Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => Plumbing => Topic started by: Jared43758 on July 07, 2015, 06:45:54 PM

Title: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: Jared43758 on July 07, 2015, 06:45:54 PM
I have a bell and gusset 3 speed pump running it on speed 2. Running constantly how many Kw does it use a day or month or hr.  I pay around 7.3cents/kW
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: mlappin on July 07, 2015, 07:53:57 PM
You should be able to goto B&G’s website and find a chart.
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: atvalaska on July 07, 2015, 10:29:08 PM
who cares ...I spend near .26 a kw ....at .7 I would own the world ! :) ...get a kill-a-watt from the library... 
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: Chas on July 08, 2015, 04:07:53 AM
Depends on which model Bell and Gossett you have. I run an NRF-25 to the shop and an NRF-36 to the house. Both are 3 speeds. The 25 is a 1/15th HP and the 36 is a 1/6th HP.
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: Jared43758 on July 08, 2015, 12:30:40 PM
It's a NRF-36 pump. 1/6 hp
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: RSI on July 08, 2015, 11:09:32 PM
It is best to use a watt meter to see what you are using. The actual power usage will vary depending on what the head pressure of your system is.

With your power rate, I would guess it is costing about $10 per month.
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: shepherd boy on July 09, 2015, 03:49:12 AM
I think you will find that pump pulling about 200 watts on high so less on 2nd speed. 200x 24=4800 watts 115 volts per day. Houses are computed at 230 volts so divide in half =2400 watts -2.4 kw=17.76 cents per day x 30 days =$5.33. Constant run pumps pull less than a pump a pump that starts and stops often. Starting a electric motor under full torque takes watts. 2nd speed will take less watts because you are not trying to  pull as much head or gpm. Correct my computation if I'm wrong. Nice little early morn brain teaser.
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: slimjim on July 09, 2015, 03:51:00 AM
I'm going to trust your ability, I've seen what your brain can do with wiring!
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: mlappin on July 09, 2015, 05:33:20 AM
Compared to what it cost us in LP then later Nat gas I figured running a pump or two was practically free.
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: mlappin on July 09, 2015, 05:33:50 AM
Compared to what it cost us in LP then later Nat gas to heat the house and DHW I figured running a pump or two was practically free.
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: willieG on July 09, 2015, 04:35:58 PM
I have these numbers on that pump written in my note book (I must have found this on the web for what that is worth)

high speed - 230 watts, medium speed - 190 watts and low speed - 135 watts
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: RSI on July 09, 2015, 04:40:33 PM
I think you will find that pump pulling about 200 watts on high so less on 2nd speed. 200x 24=4800 watts 115 volts per day. Houses are computed at 230 volts so divide in half =2400 watts -2.4 kw=17.76 cents per day x 30 days =$5.33. Constant run pumps pull less than a pump a pump that starts and stops often. Starting a electric motor under full torque takes watts. 2nd speed will take less watts because you are not trying to  pull as much head or gpm. Correct my computation if I'm wrong. Nice little early morn brain teaser.
Voltage has nothing to do with wattage so you should not divide in half. You need to double your estimated price or recalculate with 4.8KW per day.
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: willieG on July 09, 2015, 06:55:08 PM
they wouldn't use half the watts they would use the same amount. if a 115 volt pump used 10 watts then a 220 volt pump would use 5 watts on each hot wire = 10 watts
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: RSI on July 09, 2015, 06:55:43 PM
A 115v pump will use the exact same watts as a 230v pump.(same model pumps) The 230v one will use half the amps though which has nothing to do with the cost to run it.
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: RSI on July 09, 2015, 07:02:55 PM
they wouldn't use half the watts they would use the same amount. if a 115 volt pump used 10 watts then a 220 volt pump would use 5 watts on each hot wire = 10 watts
You beat me to it.
5 watts on each wire is sort of right but not really. It is still a single circuit. You could say the 115v pump uses 5 watts on the hot and 5 on the neutral which is the same thing. Also, if you have a 230v hot and a neutral it will run just the same as normal 2 hots line power.
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: shepherd boy on July 09, 2015, 07:27:33 PM
Sorry It's over my head. I was just reading the label. Grundfos 15-42 230=.41amp  115=.74amp  Not exactly half but close. Do they only calculate one leg?
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: RSI on July 09, 2015, 07:38:28 PM
That is amps, not watts. A 15-42 is not the same size pump so would not be exactly half the amps of the 115v 15-58.
Watts normally equals amps x volts.
It doesn't work out exact though on motors because there is a power factor that throws the numbers off. You really need to use a watt meter to see what the actual usage is. An amp meter will not give you accurate results.
Title: Re: How much electricity does a pump use
Post by: shepherd boy on July 09, 2015, 07:43:29 PM
I get it and you are right.