Reason for asking is my neighbor has kept his owb burning all summer because he can't afford to fill his propane tank. Im wondering if there is really any cost savings in burning all summer just for hot water. They only have 3 people in there house. Not to mention he is cutting into his winter supply of firewood which he paid $1800 for a semi load. Seems kinda silly too me.
Monthly cost to run your circulation pump
- Thread starter Dono
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
It seems to be around $17-$20 dollars for me can't pin point it do to the girl's here leaving every light in the house on! But I turn boil off in April and turn on pool in July the bill drops $17-20 from aprils bill in may- June! Hope that helps.
I use 1 tank of propane a year now down from 3 1/2 when I had a wood stove & $600 to refill. I been putting off running all year but the girls like the hotter water from the wood boiler better. Every year sence I bought it I've seem to start the boiler ealier each year and shut it down later. It's all preference as long as he's happy. Let him run it
I use 1 tank of propane a year now down from 3 1/2 when I had a wood stove & $600 to refill. I been putting off running all year but the girls like the hotter water from the wood boiler better. Every year sence I bought it I've seem to start the boiler ealier each year and shut it down later. It's all preference as long as he's happy. Let him run it
Last edited:
blackdogon57
Addicted to ArboristSite
This thread prompted me to calculate my cost to run Taco 009. Draw is 1.4 amps or 168 watts. Daily cost for me at 9 cents per kilowatt hour is $.36 per day or $132.45 per year. I run mine 24/7 and will continue to do so. Wood consumption in the summer is minimal and we use a ton of hot water.
Hmmmm. My calculation on the Taco 007 was under $2 per month: 746 watts/hp; motor is 1/25 hp, so 30W. Multiply by 24 hours/day and then by 30 days/month. Nine cents per KWH gets me $1.90-something.
746/25 rounds to 30. 30*24*30=21600 WattHours / 1000 = 21.6KWH * .09 = $1.944 per month. That's about 1.5 gallons of propane around here, today.
I've considered it but there are just two of us, and we're pretty conservative regarding hot water use. My suspicion is that the fire would nearly go out from it being idle for extended periods.
Our water is heated electrically, with a credit for off-peak (11pm-7am) heating only. Of course, it still costs something like $30 per month for that.
Jon
746/25 rounds to 30. 30*24*30=21600 WattHours / 1000 = 21.6KWH * .09 = $1.944 per month. That's about 1.5 gallons of propane around here, today.
I've considered it but there are just two of us, and we're pretty conservative regarding hot water use. My suspicion is that the fire would nearly go out from it being idle for extended periods.
Our water is heated electrically, with a credit for off-peak (11pm-7am) heating only. Of course, it still costs something like $30 per month for that.
Jon
Last edited:
If your neighbor uses a lot of hot water, it's saving him a good bit I'm sure.
The way I run ours in the summer is if it's a day I know we are going to use a lot of hot water (usually Saturdays) I go out in the AM and light the fire, flip on the blower and pump. Once the blower hits it's automatic kick off temp (170) I flip it back off so that it doesn't kick on again.
I add just enough wood so that it'll all burn up, leaving no smoldering smoke.
I try and be considerate about the smoke for houses in the area, although I've never had a complaint and when it's burning nice and hot it's not throwing any smoke anyways.
The boiler will hold it's heat most of the day with the cleaning and showers going on in the house and the hot water tank holds the water hot for a few days and then the electric heating element will kick on. I have the electric temp setting set pretty low though.
The way I run ours in the summer is if it's a day I know we are going to use a lot of hot water (usually Saturdays) I go out in the AM and light the fire, flip on the blower and pump. Once the blower hits it's automatic kick off temp (170) I flip it back off so that it doesn't kick on again.
I add just enough wood so that it'll all burn up, leaving no smoldering smoke.
I try and be considerate about the smoke for houses in the area, although I've never had a complaint and when it's burning nice and hot it's not throwing any smoke anyways.
The boiler will hold it's heat most of the day with the cleaning and showers going on in the house and the hot water tank holds the water hot for a few days and then the electric heating element will kick on. I have the electric temp setting set pretty low though.
