Calculation of power consumption
The total consumption of electricity during the operation of the towel dryer depends on its power, operating time and the consumption factor. To make a calculation, it is enough to study the main parameters of the device in the manufacturer’s manual and use the formula:
For example, a 500-watt model with a consumption factor of 0.4, which operates for 2 hours a day, will consume 400 watts per day: 500×0.4×2. In a month at such rate of work will be spent about 12 kw. Knowing the electricity prices, you can easily calculate how much the operation of the towel dryer will cost in money terms.
How to calculate the monthly rate of consumption
For calculation of an indicator of consumption of the electric power by a towel dryer per month from the certificate of the device take value of its capacity and factor of demand (for such devices it is accepted equal to 0,4).
Electric Towel Rail – Consumer Guide to Buying, Operating & Installation
The calculation is made by the following formula: EE = R K T, where:
If there is a towel dryer with power of 500W and it works 4 hours per day, then 500×0,4×4=800W, t.е. will be 24 kW per month.
In 2011. A study was conducted in which we tested towel warmers with a capacity of 300 and 600 watts. Both devices are set to maintain a surface temperature of 45 ° C for 3 days. As a result it turned out:
These figures are explained by the fact that less powerful equipment for heating the coolant to a given temperature worked with the maximum load, so it spent more energy.
A more powerful heating element quickly warms up the towel dryer to the required temperature, and then only switches on periodically to keep it within the specified limits.
Calculation of the required power
According to GOST R 51617-2000 for the bathroom, as well as a joint bathroom and toilet during the heating period, the temperature should be 25 ° C. To heat the air to that temperature the power consumption of an electric towel dryer should correspond to the necessary parameters.
Model should be chosen based on the area of the room. For heating. 140 watts per m², and only for drying towels, 35 watts per m² is sufficient. When these conditions are met, the energy consumption will be optimal. If a lower wattage is installed, the air in the room will not heat up to the specified temperature and the consumption will be unjustified. You should not install a more powerful device, either. Although due to the built-in thermostat the consumption of electricity will not increase, more frequent switching on and off of the regulator’s relay will not extend the life of the device.
What power to choose
Usually in multi-storey residential buildings bathrooms are not large. on average 3-5 m². In private houses, shared bathrooms can be up to 9-10 m². Accordingly, the towel dryer on the power should correspond to the area multiplied by 140 watts. Due to the wide range and variety of models to choose the required power can be accurately selected, although a slight deviation of 20-30 watts will not affect the operation of the heater.
If you buy a towel warmer for drying purposes, you do not have to follow this parameter. The main thing is to have enough space to place towels for all family members. In this case, you can focus your choice on devices with a flexible heater. Inside such an electric towel dryer there is not a heating element, but a heating cable. With a sufficiently large size of the device power is insignificant.
How not to overpay
The above calculation is valid for the refrigerator to operate under ideal conditions. Since consumption depends on many factors. This value may vary by 15-30%.
To the meter does not wind up extra KW, take into account the features of the unit and adhere to the simple rules:
- Do not set the minimum temperature on the temperature sensor. It is set when the volume is completely full, which is rare;
- It is not necessary to open the door of the unit, open it for a short time;
- Cool to room temperature the food you are putting in;
- Do not place your refrigerator near radiators, cooktops, or near a window where the sunlight will shine on it;
- Load the chambers no more than 30% of the volume;
- Thaw and dust the back of your refrigerator regularly.
A few simple rules can significantly reduce your energy consumption.Useful article? Appreciate and share with friends!
How much does an electric towel dryer consume?
A towel warmer is an electric device that allows you to quickly and comfortably dry wet towels and underwear. The special design ensures complete drying of your clothes in a short period without the risk of forming fungi or unpleasant odours. Before you buy such a device for household needs, it is worth to understand the question of how much an electric towel dryer consumes.
How profitable or, on the contrary, costly in terms of electricity to use a towel dryer?
What power a towel dryer should choose for your needs
If it is used only for towel and clothes drying, the wattage of 35 W/m² is sufficient. If it is also used for heating the bathroom, you will need 140 W/m². This will be enough to maintain a room temperature of 25°C during the heating period.
