Is it OK to plug a washing machine into an extension lead?

[PBC_1966]

Plus, of course, how long would a washing machine element take to heat forty gallons?

Can it really be forty gallons? That's more than a normal hot water cylinder.

Sorry, not sure what I was thinking when I said 40 gallons before. Actually, I probably had in mind the total amount of water likely to be used for a full wash & rinse cycle. A single fill of the tub to the top for a full load would be more like 20 (U.S.) gallons - Still enough not to worry too much about the initial cold draw while the hot makes its way through the pipe anyway, unless it's on an exceptionally long run.

Energy cost by gas is so much lower that it is still economically viable.

And that's a big consideration for many people, surely? Arguments can be made about overall efficiency of electric heating within the machine versus gas heating outside it (and that's without even getting into issues of efficiency of the electric heating at the point of use compared with at the generating station), but most people are more concerned with the economics of the situation.

In our house we have a 40-gallon (U.S.) water heater powered by natural gas which is sitting there full of hot water just a few feet away from the washer. Given the cost of energy from gas versus the cost of electricity, it would make no economic sense to fill the washer with cold water and heat it electrically instead of drawing from the existing gas-heated supply of hot water (our base rate is about $1.10 per therm for gas compared with 15.3 cents per kw-hr. for electricity).

 

[JohnD]

I understand one therm to be 29.3kWh, so your gas energy costs you about 3.8c/kWh, much less than your electricity.

The efficiency losses for gas happen inside your house, whereas for electricity they mostly occur in transmission and distribution, so effective cost of energy from gas will be a bit higher.

 

[PBC_1966]

They have plenty of 240V appliances.

I'm not sure about plenty. On a recent visit I stayed in an apartment in Brooklyn and the only 240v appliance was the hivac which was hard wired. The dish washer was 120v and there were no 240v sockets in the apartment and only one 240v way on the CU.

Electric ranges, clothes dryers, water heaters, larger fixed heating and air-conditioners are all normally 240V. Some smaller unit air-conditioners (e.g. single-room types) and lower rated baseboard heaters etc. can be 120V. Of course, if the house has a gas stove, gas dryer and water heater, etc. (or in the case of an apartment, is fed from a central hot-water system) then it's not surprising that the HVAC unit might be the only 240V load. And 240V sockets aren't normally provided for general-purpose use in residential property, only where there's a specific need for one.

But back to the U.K. extension lead, for heavier loads it's essential to use good quality plugs and sockets, on both the lead itself and the machine. Some of the cheap ones really just can't take a 2 - 3kW load long without getting excessively warm.

 

[PBC_1966]

I understand one therm to be 29.3kWh, so your gas energy costs you about 3.8c/kWh, much less than your electricity.

The efficiency losses for gas happen inside your house, whereas for electricity they mostly occur in transmission and distribution, so effective cost of energy from gas will be a bit higher.

Indeed it will, but even so I think you'd agree that it still works out cheaper, and that's what most people are more concerned with.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It's also essential to unwind it fully if it's on a reel.

 

[JohnW2]

It's also essential to unwind it fully if it's on a reel.

True - but I very much doubt it is an issue in this case ....

I do have a 13amp extension lead. Is it ok to do this? The lead is short, about 2metres long, rated at 13 amps.

Kind Regards, John