Saving $$ on Power Usage: Rewire Household Appliance

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating potential savings on electricity bills by rewiring household appliances with a larger diameter wire. The original wire with a diameter of 1.628mm dissipates 39.9W, while the new wire with a diameter of 2.053mm dissipates only 25.1W, resulting in a power savings of 14.8W. Given an annual electricity bill of $1400, the savings can be calculated by determining the percentage of power loss and its corresponding cost. The approach involves using the formula for power dissipation and adjusting the total bill based on the reduced power consumption.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electrical power calculations (P = IV)
  • Knowledge of resistivity and its impact on wire performance
  • Familiarity with power dissipation formulas (P = I²R)
  • Basic financial calculations related to electricity costs
NEXT STEPS
  • Calculate the total annual savings from reduced power consumption using the new wire diameter.
  • Research the impact of wire gauge on electrical efficiency and safety standards.
  • Explore the relationship between wire length, diameter, and resistivity in electrical systems.
  • Investigate energy-efficient appliances and their effect on overall household power consumption.
USEFUL FOR

Homeowners, electricians, and energy efficiency consultants looking to reduce electricity costs and improve household energy management.

fogvajarash
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Homework Statement


A household appliance consumes 1800W of power from a 120V wall plug. Calculate the power consumed due to a wire of length L = 22.0m and diameter D1 = 1.628mm (with resistivity p = 1.680 x 10-8Ωm). If a house spends $1400 per year in electricity bills, how much money can be saved per year by rewiring the house with a new wire of diameter D2 = 2.053mm?

Homework Equations


P = IV

The Attempt at a Solution


I have found the power dissipated by the wire, which should be P = 25.1W using the formula P = I2R (for the second wire) and P = 39.9W (for the first wire). However, I do not know how to relate this with the money spent. How should I approach this problem? I'm not sure on how to proceed. Thanks in advance.
 
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I think you must be expected to assume that the same percentage of money is wasted as you calculate here for power wasted.
 
I haven't checked the dissipations, I'll roll with what you have.

Some amount out of the 1400$ is spent on the lost power. The total bill is n(A + 0.0399)kWh*rate. "A" is just the sum of the power consumption of other appliances, which don't concern us and "n" represents whatever amount of time power was being consumed.
If n(A + 0.0399)kWh * Rate = 1400$, how would you find the bill if you replaced the wire?

You win some certain amount of power by replacing the wire (39.9 - 25.1 = 14.8W) this 0.0148* n * kWh * Rate is the amount of dollars you don't have to spend, hence you can subtract it from the 1400$.
 

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