G.D. Dryer Down AGAIN!!!

[Evo]

I was going to say lint. At the old shop I worked at this was an occasional issue with the American dryer we had. Keeping the blowers, etc clean and lubed was essential.

[244]

Alright, I'm covered in lint, actually ate some as well.  It's been operating for 30 minutes no fails, I've got to run a quick little job and I'll get back on here to let you know what I did.  Rich, sorry I haven't been at my desk much this afternoon, when it fails again, which I'm certain it will, I'll call you on your cell.

Just an FYI. Some of the first Tex-Air dryers were insulated with some nasty stuff. Use proper respirator just to be safe!

[alan802]

Well, I came up to the shop on Saturday and sucked up some lint from inside the machine, there really wasn't much there since I had done that a few months back when we last had dryer problems.  It failed about 5 times this morning but because I am more stubborn than the dryer, I just kept firing it up and it's ran since 9am without any failures.  I don't know what is causing the problem, but I'm going to call Rich and Winston when I get a good window of time.  We're almost caught up from Friday's disaster. 

If this would have happened just a few weeks ago, when we were printing 7-10 jobs a day, we would have been royally screwed.  This could not have happened at a better time, someone is looking down on us, maybe the old man who built this company from scratch.  Thursday we had finally gotten about 2 days ahead of schedule where I like to be so we can turn around a rush or something special in a day and wow a new customer or something like that.

On a related note, this dryer just turned 20 years old, and due to the electricity costs to run it along with overall inefficiency that I think this dryer has compared to new ones, we are going to seriously move forward with buying a new dryer.  Our gas bill is averaging about $200 with electricity for this building around $1100.  I think the dryer is making up about half of that $1100, maybe a little less but there is no telling.  We run the IR panels really hot so we can run the auto full speed so I'd like to find out what the dryer pulls just on it's own in electricity.  Can anyone tell me by looking at these numbers I list how much more efficient a new dryer will be?  3Phase, 208-240V/60HZ, Radiant Panels Watts=5400, Power Consumption=22KVA, with max current per phase=53amps.  I don't know the relationship those numbers have with overall power consumption and how much the new dryers will be using.  I do know that lot's of things have changed for the better since this dryer was built in 1992, so hopefully textile dryers have as well.

 I'd like a 60" or more, 12' heat and at least 5' infeed and outfeed.  With the current growth that we've experienced over the last 5 years, we'll need another auto in about 18-24 months.

[GraphicDisorder]

I would assume gas would be way cheaper.

[blue moon]

Well, I came up to the shop on Saturday and sucked up some lint from inside the machine, there really wasn't much there since I had done that a few months back when we last had dryer problems.  It failed about 5 times this morning but because I am more stubborn than the dryer, I just kept firing it up and it's ran since 9am without any failures.  I don't know what is causing the problem, but I'm going to call Rich and Winston when I get a good window of time.  We're almost caught up from Friday's disaster. 

If this would have happened just a few weeks ago, when we were printing 7-10 jobs a day, we would have been royally screwed.  This could not have happened at a better time, someone is looking down on us, maybe the old man who built this company from scratch.  Thursday we had finally gotten about 2 days ahead of schedule where I like to be so we can turn around a rush or something special in a day and wow a new customer or something like that.

On a related note, this dryer just turned 20 years old, and due to the electricity costs to run it along with overall inefficiency that I think this dryer has compared to new ones, we are going to seriously move forward with buying a new dryer.  Our gas bill is averaging about $200 with electricity for this building around $1100.  I think the dryer is making up about half of that $1100, maybe a little less but there is no telling.  We run the IR panels really hot so we can run the auto full speed so I'd like to find out what the dryer pulls just on it's own in electricity.  Can anyone tell me by looking at these numbers I list how much more efficient a new dryer will be?  3Phase, 208-240V/60HZ, Radiant Panels Watts=5400, Power Consumption=22KVA, with max current per phase=53amps.  I don't know the relationship those numbers have with overall power consumption and how much the new dryers will be using.  I do know that lot's of things have changed for the better since this dryer was built in 1992, so hopefully textile dryers have as well.

 I'd like a 60" or more, 12' heat and at least 5' infeed and outfeed.  With the current growth that we've experienced over the last 5 years, we'll need another auto in about 18-24 months.

I am sure somebody like Rich will have much better numbers, but my guess (and this is only a GUESS) would be you are using about $1.50 per hour on electric. It could be anywhere from $1.00 to $2.00 depending on the cost of electricity, dryer efficiency and how much heat is generated by the gas. My understanding is that an efficient big dryer should be in the same price range, but you would be eliminating the gas bill from your cost. Or you could say that your gas bill would stay the same and the electric part would go away.

A friend of mine is running a large gas dryer and he says it costs him about $500 per month. New high efficiency dryers should use half that. Can anybody here give us better numbers?

pierre

[mk162]

New dryers run between $1-$1.50 for gas, depending on what you are paying.  Electricity on a gas dryer isn't much, but it's there still.

I would check out the interchange MD-8.  Go longer that you think you will need.  The IR bump panels wouldn't be a bad move either.

Or gas bill here is around $300 a month, including all of the extra fees.  I just signed with a new company that should lower it by around $30 a month.

