Could it be powered with solar perhaps? Just thinking about taking a heating element from an electric dryer and installing it in the plenum and trying to heat the house with that. Would it save on the heating oil bill to do this? What is your best estimate if it will cost over 2000 to heat with oil this winter with oil? Could I have a savings in using this electric heater?
2007-10-23 12:24:34 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
We are talking electric forced hot air heat. I am thinking that if I supply heat at a lower temperature though a heater that barely keeps up temperature at 68 degrees inside at 0 outside or maybe just run it while the temperature outside is not so low, then the heater will stay on a lot more, not drawing the startup and stop amps and the blower will run continuously for longer periods of time thereby cutting down on motor startup and stop times.
The whole idea is to make the furnace efficient by running all the time and just keeping up with demand for heat. It won't be a hot heat, just an even heat. I would have to experiment with a heater that would stay on and a blower motor that would disperse that heat but not overheat the house if they stayed running continuously. Whadaya think?
2007-10-23 16:34:20 · update #1
This would not be in the cold air return. This would be in the hot air supply area. Air would be brought into the furnace box in through the cold air return, just like a normal hot air furnace, but instead of running the oil burner which comes on before a fan is started, the electric heater would be set to come on seconds after the blower motor was started. It would run soas to maintain temperature in the house, not to increase beyond 68 degrees running continuously, heater and blower, thereby eliminating startup currents. The only way you would shut it off would be by setting the thermostat to less than 68 degrees.
2007-10-23 16:38:38 · update #2
John, I would use thermo safety devices to prevent fires, similar to those used in an electric dryer.
An electric dryer works pretty well but I am also considerring using 150 watt or highter flood lamp bulbs. From my calculations, one 150 watt bulb and a small blower motor would cost me $21 per month to run continuously. Not sure where you get your calculations or if you are just an exagerrator, but would love for you to send me your estimates!
2007-10-25 03:43:00 · update #3
Yes. Those are very common. You can buy them. Most install in the duct work but some are made for the plenum. The problem is, they cost more to run than natural gas or oil. If you can power it with solar, that would be great and save you money. A jury rigged element such as from a dryer will just cost you lots of money and not work well. And could negate your insurance policy. Buy an engineered unit made for the purpose and is UL listed so your insurance will still cover your house.
2007-10-25 02:43:39 · answer #1 · answered by John himself 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have heard of a few people trying some sort of heating unit in theri cold air return plenum from the second and third floors back to the furnace.
the idea being, if they heat the return air somewhat, the furnace won't have to work as hard. There is a major flaw in this that they discovered.
Think about it. The furnace supplies heat. The THERMOSTAT controls the temperature. By heating your return air, it will NOT cut down on the amount of energy to heat the home enough to warrant the expense. The thremostat calls for heat. The furnace comes on and heats the air it takes in from not only the air return, but the air around the furnace, in the furnace room. The furnace continues to heat until the demand at the thermostat is satisfied.
You see, it's not just return air that's heated! Atmospheric air is also drawn in to the burner, to support combustion, and atmospheric air is also drawn into the furnace inlet at the combustion chamber. and blower.
Heating the return air will cost you quite a bit in electricity. You also need to wire it into the thermostat control, so it shuts off just before the burner, and comes ON just after the burner! So now you need an electronic control for the plenum heater, that is comaptible with the thermostatic controls. If you don't , the heater will be on all the time! You just wasted more energy than you saved!!
2007-10-23 12:43:10 · answer #2 · answered by Rawstuff 007 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
If you want to supplement your oil heat
with electric, you'd be better off lowering
the thermostat setting and using a space heater
in the rooms you occupy.
The heating element from an electric dryer is
likely to be designed for a faster air-flow than
it will see in your furnace and will be inefficient
at best in that application.
2007-10-23 14:13:15 · answer #3 · answered by Irv S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A waste of $$$$$$$$$$ ! Unless it is a designed electric furnace, the air flow would negate any heat produced, unless it was a huge heating element. Electric heat is expensive also.
2007-10-23 15:42:17 · answer #4 · answered by Bobo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is basically the same way a heat pump supplements heat . But you must have knowledge of wiring and con trolls.
2007-10-23 14:53:22 · answer #5 · answered by Dawg 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