kevin wrote:
If it is marked "100 watt" (which is probably for the highest setting),
it uses one tenth of a KWH each hour. The medium setting is probably
half that, so maybe one twentieth of a KWH. Look on your electric bill
to find out how much each KWH costs -- probably around 5 to 10 cents.
So you are looking at about a dime or a quarter per day to run it full
time.

-Kevin

aspasia wrote:

I bought a paraffin bath (good for aching parts) and want to know how
much it costs to run, let's say, per hour +-.

Called the local elec co, but lady said she couldn't give a figure by
the hour, only in KWH. Also depends on whether I want to keep it on
all the time, or shut on & off.

But my decision (on or on&off) depends on the relative costs.

Chicken - egg?

Anybody have an approximation?

Appliance is 120 volt, 100 watt. It has a setting to heat up the
paraffin, another setting to maintain operating temp., and another
setting for "solid" (what's the point of that one?)

TIA

Aspasia



If it uses a thermostat to switch the heater on and off to maintain the
operating temperature you could probably place a box shaped cover over
it when it's not in use, perhaps just some glued up pieces of styrofoam
sheet. That could reduce the heat losses considerably.

However, from the way you describe the switch labeling, there's a good
chance that it doesn't use a thermostat, in which case forget my
suggestion because things might get dangerously hot if the natural heat
losses are reduced.

Jeff

You might

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.