Opinions on most efficient DRYERS...?

[Sunflower]

What dryer brand do you feel are most efficient on propane or gas use?

What features on new dryers do you really like? I saw an ad for a dryer with nearly no venting holes. I think that would be handy for those of us who are in areas where there is a lot of construction (and screws/nails).

[anonymous]

The most efficient dryer is probably the one you have! What I am saying is that while there are new dryers that use less gas than older ones, the most efficient as measured by return on investment is most likely the one you already own. If there is nothing physically wrong with your installed dryer you need to be very careful about buying a new one to save gas. You have to factor in that you will spend upward of $4,000 per stack for a new dryer, it takes a hell of a lot of quarters to pay for that just to save a little gas. That is not to say it may not payoff, but the payback may be too many years to be economically viable.

[Sunflower]

Good points. However, I'm not replacing, I'm adding to my building. I'm either going to buy used Huebsch Originators Dryers because that's what I already have or buy new ones of some type/brand if I can be convinced that they really are more efficient.

Any ideas or opinions on new stack dryers?

[Ken]

SQ and Dexter may have the older design now,SQ had that design since 2000,maybe earlier,I don't have SQ stack.Dexter never change design since day one.
A lot post about the new ADC,search the post.
A lot unhappy realy model Wascomat stack dryers customers,hope Wascomat works out the bug.
Since you already have Huebsch, if I were you,I may look into SQ/Huebsch dryers.Look into their newer model,it is not bad.

[Sunflower]

I read on someones website that their dryers take ONLY 20 minutes a load!!!!! Could this be true? What the heck kind of dryers are they? Mine take 40-50 minutes.

[pete f]

When adding to a mat you have to be carefull to try and match dryers. Put in high efficency against older gas burners, nobody will use the new ones. I remember you have older SQ stacks, they are not the quickest dryer out there. I have some. Check the BTU rating, it is lower than most single pockets. This is a reason why they take longer to dry clothes:)
Cleancloths brings up very valid points.. 25 cents a throw, it takes a mighty long time to recoup. To dry clothes it tales heat amd air, simple. The more heat/air, the faster the dry time. The way to save gas with new design is more insulation and cutting gas flow basicly.
Think of your old v-8 and the power vs a 4 banger. They both get you to the same place, one can do it quicker, which therein lies the problem.. who wants to spend 45 mins to dry?

[Sunflower]

Right. So what do I do? My Huebsch (SQ) stacks take 40-55 an average load. Talk to me about insulation... The centered cubby they're in is NOT insulated or tight and we thought this was in our customers favor (extra airflow and all).

We seem to have a lacking in dryers. I'm looking to add 3 used of the same kind. My biggest reason for this is then we'll be able to order all the same parts and in such a small sq footage, I don't like the idea of a lot of different colors and brands. Too ecclectic and messy. The used is appealing because 90% of the time what we have is fine. It's just a time or two a week that people are waiting. However FIRE season changes everything and we have one every year. (Didn't factor that in when we bought the place. A little bonus.) Also, it seems like the newer models are more efficient. Can't help thinking about that. My Huebsch Originators are 90,000 per tumbler I think. The new Huebsch's are 73,000 I think. The ADC's are 55,000 per tumbler I think. That seems like a big difference. But is it really? Also, ADC doesn't have 822 holes in the tumbler for catching screws and nails.

We're bumping out the back wall to add showers and internet area so why not dryers. One really good fire season and you know... We're also adding a coffee shop.

I can't wait to get this place finished. It is so sad looking now. Although my new washers really make me happy. ;o)

[anonymous]

Be careful interpreting BTU/HR ratings, they don't tell you how much gas a dryer consumes. Please read that again. What they tell you is the maximum firing rate of the burner, but as you know the burner cycles on and off throughout the drying cycle. As an example, my ADC dryers rated at 80Kbtu/hr on average consume 42k btu/hr that they run.

Figure out how much your driers really consume and then compare that against what you want to buy. Calculate how much gas you will save per hour of run time and how many hours the dryer will run a year, multiply by your therm rate and that will tell you the gas savings. You will likely come up with 5-10 years or more in terms of payback. So, as I said before if the current dryers work you probably don't want to replace them, but if you have problems then you should probably replace with the most energy efficient that makes economic sense. Sometimes you are better off with a very efficient but not the most efficient item - there is usually a large price premium for the highest eff unit that does not make sense. This was the case when I installed Natco Super-E water heaters. They are 95% eff versus the Hamilton that claims to be 99% eff, but the payback based on the 4% savings and the cost difference was over 15 years if I were to buy the 99% unit.

As for different dryers, I agree with Pete - if at all possible stick with one type. When you have different type dryers customers will constantly be touching them and determining they like one type versus the other. The other item to worry about is if your dryers take 40-50 minutes and new ones take 20-30 minutes you will have to adjust the pricing on the two types to provide the same value and revenue from the dryers. What I mean by this is that you will need to charge more per minute for the new ones to maintain your revenue. You probably will not have to charge double as they don't use as much gas but you will likely want to charge a 50% premium otherwise you will be taking in less revenue per therm burned.

[Sunflower]

Wow. Thanks for bringing these things up. Now I'm thinking I should find used Huebsch JT32DG's to match mine. I just need about 3 more stacks.

I'm not in an area where I must upgrade to the shiniest new bell & whistle gear to keep an edge on a competitor anyway.

[pete f]

Wow. Thanks for bringing these things up. Now I'm thinking I should find used Huebsch JT32DG's to match mine. I just need about 3 more stacks.

I'm not in an area where I must upgrade to the shiniest new bell & whistle gear to keep an edge on a competitor anyway.

If you have room a few 50# dryers, which should come cheap used, would work. You can price them 25% more easy and they do a big load quick. My 5 50"s take in about as much as my 10 30's stacks.

I have Dexter at all the other mats, and never get complaints. I do have Maytag/ (ADC 330's ) at 1 store, after 1 1/2 yrs no problems. Everyone complain at fiirst when I started at 14 mins for 45 cent (card) the dryer not hot, cheaper down the street, blah blah, so I RAISED the price to 10 min for 35 cent and everyone was happy.

[Sunflower]

Good idea. Thanks. I want to get these in before next tourist season. Anyone out here in Washington State want to sell me your old-model 50# Dryers? ;)

[soapman]

Pete,
Help me here, you went from 14min for 45cents or 3.2cents per minute to 10min for 35 cents or 3.5cents per minute and now your customers are happy????
Sunflower, 50lbers are great but nothing I mean nothing makes my customers madder than not having a dryer available to them. Better to have more pockets; but its a balance. My cutomers will split loads without complaint but they will walk out if they have to wait for a dryer. I put in the new ADC dryers and the customers love the bright baskets, they think they are bigger. If it works I really like Pete's idea.
The last 8 weeks have been the biggest for us in years I'm anxious to see my next gas bill.

[soapman]

Answer please. Sounds like a good idea?

[pete f]

Answer please. Sounds like a good idea?

I am not sure what my idea was you referenced! I was rereading all posts to figure it out. Still, I am not sure. Putting in 50# dryers?


The 14 min to 10 min was real, but I have to say, I streched some truth here. I went from 14 min / 45 cent , 50% of the customers complained about how the dryers worked, to 10 min/ 30 cent. But that only last 2 months, Katrina hit and I went to 35 cent. By dropping to 10 mins customers were able to dry like they did at a coin store, and were comfortable with the time. It was never the price., it was the time. They like to micro mange thier dryers. After I dropped to 10 mins I NEVER heard another word. Ever. From 50% complaint to ZERO. I learned a lesson.