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Electric range

2K views 16 replies 7 participants last post by  Stubbie 
#1 ·
My appliance is rated at 12.5 kw at 120/240 volts. The cooktop has four heating elements. So if all four are being used plus the oven; does this mean I am using 12.5 kw? Is there any way to determine what the individual elements are using?
 
#3 ·
It's not unusual for the manufacturer to give you individual heating element power wattage/usage on the specifications page of the manual. Or you may be able to look the range up online and read the specifications for the individual elements on the cooktop.
 
#4 ·
The only true way to know, is to use a Clamp on Amp-meter, and measure the power use, while it is on. When the unit is cycling from heating up, to just staying at a steady temp, it will use less electricity, just staying at the set temp on the dial.

Just like when your furnace makes a call for heat, the stove & range does the same thing. It will use more electricity to bring the unit up to the set point temp, then it does, after it reaches the set point.
 
#5 ·
I would like to know if there is any reason outside of curious that your concerned about individual element heating wattage. It could also be very difficult to actually meter the amperage depending on what type of element control is being used.
 
#6 ·
There's been power loss's in our community during storms and its got me considering looking into a whole house generator. Everything is electric powered. Here is what I need to consider in watts usage.
Range....Two coffee makers.....Two Refrigerators.....Washing machine.....Dryer,,,,,
Two portable heaters.....Oil burner.....Central Air. The rest is lights and small appliances.
So I am trying to get an idea of what size generator will do the job.
 
#9 ·
A big one .... :) Seriously are you talking standby power which is a permanent generating station (not a portable generator) to allow enough KW to power everything you listed? Generac, Kohler, Milbank, B&S, to name a few would make these type standby systems.

There are some large portable generators but to power your entire house I would not go that route, I would go with a standby system like one of these ..

http://www.milbankworks.com/powergen/generators/home-standby-generators/12kW.aspx

You do not need an automatic transfer switch (though they are nice) you can use a manual one.
 
#7 ·
You can get small hotplates that can be used during an Ice Storm, or a Camp stove, which we have used. As for Coffee, make it on the electric or Propane Hot plate, or use the propane grill.

Around here, we just become off gridders, when the power goes out. That means keeping 1 gallon jugs of water in the freezer, getting extra water as we can, while the city utility is still pumping water through the lines, having a stock of canned foods, that do not need to be baked in an oven.

Anything in the freezers, they get packed in our ice chests with ice. I have at least six Ice chests downstairs, so that if the power is going to be out for more then 24 hours, I can start packing stuff in the chests with the Ice jugs, then wrap the Ice chests with heavy comforters.

You do get lucky and end up with pockets though that there is power, so it is not like our whole town goes down at once. Especially having two different Electric utility companies in our town.

You just have to plan for the worse case. If your power has only gone out once or twice in a five year period, I look at it that a genset is a waste of money then. Now if power is going out every month for more then four hours at a time, then get a whole house Kohler or Genrac, that you can have switch on automatically. Also good to have a battery bank, that will allow for certain circuits to stay online, for a short period, until the generator comes up to speed and takes over.
 
#11 ·
You have to decide if you want to live/maintain your same life style during a power outage. Or just be able to use those things that are really needed.

During a 3 day outage, are you really gonna use all the burners on your range plus the oven? Along with running your A/C. You'd probably be in the 30KW generator range. And they use a fair amount of fuel when they go into their auto run time every month/week. Lots of money if you go that way.
 
#12 · (Edited)
They generally are natural gas or propane if one or the other works for you. Basically you need to tally up your reasonable wattage use and match it to a generator system. I don't think a single range cooktop element wood ever exceed 1500watts in most cases. Looking at my whirlpool manual my big element is 250 watts to 1350 watts.
 
#13 ·
I am getting educated on the response's. I may have to re-consider GregZoll idea's a bit. Now I am thinking a portable generator to power the oil burner and hot water for Winter use and a tv, lights etc. I can use my propane stove for hot food. I can use coolers in the summer and winter to keep the perishables in. All other appliances will not be used.
I think I can manage to rough it until the power is restored.
 
#15 ·
I am glad you have seen the light. People who think they have their A/C during a power outage make me ill.

Bear in mind that gasoline can be very hard to come by during a widespread outage, so the smallest generator you can live with is the best. If you water heater is electric, you might want to forget about that.
 
#16 ·
The water is heated from the oil burner. It was never enough. This summer I am replacing the oil furnace & burner and also going to have an indirect water heater added to my system. This gives me a lot more hot water for showers and laundry.
It looks like a small generator is the way to go.
 
#17 · (Edited)
There are not a lot of places in the country where power is lost soooo much that you absolutely need a standby system ... be it permanent or portable generator. Standby systems are not a waste of money just because you don't meet some set number of times you lose power. They are a matter of convenience and how much your willing to pay for it for the amount of convenience you want.

A portable jenny with an interlock device on your panel is a very good way to go also. You simply throw the interlock, turn off all the branch breakers then turn on your generator and generator breaker and then turn on the circuits you want to operate knowing the limits of your generator power. Less than 200 dollars DIY.
 
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