Efficieny of clothes dryer

[Lowdown3]

Or lack thereof....

It irks me to look at the amp meter on the inverter when the LP GAS clothes dryer is running. Approximately 30 amps.

I have not had an electric dryer in years and when I last did, never cared nor looked at the amps it used.

What does an efficient electric clothes dryer use in amps?

It irks me to pay for LP gas AND see that many amps being used at the same.

Any super efficient LP dryers?

Used clothes line for decades and sometimes still do. Use the dryer as a convenience thing and because our solar system has expanded so much it isn't a "huge" issue to run it. Still though....

[protus]

Electric is gonna use more. On your LP .model it should be lower. After all. It's only running the motor. Vs motor and heat strips like a conventional dryer.
Start up draw on the motor should be high but once running should drop.
Also how hard the motor is working.
Aka your lint ducting in the dryer door is clogged(very common even if you clean the screen regularly) or the duct/vent is clogged.
That will effect your dry times as well. Because the high limit tstats will shut it off(burners) to prevents over heating. Iirc most bouncy from 250+f then drop to 120-f before re heating.
So a 20 minute dry time now extends to 45.

[Lowdown3]

Dry time seems to be the same, lint screen is cleaned every time. I'll have to check the exhaust but I clean from the outside in a couple times a year and nothing much there.

Around 30 amps is pretty consistent throughout the cycle, so I know it's not just the start up.

Flippin treadmill takes a lot less and I figure it's doing similar amount of work LOL.

Seems like a double kick in the nutz- 30 amps AND the LP.

[rockriver]

with lots of solar and cost of propane...
it might be cheaper to add another panel and buy a used electric.

[Lowdown3]

with lots of solar and cost of propane...
it might be cheaper to add another panel and buy a used electric.

And solar being a daily RENEWABLE energy source versus LP having to be trucked in....

No gas well on my property so LP is not "renewable" in the true sense of the term.

[Lowdown3]

Hence my asking what does an electric dryer typically use.

[protus]

I'll be off from work for the next day or so.
When I get back I can grab our big fancy amp meter and run some test on conventional dryers.
I would use mine..but it's a 1980s ge. So it's sucking one Willy mammoth per minute I think. Lol .
I'll do some numbers research and get that info up as well.
30 amps total ..during complete cycle rate is high imho.

By chance you got a spec sheet or model info to help me out.

Also..how are you monitoring this amp draw ..is it through your controller?.

[protus]

If it's L.P..
You should only need to use a 20 amp rated 110/120 recepticle. Same goes for the breaker.
I know we looked at that junk years before but can't recall. If you've got a standard 240 rated recp.and 30/40amp breaker..thetes something amiss.
Dryer should tell you your wattage usage as well. Should return on the amp draw.

And by lint traps.
It's the inside of the dryer.

Picture this.
In front of the door look down. Your lint screen is there correct. If so.
Hot air passed through that..down to a blower motor..it gets pulled /pushed through out the exhaust duct.
Lint will become trapped in that area directly past the screen.

But normally your hi limit tstats will shut it down for running hot. When air flow is restricted.
Sorry that's a detail derail lol .

Your big concern is the draw. I'm seeing avg online is 20'25 on Electric. Yours should be way lower.

I'll keep researching....


Eta:

After some digging. Which is limited. Most "high efficiency "cough cough L.P./gas dryers run 15-20amps.
Duh. But problem I'm having is finding the specific amp draw per each one I've looked at. I can't find that unless I know the motor specs. Which ain't in the specs of for buyers lmao.

I'll keep digging.

[Lowdown3]

Seeing the amp draw through the meter on the inverter.

Whole house will be showing maybe 6 amps then with dryer running (startup or later same reading) it will jump up 30 amps.

And seems to be a huge user of LP also.

I will double check screens again and see if I can find model, etc. Gas guy recommended this one, "super efficient" blah blah blah. Obviously way higher than last one.

[Lowdown3]

All the screens are clear. Here's the kicker, little label inside the door says 120 volts and either 6 or 8 amps (hard to read)

I'm going to double check next time we do laundry.

[Templar]

6 amps and 30 amps of what? Output 115 VAC, input 12VDC ? You are reading the inverter, correct?

[1Admin]

Amp meter on the inverter shows current usage for the system. In AC

Different inverter from the one you saw years ago but I've had it several years now and it works fine.

Noticed the same thing today when the dryer was running.

Everything is clean, their is nothing on the back to open up but we cleaned the exhaust vent as well (wasn't bad).

Other thing I think we will try is changing the settings when it's in use.

It's not the problem it would have been years ago, it's just annoying.

I was still seeing DC voltage in 27-28 range while it was showing the big AC amperage pull of the dryer in use.

Normally the house has a max of about 6amps going out with some ceiling fans running, computer, etc.

[Templar]

Go to Sears (or borrow Protuses )and get a clamp-on ammeter. @ $35 . Then use it on the dryer cord. Should clear things up.

[protus]

See draw should be pack at start up..then fall to sustained.
Example, start draw would be say 11.5 amps and constant would be 6.5.

But with your set up. It's should be 110 a.c. motor with ng/l.p. heating. Motor is only there to turn the drum.