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Dehumidifier v Tumble Dryer

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  • Spies
    Spies Posts: 2,224 Forumite
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    I've had a hoodie on my clothes airer for 2 days inside and it's still not dry. I envy you people in the South. 
    4.29kWp Solar system, 45/55 South/West split in cloudy rainy Cumbria. 
  • Exiled_Tyke
    Exiled_Tyke Posts: 1,294 Forumite
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    As for what's more energy efficient my condensing dehumidifier uses 185W but suspect it would need to be on for many hours to dry clothes - 10 hours would be 1.85kWh. Internet says around 2.16kWh for a load in a heat pump tumble dryer.

    I need to look into this but I'm sure it's no where near 2Kwh a load for drying for me.  I'm guessing around half that but would need to do some research.  A very useful starting point though. And I'm guessing from this that the difference between the approaches is not very great.
    Install 28th Nov 15, 3.3kW, (11x300LG), SolarEdge, SW. W Yorks.
    Install 2: Sept 19, 600W SSE
    Solax 6.3kWh battery
  • Spies
    Spies Posts: 2,224 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper


    As for what's more energy efficient my condensing dehumidifier uses 185W but suspect it would need to be on for many hours to dry clothes - 10 hours would be 1.85kWh. Internet says around 2.16kWh for a load in a heat pump tumble dryer.

    I need to look into this but I'm sure it's no where near 2Kwh a load for drying for me.  I'm guessing around half that but would need to do some research.  A very useful starting point though. And I'm guessing from this that the difference between the approaches is not very great.
    My last 3 loads this month were 0.5kWh, 0.5kWh and 0.8kWh.


    4.29kWp Solar system, 45/55 South/West split in cloudy rainy Cumbria. 
  • paul991
    paul991 Posts: 396 Forumite
    Third Anniversary 100 Posts
    been great weather to dry everything outside
  • Spies
    Spies Posts: 2,224 Forumite
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    edited 12 October 2022 at 9:31PM
    paul991 said:
    been great weather to dry everything outside
    Stuff doesn't dry here at 80%+ humidity.


    4.29kWp Solar system, 45/55 South/West split in cloudy rainy Cumbria. 
  • Mr.Generous
    Mr.Generous Posts: 3,801 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Dehumid on the landing, put clothes on hangers over the open doors. I can wash in the morning and they are dry by mid afternoon. I'm a gym nut, so use a hand towel every day as a sweat towel, they have to be washed and dried and in winter months that means over the dehumidifier.

    Still resisting putting the heating on !! Those fat cat ba%%$£"%s are not getting all my money !!
    Mr Generous - Landlord for more than 10 years. Generous? - Possibly but sarcastic more likely.
  • Spies said:


    As for what's more energy efficient my condensing dehumidifier uses 185W but suspect it would need to be on for many hours to dry clothes - 10 hours would be 1.85kWh. Internet says around 2.16kWh for a load in a heat pump tumble dryer.

    I need to look into this but I'm sure it's no where near 2Kwh a load for drying for me.  I'm guessing around half that but would need to do some research.  A very useful starting point though. And I'm guessing from this that the difference between the approaches is not very great.
    My last 3 loads this month were 0.5kWh, 0.5kWh and 0.8kWh.


    I concur with this, we are getting similar energy usage from our Miele heat pump dryer.

    We previously had a condenser dehumidifier and energy usage per load was around twice that of the tumble dryer. 
  • 2nd_time_buyer
    2nd_time_buyer Posts: 784 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 13 October 2022 at 9:19AM


    As for what's more energy efficient my condensing dehumidifier uses 185W but suspect it would need to be on for many hours to dry clothes - 10 hours would be 1.85kWh. Internet says around 2.16kWh for a load in a heat pump tumble dryer.

    I need to look into this but I'm sure it's no where near 2Kwh a load for drying for me.  I'm guessing around half that but would need to do some research.  A very useful starting point though. And I'm guessing from this that the difference between the approaches is not very great.
    I believe the greater efficiency of heat pump dryers over dehumidifiers comes about as a result of them both being more efficient at removing water when the humidity is higher. The smaller space, higher temperature, and tumbling result in much higher humidity in a tumble dryer compared to a dehumidifier in a sealed room. 

    Well that is my thinking anyway.
  • waqasahmed
    waqasahmed Posts: 1,984 Forumite
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    biscan25 said:
    Winters coming.

    Anyone used a dehumidifier in a practical way to dry clothes?

    Was it effective? How did you do it?

    Thanks
    I do this. I put it in the ensuite ( the smallest room in the house) with clothes on driers and the heating on (dehumidiers are more efficient at higher temperatures). It's dry within 6 hours.

    I have the Meaco ABCdry 12l
    Six hours. I guess that's fine if you don't have an A++ or higher rated dryer. It isn't then worth it if you've got an A+++ rated dryer 
  • waqasahmed
    waqasahmed Posts: 1,984 Forumite
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    It would be great to get a definitive answer on this one as it has come up before.  A tumble drier with a heat pump is working in a very similar way to a dehumidifier but it's all happening in a much smaller space. So in theory it should be cheaper to run? On the other hand it also move the clothes around all the time so that's more energy.   I haven't tried drying with the dehumidifier but I'm very happy with the tumble drier (especially on cold but sunny days!)  I would try a comparison test but it would be a lot of faff to do it and getting accurate electricity consumption estimates over such a long period nigh impossible. 
    It certainly is for me tbf. I looked into a dehumidifier and it is marginally cheaper to use the tumble dryer but again I've got an A+++ tumble dryer 
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