Yea, that is the answer. Not all 170W fans need have the same low speed power requirement. You might try the manufacturer's web site if they have one.
If you happen to have a multi-meter with AC current function, you can measure the current and get an estimated wattage.
There may be a power factor which means voltage and current are not in sync. Power company may charge you more than the real energy used in this case, though I don't know what formula is used.
A slow and cheap way is to monitor your electric meter with the fan off, then with it on and try to measure the difference over a period of time.
If it uses 170 watts on high (that's a bit less than a quarter HP) and your electrcity costs you cents per kWhr. then it will cost about 41 cents per 24 hrs? If it uses only half the power on 'low' setting, although it may use less that that, it'll be about 20 cents per continuous 24 hour day. Not a very significant cost? Hardly worth going out and spending money on a $20 gadget, that may not be very accurate at that, to measure how much the fan uses. Let's see $20/20 cents=3D operating that fan for 100 days for same cost as the measuring gadget!
"If it uses only half that power" is the question. For all we know, it may use TEN TIMES that much power on LOW. The way to find out is with the proper gizmo.
No, you've got to view this episode as a valid excuse for another tool.
On Mon, 1 Sep 2008 10:01:27 -0500, "HeyBub" sayd the following:
I have a brain, calculator and the fan itself. That is about a $15 investment and I thought that would be enough to get an 'idea' from one of you guys.
On Mon, 1 Sep 2008 09:08:24 -0700 (PDT), BobK207 sayd the following:
The fan maker's own website says 170 watts but does not say what it is at Low or Medium speeds. This was why I wanted to know. Also I wanted to know because I am going manic crazy making charts on the energy use in my home. I'm trying to shave off about $100 on my electric bill. At
7.608 cents per KwH you can see how things add up quick.
The damn AC unit is costing me about $117 per month and that's at 78F setting which is terribly hot and just makes me angry to be all hot inside my home knowing it could be cooler.
I commend you on trying to save but I'd swap rates with you any day. Here is CT I'm paying 18¢.
Is that $117 for central AC? If so, not bad at all. I spent that much in June and July to keep a couple of room units going. (total June bill was $250) August is much cooler and had little AC use. It has been a couple of years since I've had a bill under $100.
I suggested direct contact to the mfr's customer service; via phone or email....not getting the info by searching their website
they're very responsive
But Terry's analysis is probably pretty close to right.
fans are cheap to run........dryers (electric) & AC's are MUCH more expensive
I have a setup in my laundry area that allows me to use a fan to dry clothes hung on hangers.....I can run the fan for 2 days for what a single dryer load costs. I save the cost of a few dryer loads per week. I don't use AC so the humidity does boost my
btw 8=A2 per KWA is really pretty cheap electricity
does your ulitity offer time of day pricing or a yearly rebate based on remote AC cycling? When I had a house with AC, I got a $200 check if I let them shut of my AC unit (only a few hours at a time but as many days as they wanted)
My preferred setting for cooling is 76 degrees. The A/C kept that except for a few days about a month ago (when in the middle of the big south central hot spot).
It does have to be raised at night to keep things from getting too cold.
Fans do help some, if the temperature isn't too high.
On Mon, 1 Sep 2008 21:27:40 -0400, "Edwin Pawlowski" sayd the following:
We used around 2200 KwHours last month when most for our size house in this region uses about 1100 KwHours. I'm doing something wrong or the power company is reading the meter wrong.
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