Washing machines, tumble driers, dishwashers, and running costs.

[ericmark]

I was answering a query, and I went to look at adverts for tumble driers, and failed to find how much power they used, they would state 4.5 kWh per drying cycle, but not how many watts they used. I was looking at air cooled condenser driers.

I know my own tumble drier uses around 1.7 kWh per cycle, and the one before a vented around the same, but there are other features like drum size and time taken, which means not a direct comparison.

What I needed to know, could it be set up and switched on, and then would start drying cycle once the socket was powered up, i.e. when running from an old economy 7 supply. Or did it have a timer to use a off-peak supply, and would it complete its cycle within an off-peak supply of 3 hours. They simply did not say on adverts or even down loading the user guide.

My own, will complete within my 5 hour window, but only just, as the on timer is in one hour increments, so the start time can be nearly an hour after off-peak starts.

I have to set the delay, as there are that many button pushes, my wife does not seem to be able to work out how to do it, and stays up until 00:30 to turn them on instead.

I now have a second battery, so they can deliver 5 kW, but to start with, it could only supply 3 kW, there is a back ground use of around 500 watts, where freezers etc turn on/off, so I would have wanted a unit with peak power of around 2.5 kW, and I can't tell.

Also want in summer to not use multi high powered items together, so will the washing machine and tumble drier used together exceed 4.5 kW leaving 500 watt for back-ground.

I simply could not answer the questions, as so little info given. Seems Curries staff eat all the instruction books from adverts, maybe I should shop there?

But the basic question, is how can one use less power when items don't publish what they use?

 

[Wayners]

No smart meter?
That's the easiest way to track usage.

You wanting to view power rating at point of sale?

 

[ericmark]

You're wanting to view power rating at point of sale?

Yes, but also when, so with a washing machine and tumble drier, set the washing machine off first, and once it has finished heating water, then the tumble drier.

But meters are useless, as you want this information before you buy, if half way through the cycle it heats water a second time, then can't run it with the drier at the same time.

No smart meter?

That will no longer work, as without a smart meter there are now no split tariffs, or export payment. It is not the measuring of the electric used, it is getting cheap rate.

After buying I can easy track power used and when, but need that info before being bought. My dish washer states 1800 - 2100 watt, the dishwasher says maximum use per cycle 0.8 to 1.86 kWh, time 30 to 223 minutes, with the drier, if not dry turn it back on, but dishwasher and washing machine require some form of detergent, so try and save time or kWh and it can cost in additives.

 

[martygturner]

I have a Hisense 3S Series DH3S802BT2 , it uses about 1.4kw over its cycle and rarely goes over 350w instant load, but that depends on the wetness of the clothes, sodden jeans it hits 500w for the first half an hour then drops back. Its an auto sense so will work out the moisture level and then adjust the programe to suit. It has a delay start and end, so if you want it to say start drying at 00.30 and end at 05.30 it will figure out how long the cycle will be at the lowest power usage. Its pretty easy to use, set the cycle, press delay to add hours and 30 minute intervals then press end and delay to tell it hour many hours to dry for.

It has an wifi app, which works well and shows you what power it was using when, it also has a device profile in Home assistant, so if you do want to automate that will tell the dryer when to start given any set of parameters, eg its 3pm use 10% of the battery to do a partial dry then finish at the cheap rate from 00.30 to 05.30.

​

 

[ericmark]

rarely goes over 350w instant load

Very similar control panels, but it seems your machine is far better. I have run mine using a power monitor, and the heat pump is either on or off, there seems to be no modulation control. It uses around 650 watts, and some times near end of cycle it will start a mark/space ratio so heat pump not running all the time the drum is turning.

The latter model does connect to internet, but not the version I have, and the start time is a simple ½ hour or 1 hour increment delay, depending on how long the delay is for, and while waiting for the drier to start, it keeps giving the clothes a tumble every so often while waiting for it to start.

The drier works well, and the power use does change depending on program set and what is being dried, but total is 1.4 to 1.6 kWh most of the time, the big problem is it does not say when overloaded, so wife tends to transfer all in the washing machine to the drier, and some times this means it is not running efficiently.

It does say how much energy it should use also load two models covered with same manual, so my now old tumble drier does state how much it uses.

However when I looked at new driers, to answer some questions about solar battery sizes, and discharge rates, I found rather a lack of information, it would in some cases direct one to the rating plate, but in the main, you can't view that until you already have it. By which time it is too late.

My battery can discharge at 5 kW so I am OK jack, but many battery packs are under 3 kW, so to bridge the gap between sun coming out, the machine has to use less than the battery can deliver.

 

[martygturner]

And so, its missing the point of solar battery combo, its about reducing not replacing the grid.

a bit of load shifting and even a 5kw battery will save most people 50% of their leccy bill.