes dryer. This time of year I don't get much sun and there's always a damp wind coming from the woods. So the clothesline gets stuff about 70% dry but no drier. So my semi-dry stuff needs about a 15 min fluff. I also do stunts like hang heavy jeans from the shower curtain rod to get some dampness out that way.
Electricity is more expensive than gas, absolutely. After all the power company takes fossil fuels to make heat that is then inefficiently converted into electrons. I do have a propane tank on the other side of the house, so, someday... presently my dryer is 10 years old and gets very light use so the payoff for refitting it or replacing it would be eons.
Electricity is more expensive than gas, absolutely. After all the power company takes fossil fuels to make heat that is then inefficiently converted into electrons. I do have a propane tank on the other side of the house, so, someday... presently my dryer is 10 years old and gets very light use so the payoff for refitting it or replacing it would be eons.
Higher temp air can carry more moisture away. The heating element is probably one of the most efficient items in an electric dryer.
I like the idea of the Kill-a-Watt meter to check, if possible. Do they even work on 220V outlets?
Just might have to do it old school and measure how much or how fast the meter is running and time the drying cycle both ways.
My thought is if your clothes can take it, high heat is best as hot air will carry away more moisture than cooler air, so the motor runs a shorter time. I.E. it probably takes close to the same amount of energy in as far as heat goes to remove a specific quantity of moisture, but the motor running consumes energy as a function of time. So do you save by running a higher heat, but shorter cycle, or lower heat and a longer cycle?
My inclination is that higher heat, shorter cycle consumes a smaller amount of energy. Is it enough to put my clothes at risk? Since we have such a mix of clothes, ultimately power is cheaper than new clothes, so we dry almost everything on gentle cycle.
I like the idea of the Kill-a-Watt meter to check, if possible. Do they even work on 220V outlets?
Just might have to do it old school and measure how much or how fast the meter is running and time the drying cycle both ways.
My thought is if your clothes can take it, high heat is best as hot air will carry away more moisture than cooler air, so the motor runs a shorter time. I.E. it probably takes close to the same amount of energy in as far as heat goes to remove a specific quantity of moisture, but the motor running consumes energy as a function of time. So do you save by running a higher heat, but shorter cycle, or lower heat and a longer cycle?
My inclination is that higher heat, shorter cycle consumes a smaller amount of energy. Is it enough to put my clothes at risk? Since we have such a mix of clothes, ultimately power is cheaper than new clothes, so we dry almost everything on gentle cycle.
My kill a watt only does 120V BUT my utility has a new smart meter website that I'm trying to get to work. They claim I can get an instantaneous reading.
If clothes are damp the flash evaporation of the water inside should cool them down and keep them from shrinking... unless this is the action that does them in... I don't know textiles.
Wonder what the bias is among laundry machine makers for convenience and speed vs economy. Supposedly dryers are supposed to be smart-ish about this now, and even ten years ago, but it seems to result in slightly damp clothes.
If clothes are damp the flash evaporation of the water inside should cool them down and keep them from shrinking... unless this is the action that does them in... I don't know textiles.
Wonder what the bias is among laundry machine makers for convenience and speed vs economy. Supposedly dryers are supposed to be smart-ish about this now, and even ten years ago, but it seems to result in slightly damp clothes.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: javacontour
Higher temp air can carry more moisture away. The heating element is probably one of the most efficient items in an electric dryer.
+1. There are tables that show the holding capacity of moisture in air at different temperatures.
Plus when warming up, higher delta T means faster heat transfer to a temperature when the water starts to flash off.
Problem is this isnt a closed system, so there is a lot of heat to just get the air to temp.. And lots more wasted.
I doubt that dryers have recuperators in them, but maybe they do?
Higher temp air can carry more moisture away. The heating element is probably one of the most efficient items in an electric dryer.
+1. There are tables that show the holding capacity of moisture in air at different temperatures.
Plus when warming up, higher delta T means faster heat transfer to a temperature when the water starts to flash off.
Problem is this isnt a closed system, so there is a lot of heat to just get the air to temp.. And lots more wasted.
I doubt that dryers have recuperators in them, but maybe they do?
My unsubstantiated guess is that running a dryer, at the highest heat, with a proper full load, will consume fewer KWH than any other method, per item of clothing.
Reasoning:
High heat is more effective in water removal.
Electric motors consume plenty of power. Running it longer adds significantly to the power consumption.
The heating element is not "on" 100% of the time. It cycles, especially at the end of a drying cycle.
Reasoning:
High heat is more effective in water removal.
Electric motors consume plenty of power. Running it longer adds significantly to the power consumption.
The heating element is not "on" 100% of the time. It cycles, especially at the end of a drying cycle.
I'm going with Cujet on this one. I think the less time you spin the clothes, the better. And our dryer on high heat takes a lot less time to dry a load vs. low or medium heat.
The electric motor that actually turns the drum on our dryer hardly uses any power at all.
The heating element is far and away the winner for power consumption. Spinning the clothes an extra minute at very high speed does virtually nothing EXCEPT remove a bunch more water!
The heating element is far and away the winner for power consumption. Spinning the clothes an extra minute at very high speed does virtually nothing EXCEPT remove a bunch more water!
Originally Posted By: MarkStock
High spin speed washer will help reduce the time needed in the dryer.
+1
Most cotton loads coming out of high efficiency washer is almost dry. It takes very little dryer time to make them completely dry.
High spin speed washer will help reduce the time needed in the dryer.
+1
Most cotton loads coming out of high efficiency washer is almost dry. It takes very little dryer time to make them completely dry.
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