Auto-Stop for Clothes Dryer | |||||||||||||||||
My electric clothes dryer does not automtically stop when clothes have dried. On the dryer I have the option to pre-select duration of time for drying. In order to determine if the clothes have dried, one needs to open the dryer, feel the clothes and then let it run for some time or stop. Short of buying a new dryer, I wish there a device that stops the dryer when clothes have dried- saving electricity. Is there such a device?
vishwambhargava, Dec 21 2005
What do you think of this idea or comment? | |||||||||||||||||
Add your comment
An exhaust fan with a humidity sensor in the exhaust duct keyed to a cutoff switch should do the trick.
Yes, it is a simple thing in principle but, as with anything, the implementation could be difficult, and I suspect that there would be problems with a single humidity sensor in the exhaust duct. I would propose the above, in combination with several moisture detectors (such devices are commericially available), placed on the inside drum wall in various locations. The clothes would brush up against these detectors, which would have to be very sensitive.
Fine tuning of the algorithm would be required. Something like if no moisture detection has occured for such a period of time, then the clothes are sufficiently dry. The algorithm would be modified for different drum sizes, maybe different load sizes etc. Comments?
I believe that Maytag's Neptune Intellidry Dryer has this feature. (One result is that the drying time varies unpredictably.)