diy solar

diy solar

Clothes Dryer

bstump said:
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.
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Build a small greenhouse then over the line?
 
redalertdt said:
My concern is that it would be slowly damaging something....Also not sure if there is a way to know how quickly the inverter will respond when you buy it. It's weird when every 5-10 min. as the oven is cycling on/off the lights dim each time...disconcerting, and not something I've experienced on grid power (not to the same extent).
My biggest question is if I buy a different/new inverter how would I know how quickly it responds to a 4000w on/off thermostat. My inverter setup is a magnum 4448 (3 in parallel) so it's a tier 1 supplier...
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For what it is worth, my grandparents' old house years ago had a very old geothermal heat pump setup that worked great, but would cause a very noticeable light dim/flicker every time it kicked on. They never had any electronics issues, and just had basic surge suppressors at most.
 
You guys are killing me.

I was just at a cabin that has its own transformer can and 320 amp service.

The feed for the 40Kw boiler splits off at the meter, the other feed goes to the main panel. That heater has 8 5kw elements that have time delay switches so that only 10kw is turned on at once in 30 second increments.

The lights in the cabin dim for a split second each time an element turns on.

The electric dryer makes the lights dim for a split second when you turn it on.
 
bstump said:
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.
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Do you know how many amps your dryer uses on high? I'm trying to figure out the high to medium amperage ratio. I have a dryer that uses 24A 120/208V and 26A 120/240V I don't understand why the 240 is higher other than is the 208 three phase? So I know it use this no more than 26 amps on high. I'm trying to figure out about what it would use on medium. Yes, I'm going to get a ant meter soon. Thanks
 
Well the dryer can't take three phase. I now understand when the element is connected to 208V can't draw as many amps because the resistance is set at the heating element.

If the dryer was to run at 120V the wattage would be 1/4 of what it would be at 240. If you shortened in the heating element by 1/2 it would draw twice the current on 120 then if the heating element remain the same length. The wattage would be 1/2 of what the dryer originally was at 240 with the heating element, the original length. The amperage used by the heating coil would be the same as it was originally designed at (though only making half the power).

Would 26A at 120V be more stressful or unsafe on the element wire as 26A at 240V?
 
Ampster said:
26 Amps at 240 is twice the power (Watts). I don't know why half the power would be more stressful?
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I don't know either but since the wire is half the length but the same amount of apps. However, that doesn't make any sense now that I think of it because it's the same wire gauge, same amps.
 
bstump said:
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.
Click to expand...

Not all of us are quite that sensitive, it's the real world, get over it! Lol
 
I'm guessing the 120/240 rating is because parts of the dryer run on 120, and others at 240. The heating element is 240v. Don't know how hot it will get with just 120v.
 
DIYrich said:
I'm guessing the 120/240 rating is because parts of the dryer run on 120, and others at 240. The heating element is 240v. Don't know how hot it will get with just 120v.
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It will produce 1/4 the wattage on half the voltage. If the heating element is shortened by one half the resistance halves. That theoretically should double the current and make it designed for 120. Yes the rest of the dryer runs on 120 I think. I don't know about the motor though.
 
Wires are rated on amperage, with a voltage limit more related to the insulation. Cutting the heating element is more risky than maintaining the high voltage.
 
bstump said:
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.
Click to expand...
Lord, theres no hope for the planet. Cant even dry your clothes on a line any more. Sounds like a very inhospitable place that you live
 
solarhombre said:
I just found this pricey washer/dryer combo that uses a heat pump, doesn't need a vent, and runs on 120V: https://www.geappliances.com/applia...Heat-Pump-Technology-Washer-Dryer-PFQ97HSPVDS

Mine are just 2 years old, but if/when they die I'd get gen 4 of this wonder. Anyone here has it and can provide data on power use?
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Sure, if you want an appliance that's going to give you problems .. Most of these consumer things are junk. The fancier they get, the more likely they are to break.

Get a Speed Queen
 
bstump said:
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.
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This is why I have my Fridge on a UPS (Fridge only uses 90Watts)
 
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