[Shop-talk] Hot air furnace parasitic loss

[Pat]

JP,

Probably what you are hearing is the control transformer in the furnace. 
Your thermostat  and controls runs on 24V. There will be a small amount 
of eddy current loss in the transformer, but that's about it.

Peace,
Pat

Thusly spake PJ McGarvey:
> I'm wondering if any of the guys here have tried measuring the parasitic
> energy loss of their hot air furnace, since I know some of you have those
> meters you can use to measure electricity usage.
>
> So I'm in the electrical panel this afternoon, and I noticed the furnace
> breaker is on, so I turn it off since we're not running the heat just yet.
> When I turn it off, I hear a buzzing sound stop, which is obviously the heater
> which is 3 feet to my right.  Turn it back on, buzzing continues, back off,
> buzzing stops.
>
> Now I'm not assuming that the heater of all things uses any power when "off"
> like the way other electronic devices do, but is there even some microscopic
> amount being used?  If so, add that up over the summer season, and it could be
> worth making sure these things are off...
>
> FYI, I usually leave the breaker off until it's heating season, but I think
> that the technician had left it on when he serviced it about a month ago.
>
> Thanks,
> PJ
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-- 
Pat Horne, Owner, Horne Systems 
(512) 797-7501 Voice		5026 FM 2001
Pat at HorneSystemsTx.com	Lockhart, TX 78644-4443
www.hornesystemstx.com
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