[GraphicDisorder]

Id be a poor example of gas use because we dont print daily.  But I haven' t noticed a huge increase in gas bill if that tells you anything.

I thought Sam or someone said it was $.85 per hour for them on their M&R Dryer. 

Obviously this depends on gas rates and such.

[244]

Well, I came up to the shop on Saturday and sucked up some lint from inside the machine, there really wasn't much there since I had done that a few months back when we last had dryer problems.  It failed about 5 times this morning but because I am more stubborn than the dryer, I just kept firing it up and it's ran since 9am without any failures.  I don't know what is causing the problem, but I'm going to call Rich and Winston when I get a good window of time.  We're almost caught up from Friday's disaster. 

If this would have happened just a few weeks ago, when we were printing 7-10 jobs a day, we would have been royally screwed.  This could not have happened at a better time, someone is looking down on us, maybe the old man who built this company from scratch.  Thursday we had finally gotten about 2 days ahead of schedule where I like to be so we can turn around a rush or something special in a day and wow a new customer or something like that.

On a related note, this dryer just turned 20 years old, and due to the electricity costs to run it along with overall inefficiency that I think this dryer has compared to new ones, we are going to seriously move forward with buying a new dryer.  Our gas bill is averaging about $200 with electricity for this building around $1100.  I think the dryer is making up about half of that $1100, maybe a little less but there is no telling.  We run the IR panels really hot so we can run the auto full speed so I'd like to find out what the dryer pulls just on it's own in electricity.  Can anyone tell me by looking at these numbers I list how much more efficient a new dryer will be?  3Phase, 208-240V/60HZ, Radiant Panels Watts=5400, Power Consumption=22KVA, with max current per phase=53amps.  I don't know the relationship those numbers have with overall power consumption and how much the new dryers will be using.  I do know that lot's of things have changed for the better since this dryer was built in 1992, so hopefully textile dryers have as well.

 I'd like a 60" or more, 12' heat and at least 5' infeed and outfeed.  With the current growth that we've experienced over the last 5 years, we'll need another auto in about 18-24 months.

The new Sprint will be about 1/3 the cost in energy and about 100% faster.

[mk162]

The new breed of gas dryers are great...period.

Rich, if I wanted to add a section to our dryer(it's an MD-8) would it be better to add more gas, or an IR panel?  Just wanted your opinion.

I am thinking of doing gas so I don't have to run electric and that leaves me more electric for flashes and other goodies.

[244]

Can't speak 100 % about Interchange but on our dryer its definitely better to add gas

[mk162]

That is what I was thinking.

I think the basics of the dryers are very similar from what I understand. 

[244]

That is what I was thinking.

I think the basics of the dryers are very similar from what I understand.

Actually the only thing the same is they are modular and run on gas. That is where it ends. We may cost more but I think we are way worth it when it comes to gas consumption per piece and consistent temperature throughout the dryer.

[californiadreamin]

Hi Alan! I hope your up and running,If not maybe we can get to the botttom of the problem.
A dryer regardless of age, and has been properly maintained will operate  trouble free as designed.There
are better built dryers and dryers that one could say not as good. All dryers new or used should conform
to the National Fire Protection Standard 86 for Ovens and Furnace. Period! With that being said we will assume
That all safetys are operational. Per law these are what is required on any dryer, one of the failing safteys is what
stops most dryers. #1 Airflow switch (found on main blower,exhaust blower) They close on proof of air being
detected in the little tube. These get clogged or sometimes are not pointed directly in to air flow and can be intermitant. #2 Low gas pressure (not enough gas to keep the flame lit.) #3 High gas pressure ( This shuts off
if to much gas rapidly enters the burner). #4 Hi Temp Limit Switch ( This stops the dryer if you dryer goes over temp. Runaway  flame/ element #5 Flame out ( it means you flame rod or UV scanner senses loss of flame. Do not
under any circumstances operate a dryer without these in place.  These five items is what usually stops or shut down a dryer 99% 0f the time. Lack of maintance or a loose wire is what the usual reason, then conponent failure,
melted wire, cracks in the ignition wire,etc. If these are taken care of your dryer will run trouble free. If it is a new dryer then it should run trouble free until the lack of maintance kicks in.Always have schematic available before you need them. Your machine will always fail when you need it most(murphy's law). I forgot#6 Belt sensor( if applicable). As far as cost to run, This is easy to figure out as long as you estimate the amount of energy needed
to run your dryer per hour on you normal production gas or electric. These rates vary upon location and sometimes
include "other charges" Such as demand, school board taxes, bail europe out taxes,etc... Know you cost.  There is
nothing new under the sun, as far as technology goes! Sure there are features,bells and whistles etc.  If you can afford new? Buy new! If not you can improve your current dryer buy adding a few "bells and whistles" For not alot
of time and money, that will improve efficiency, and lower operating cost. It is not magic! What ever you do, make
an informed decision, and you should be happy printing t-shirts. Keep it simple!

winston strickland
(904)3430848
winstric@yahoo.com

[jsheridan]

As a reference to cost.

To run a Heatwave R @ 365 and run waterbase discharge all day, the gas was $80 a month.

[californiadreamin]

Hi Alan!
How is the dryer?

winston