Clothes Dryer

[bstump]

I have a clothes dryer that uses about 3500 watts in "medium" heat mode (what I typically use). When I start it it makes the lights flicker, barely noticeable.

1) Is this going to hurt any sensitive electronics or any part of my inverter/battery system?

2) Is there a way to prevent it from happening?

I had to put in a 5 ton KickStart for my 5 ton geo and it resolved that, but this isn't a compressor. It's a clothes dryer.

 

[Ampster]

It may be the motor that is causing the startup surge that is presumably causing the voltage sag which you are observing. Does it happen when you start dryer without heat?

 

[carolinabigfoot]

2) Is there a way to prevent it from happening?

A clothes line ...... the original solar clothes dryer.

 

[bstump]

A clothes line ...... the original solar clothes dryer.

Good call. Thanks for your help.

I love it when my clothes are stiff as a board when they come off the line. Or covered by beetles / ladybugs / other bugs. Or have dirt all over them because neighboring farmers are plowing. Or smell like crap because neighboring farmers are spraying manure.

 

[robby]

I don’t think that any of the clothes dryers that I have owned ever engaged the heating element at start up, there seemed to be about a one minute delay. This is a purely resistive load so it should not be a problem.
Did you ever get around to testing it without the heat on?
BTW I can’t help with the bugs and spray smells but if you use a close line just run the clothes for 10 minutes in the dryer on the fluff cycle they become soft again.

 

[bstump]

I don’t think that any of the clothes dryers that I have owned ever engaged the heating element at start up, there seemed to be about a one minute delay. This is a purely resistive load so it should not be a problem.
Did you ever get around to testing it without the heat on?
BTW I can’t help with the bugs and spray smells but if you use a close line just run the clothes for 10 minutes in the dryer on the fluff cycle and they become soft again.

The dryer is a LG DLEX8100V. I just tried with "normal mode" and then "air dry" (no heat) and it still flickered the same amount.

 

[SparkyJJO]

The dryer is a LG DLEX8100V. I just tried with "normal mode" and then "air dry" (no heat) and it still flickered the same amount.

It is the motor startup then.

How big of a flicker is it?

 

[robby]

I don't know if they mean the Circuit Breaker capacity or the Amps it uses, either way this thing is a beast!
https://www.lg.com/us/support/products/documents/DLEX8100_DLGX8101 Spec Sheet.pdf

If the Flicker is not a major problem then I would just live with it. I mean how often do you start a dryer this big?

 

[RCinFLA]

Most electric clothes dryers have a thermostat sensor that cycles the heater on and off during drying to regulate temperature so expect its electrical load to jump up and down.

 

[bstump]

I don't know if they mean the Circuit Breaker capacity or the Amps it uses, either way this thing is a beast!
https://www.lg.com/us/support/products/documents/DLEX8100_DLGX8101 Spec Sheet.pdf

If the Flicker is not a major problem then I would just live with it. I mean how often do you start a dryer this big?

It's not a huge flicker, I just wanted to see if I could get rid of it. It sounds like a hard/soft start kit won't do it though, so I'll probably just live with it. Or I might sell it (it's only a year old) and get the gas version.

 

[SparkyJJO]

It's not a huge flicker, I just wanted to see if I could get rid of it. It sounds like a hard/soft start kit won't do it though, so I'll probably just live with it. Or I might sell it (it's only a year old) and get the gas version.

But, if it is the motor, that won't solve any drum motor startup surge.

 

[bstump]

But, if it is the motor, that won't solve any drum motor startup surge.

Good point... I guess I'll just have to live with it. lol

 

[MurphyGuy]

The flicker is caused the by thermostat in the dryer closing and sending a bunch of current to the heater element.

The reason your lights flicker is because the amp draw is causing a sudden voltage drop, which is caused by the resistance the current is seeing as it travels from the telephone pole into your home, through your breaker box, then through the wires leading to the dryer.

Running larger wires between the breaker and the dryer would help alleviate some of the flicker, maybe most or all of it, but not always.

Our electric dryer pulls a whopping 6500 watts but our lights don't flicker because I have 6 gauge wire going between the breaker and the dryer, and that wire is only about 30 feet long.

 

[Checkthisout]

Good point... I guess I'll just have to live with it. lol

Does it flicker the whole time it's running?

 

[bstump]

Does it flicker the whole time it's running?

No, just when it starts and once in a while when it's running, probably when the heating element is kicking in.

 

[Checkthisout]

No, just when it starts and once in a while when it's running, probably when the heating element is kicking in.

Do the lights strobe for a second or are you just talking about the voltage sag that dims the lights for a 1/2 second or so?

 

[bstump]

The flicker is caused the by thermostat in the dryer closing and sending a bunch of current to the heater element.

The reason your lights flicker is because the amp draw is causing a sudden voltage drop, which is caused by the resistance the current is seeing as it travels from the telephone pole into your home, through your breaker box, then through the wires leading to the dryer.

Running larger wires between the breaker and the dryer would help alleviate some of the flicker, maybe most or all of it, but not always.

Our electric dryer pulls a whopping 6500 watts but our lights don't flicker because I have 6 gauge wire going between the breaker and the dryer, and that wire is only about 30 feet long.

Interesting. Mine intermittently pulls around 5300W. I ran 10 gauge, but it's only running about 15-20 feet.

 

[bstump]

Do the lights strobe for a second or are you just talking about the voltage sag that dims the lights for a 1/2 second or so?

Just the sag. It flickers like once for a few milliseconds.

 

[Checkthisout]

Just the sag. It flickers like once for a few milliseconds.

It's weird that people think this is an issue.

Every house I have ever seen, the lights dim for a split second when the dryer and sometimes washer starts.

And the breakers sometimes buzz for that split second. (Magnetic trip)

 

[bstump]

It's weird that people think this is an issue.

Every house I have ever seen, the lights dim for a split second when the dryer and sometimes washer starts.

And the breakers sometimes buzz for that split second. (Magnetic trip)

Interesting. I've never experienced it until we went off-grid. We have owned all newer homes though. Built 2008, 1997, and now 2022. I just don't want it to send a surge to all of my expensive electronics and appliances.