How much does it cost to run a Dash 2 on Electric Elements

I recently had a new meter installed for the power supply at my shed and I took the opportunity so see roughly how much does it cost me to make a run on the Dash 2 with electric elements. Started with 13 or so gallons at approx 30 ABV into my 26 Gal milk can. I was ready to start at 9 am and the following is a summary of what took place and how much it cost me.

09:00am - Two 5500W elements on at 14A each for initial warm up
10:00am - One element off and one element down to 10A to compress fores,
          all plates fully loaded
10:40am - Started collecting fores slowly, decreased dephlegmator flow a bit
          and increased condenser flow
11:00am - One element up to 12.2A and decrease deph flow some more to
          collect heads and hearts, condenser flow at max
03:00pm - Finished hearts one element up to 13.5A to collect tails, closed
          dephlegmator flow
04:00pm - All finished shut all power off

During the whole run I also ran a March 809 pump for recirculating cooling water and an AC/DC power supply to run the fan on a car radiator for return water cooling, as well as overhead lights and a 19 cu./ft. refrigerator/freezer where I store enzymes and yeast and such, sometimes a beer or two as well. Before starting the meter was reading 85 kWh, and at the end around 4:30pm it read 112 kWh for a total use of 27 kWh. We pay $0.13 USD per kWh so it only cost me $3.51. A whole lot cheaper than propane. Hope this is helpful.

Hooch

Comments

  • Excellent info @captainshooch.
    That cost is very hard to beat when compared to the extra trouble of burning gas.
    Around here and in some other countries, the cost of electricity is 1/2 price in the off-peak hours so it's cheaper to distill while the moon is shining :D/

  • +1 for electric heating :)

    Your Place to be >>> www.StillDragon.org <<< Home of the StillDragon® Community Forum

  • edited October 2013

    Hi, I'm in Ozzie land, our power cost vary quite a bit acrross states, within states, the plan we are on, ie flat rate, on/offpeak etc. Can be anywhere from 10c per kwh to upwards of 40ckwh. It even changes so much more if you have solar and the feed in rates from 6c to 66c paid. My personal costs roughly are peak Mon-Fri 7am-11pm @ 32c kwh, off peak @ 16c. But I get paid 66c kwh for my excess solar output, 5Kw system, so I tend to only run the still early morning or late afternoon, other wise it costs me too much. Have a look at my energy production/usage when running a still, the green bell line is my production from solar, the red jerky line is my usage, note from 3pm till 9pm my 2 stripping runs, anywhere from 3600w to 7200w (plus the rest is the wife and the dishwasher etc) The morning peak usage must have been the wife using the electric ducted heating after I went to work !! The mid morning peaks was the wife ironing my work clothes, can even tell when she boiled the kettle for a coffee!

    4.8kw GregMc Swan Hill Vic 4.830kW

    image

    FYI I dont work out what it costs to run the still, but I run at a time that suits my power generation/usage. In three years I've only paid one power bill that was $115, but received a payment of $1000 prior to that...no bill..no worries.. but the solar setup cost me $16,000!

    Cheers

    fadge

    power 26102013.PNG
    955 x 669 - 71K
  • @fadge, what a wonderful long term investment. What does your neighbor, one without solar, pay for an average month's worth of electric?
    In any event, kudos to you for being energy independent at home.

  • edited October 2013

    @Lloyd said: fadge, what a wonderful long term investment. What does your neighbor, one without solar, pay for an average month's worth of electric?
    In any event, kudos to you for being energy independent at home.

    I relocated and bought a all electric home as the town does not have natural gas connected (cheap). My first 3mth bill was over $400, thats not too bad, however my friends can get as high as $2000 per 3mths in winter, with floor heating/pool pumps etc, so I had some incentive..

    I worked out to get solar as large as the allowance at the time would approve would take me 4-5 years to pay off. I was lucky to have a huge shed with the correct north facing face to install panels, I wish I could have installed twice as many, but 5kw was the limit at the time. Since then power costs have gone up heaps, so I'm glad to have jumped in then. The same size system would now cost under $8000, but you don't get jack shit for feed in credit (8c?), my feed in is locked in for a few years...

    I kinda worked out that with all my posts and the pvoutput screen, that those in AU know I live in SWAN HILL, and my real name is Greg, thats ok with me, anyone can PM me for contact details or what not at any time.

    Cheers

    Fadge

  • @fadge I have looked into some form of solar power systems for my home and indeed it is a long term investment due to such hi initial costs. @Lloyd saves by moonshining, ahem distills while the moon is shinning, you use solar and the best I can do is convert from propane to electric. The stripping run for this wash cost me around 15.00 in propane as I have not converted my 55 gallon stripper to electric but it is definitely next on the list. BTW excellent video of your run.

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