Johnny Yooper
ArboristSite Operative
you need "watts in" to calculate the cost of operating the circulating pump. The hp value on the pump or motor is the mechanical output power and multiplying that by 746 just gives watts out; watts in will always be higher because of internal pump/motor losses. AC Watts in = volts x amps x power factor; power factor does not apply to purely resistive loads, which a motor is not, so there is a power factor, but this is usually only identified on larger three phase motors, not small single phase motors like here. In the electric utility world, there exists Apparent power (volts x amps) , Real power (watts), and Reactive power (look up power triangle for those more interested). Reason for mentioning this is that the utility company charges you for Real power which is "Watts in" to your house through your meter. So without knowing the power factor, can we still calculate the cost to operate your pump? Of course. It won't be dead on, but will get you in the ballpark. Example: I have a B&G circulating pump for my house run of my owb, and the nameplate says 2.1 amps, so 120 volts x 2.1 = 252 VA; I have no idea what the power factor is on my pump so we'll just continue on to arrive at the estimated cost, so 252 watts (er VA) x $.12061/kWhour (my rate here in WI) x 24 hours/day x 30 days/month x 1kW/1000 watts = $21.88 per month. Power factor for motors is always less than 1, so the actual cost will be somewhat less, for example, if my pump has a pf of .78, then my actual cost for watts consumed would be $21.88 x .78, or $17.07.
Last edited:
Johnny Yooper
ArboristSite Operative
you need "watts in" to calculate the cost of operating the circulating pump. The hp value on the pump or motor is the mechanical output power and multiplying that by 746 just gives watts out; watts in will always be higher because of internal pump/motor losses. AC Watts in = volts x amps x power factor; power factor does not apply to purely resistive loads, which a motor is not, so there is a power factor, but this is usually only identified on larger three phase motors, not small single phase motors like here. In the electric utility world, there exists Apparent power (volts x amps) , Real power (watts), and Reactive power (look up power triangle for those more interested). Reason for mentioning this is that the utility company charges you for Real power which is "Watts in" to your house through your meter. So without knowing the power factor, can we still calculate the cost to operate your pump? Of course. It won't be dead on, but will get you in the ballpark. Example: I have a B&G circulating pump for my house run of my owb, and the nameplate says 2.1 amps, so 120 volts x 2.1 = 252 VA; I have no idea what the power factor is on my pump so we'll just continue on to arrive at the estimated cost, so 252 watts x $.12061/kWhour (my rate here in WI) x 24 hours/day x 30 days/month x 1kW/1000 watts = $21.88 per month. Power factor for motors is always less than 1, so the actual cost will be somewhat less, for example, if my pump has a pf of .78, then my actual cost for watts consumed would be $21.88 x .78, or $17.07.
blackdogon57
Addicted to ArboristSite
Thanks. That's how I calculated mine. Still happy with cost. Gas or electric would definatly be more for me. I also heat my pool. Used to spend several hundred on propane just for that alone.
I am running two pumps, an 007 and a 011 and wondered same thing. Neighbor works for the metering division of the power Co and amp probed the line feeding the OWB and did some calcs. He said $15 a month for everything but that was 4 years ago.
When I first responded, I didn't know the input power for my Taco 007 pump motor; only recalled that it was 1/25 HP. Anyway, checked the label: .71 Amps. That means 85 Watts vs. the 30 I estimated.
Instead of $1.94 per month, it costs $5.52 to operate the pump 24 hours per day for 30 days. About the cost of 3.5 gallons of propane.
84 Watts * 24 hours * 30 days / 1000 = 61.34KWH * .$0.09 per KWH = $5.52
Pretty inexpensive. If I used lots more hot water, I'd consider burning year-around.
Jon
Instead of $1.94 per month, it costs $5.52 to operate the pump 24 hours per day for 30 days. About the cost of 3.5 gallons of propane.
84 Watts * 24 hours * 30 days / 1000 = 61.34KWH * .$0.09 per KWH = $5.52
Pretty inexpensive. If I used lots more hot water, I'd consider burning year-around.
Jon
