Cost of running a 220V heat treat oven?

synthesist

synthesist

So many knives so little time
Joined
Sep 14, 2004
Messages
933
I'm curious about this, since Chicago's electric utility has jammed a HUGE frikkin' $$$ increase across our astoundingly bought and paid for state legislature. I have 220V up to 50 amps available if I need it........................ but not if it's like adding another central air conditioner to our home,

I'm in pretty good shape on the side of cutting/shaping/grinding/buffing tools at this point but I don't have any of the heating stuff. No torch (other then propane), no TIG, no forge or HT oven so I need to think about that side of the equation.

Since this is a hobby my wife asks about the $$$ every once in a while and I have no good answers on what I'm spending. She never objects to $$$ spent on tools but an electric bill increase would get her fired up.

Thanks

I suppose I could buy this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VULCAN-OVEN-piz...ryZ48732QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa (Then again it might smell good)

Syn
 
if i loook at amps and volts its kind of like running the dryer fro 2 hours but im betting in a tempering set 3-500 fro 2hours that it would use less volts/amps then the run to 1900-2000f
 
I agree with butch, I don't think you'll see a big increase. If this is a big unit, then you might want to wait until you have many blades to treat, if it's a small one, I think it may use less than a 110V job, because it comes to heat faster. Since the elements pretty much just turn on and shut off as needed, it's not like you'll be drawing a constant 30A of 220 for 2 hours. You'd probably be out of the hobbyist realm if you started seeing serious and regular electric increases.
 
A 22" Evenheat is 3600watts. Assuming a lengthy 2.5 hour run at full power, that amounts to 9 kWh. ComEd currently gets about 10cents/kWh here. So, run costs less than a buck, or about $3 per complete cycle max with 2x tempering, taxes, fees, yaddayadda.
 
The math is fairly simple. Multiply your volts and amps to find watts. For example, 250 volts times 50 amps is 12500 watts. This is 12.5 KW (just moved the decimal 3 places). You're probably paying about $.10 per KW hour. So for every hour that thing is pulling 12.5 KW, you spend $1.25. Now, in reality, the elements aren't on most the time, just on ramp up and to maintain heat. So a good guess for a heat treat and temper is $.25-$.75.

Look at your power bill, it will tell you what you pay per KWH. Power is very cheep in the US. Much cheaper than in China for example.



Edit:
These numbers are theoretical. You have to know the amp draw of your unit and the voltage you are plugged into. Most everything has this information printed on it. It sounds like your furnace is 3.6 KW.
 
People often think 220 draws twice the power as 110. The Wattage is the same. 20 amps at 110 is 10 amps at 220. The savings is in a lower load on the wiring and breakers.
Stacy
 
The Evenheat 13.5 inch and 18" models only draw 13 amps - 3120 watts. It only draws that much continuously when heating up - maybe 40 minutes to get to 2000 degrees. The rest of the time it just cycles on and off to hold the temperature constant - maybe on half time at 2000 degrees - about 1/10 time at 450 degrees.

If you take on professional heat treating and run it all day every day, you will notice a significant increase in your electric bill. If, like most, you run it once or twice a week, you'll hardly notice.

Rob!
 
In simple terms... electric heating is one of the biggest consumers of electricity. doing one heat treat for a couple of hours is unlikely to use more than cooking a roast chicken on the stove. Most appliances have a wattage rating on them. This is the number to look at regardless of amps or volts... it incorporates both. Most HT ovens seem to be in the range of 3500watts. Typical wattage values for other appliances are:

TV 75W
kitchen mixer 200w
kettle 2kW
geyser 3kW
power handtools 200-800W
fridge 250W
microwave 1000w

That should give you a rough idea of how much it will add to your current bill
 
Lang, you've piqued my curiosity. What's a "geyser"? Thanks.

Even at my intentionally inflated illustration of $3/run, the point, of course, is that electricity will not be a significant factor in running a furnace.
 
Okay then, that eases my mind some.

Thank you gentlemen.

Fitzo? Since you are in Waukegan (relatively close to me) would you like to get together sometime and hang out? I PMd you but it either didn't make it or you ignored it......which I doubt since you appear to be such a gentleman.

Thanks again.

Syn
 
Corey, I did get your email a few months ago regarding getting together and replied to it. Apparently a filter must have trapped it somewhere in transit.

The last month or so I haven't been feeling too well; after I start feeling better, I would enjoy it.
 
Sorry Fitzo... excuse my south africanisms..What we call a geyser is what most of you would call a water heater/ water boiler. Ours are usually electric because elec is dirt cheap here and we dont usually have central heating, which I think is often integrated with your 'geysers'.
 
langchop said:
Sorry Fitzo... excuse my south africanisms..
Click to expand...

I hope you didn't mind my inquiry, Lang. I think my sense of wonder at what people from other places call common items goes back to my childhood, and obviously persists to this day. :o

Thanks for sharing. :)
 
No worries fitzo.. I had a girlfriend from US and was quite surprised when my 'normal' conversation often left her with a blank look on her face! I find the variances interesting too.
 
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