If you install a heated towel rail with less capacity, it will not be able to heat the air to the desired temperature, and the electricity consumption will be high. It is not necessary to install a too powerful device. The thermostat will not increase the power consumption, but frequent switching it on and off will shorten the service life.
Calculation example
In most apartment buildings, the bathroom area is 3 to 5 square meters, although in private buildings it can be up to 10 square meters and more. For choosing a towel rail, 140 watts per m² is considered optimal, t.е. A 4m² bathroom will require a 560W unit.
You can always choose a model, the power of which corresponds to the area of the room. The deviation of the power indicator by 20-30 W is considered insignificant and is not reflected in the operation of the device.
When choosing a towel dryer only for drying linen, the given parameters do not adhere. In this case, the main attention is paid to the dimensions of the device, so it will place the towels of all family members.
Comparison with a water towel dryer
Water models are connected to the heating system or DHW. Inside them, hot water circulates, due to which the surface of the device is heated. When choosing such models, pay attention to its dimensions, as well as the pressure for which it is designed, the optimal indicator is 7-10 atm.
The main disadvantage of the water device is that it functions only when hot water is supplied. If it is turned off in the summer, the towel radiator does not work either. If the temperature of the water model can not be regulated, many electric variants have the ability to set its value.
General Information
To save energy, choose a model with a thermostat. The operating mode for an electric towel dryer is chosen by the device, the heating level at a given temperature (from 30 oC to 70 oC) is kept. The temperature mode is chosen according to your wishes. But on sale there are electric models without a regulator.
The choice of electric designs with a low power consumption figure is based on knowledge:
- About the peculiarities of the inner construction of the towel radiator;
- on the indicator of its power, and it is spent on heating the entire space of the room.
To confirm the correctness of the choice you can calculate beforehand, before buying, the total amount of the electric power consumed by the device (the calculations are made according to the formula).
Consumption factor
The power consumption factor in most cases is not specified in the certificate of the towel radiator. Because the coefficient depends on many factors. For example:
- How long the appliance has been in operation. The higher this figure, the higher the coefficient itself;
- How much laundry is being dried at a given time. With large volumes of linen, which requires drying, it takes considerably more time to process it;
- How much laundry and towels are wet. The higher the humidity of the laundry, the harder it is to dry it.
Each named factor indicates that to a greater extent the consumption factor depends on the operating time of the towel radiator. It is the higher, the longer it works.
The consumption factor is a concept close enough to the concept of efficiency. The definition itself sounds like this: it is the total heating and drying time of the laundry to active heating with active electricity consumption. For electric towel warmers, the figure ranges from 0.4 to 0.16. The first case shows the most common variant. When it takes about 24 minutes to dry towels and other laundry in the bathroom. The last one is an example of the most energy-efficient use, when drying takes only 10 minutes.
The consumption factor is very similar to the efficiency factor
It is worth noting that the consumption factor of electric towel rails is much less than liquid ones. Because the latter are aimed not only at drying the laundry, but also for heating the room, which significantly increases the operating time. You will wonder why heat the bathroom with a towel dryer, because this should do radiators for heating. The answer lies here, it is accepted and carried out in most cases, that the heaters in bathrooms and toilets do not put. Because it is allowed by the regulations. Recently, however, this problem has become a concern, and in most homes personal care rooms have become heated. Therefore, the need for heating with a liquid towel dryer is eliminated and replaced by an electric one. Which in modern conditions is more practical, except for the fact that it needs electricity to work.
The choice of the company
In the case of towel dryers, it is better to take a domestic version. It is much more suited to our conditions in terms of performance parameters.
The best manufacturers include:
- Terminus. They offer classic versions of dryers and devices with unusual design. Model range. more than 200 dryers, both water and electric.
- “Sunerja.”. The manufacturer was one of the first who started to create dryers of stainless steel. High-quality pipes and unusual design are the hallmarks of the brand.
- Tera. The main focus in their production is on the structural perfection, elegant design and simple installation.
Among the foreign manufacturers the products of Margaroli (Italy) and Swiss brands Zehnder and Arbonia deserve attention.
