How Much Electricity Does a Rock Tumbler Use?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 มิ.ย. 2024
- A lot of people have asked me how much the electricity to run a tumbler costs. I decided to find out.
Here are my calculations for a Lortone 33B tumbler:
The label states:
115 volts AC
.57 amps
36 watts
Based on 36 watts listed on the label, it costs $3.45 per month to run.
36 watts x 720 hours/month = 25920 watts hours/month
25920 watt hours/month/1000 = 25.920 kWh/month
Electricity costs 13.3¢ per kWh at my house.
25.92 kWh/month x $.133/kWh = $3.45/month
None of my other motors list watts, so I decided that I could just calculate it from that volts and amps. I read that Watts = Volts x Amps. I tested this with information from my Lortone motor.
Watts = Amps x Volts
Watts = .57 x 115
Watts = 65.55
But that doesn’t match up with what is printed on the motor. Then I read on another website that the formula to figure out wattage for a single phase electric motor is:
Watts = Amps x Volts x Power Factor
Power factor isn’t listed on the label, but if I work backwards from what is listed, I can figure out that it must be .55.
Watts = Amps x Volts x Power Factor
36 = .57 x 115 x Power Factor
36 = 65.55 x Power Factor
.55 = Power Factor
This doesn’t help me with other motors because they don’t list the power factor.
Here are the measurements from my Kill A Watt device:
122.5 volts
.37 amps
23.5-23.6 watts
Power factor: .50
Based on 23.6 watts my Lortone 33B costs $2.26 per month to run.
23.6 watts x 720 hours/month = 16992 watts hours/month
16992 / 1000 = 16.992 kWh/month
16.992kWh/month x $.133/kWh = $2.26 per month
Thanks to the great people on the Rock Tumbling Hobby forums for their help verifying some of my numbers.
Thanks to Christina Jelinek for editing the closed captions for this video.
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I always found it interesting how all that math in school you thought you were never going to use, you end up using it everyday. Thanks for not giving us one of those word problems.
You're welcome. I like my subscribers.
Thank you for debunking the myth that rock tumblers are really expensive to run!
After some of the comments I got on my year long tumble, I kind of needed to do this.
Maggie Parks, I abhor Fake News.
Especially when it comes to
anything ROCK related. 😉
The power usage listed on the tumbler is probably when the tumbler is loaded to its rated poundage and is actually doing some work as compared to running with no load. Even at that it’s still very cheap entertainment ! Cool little device, I might have to get one of those.
You're close; Power ratings on a motor show the power consumed under full load or in other words at complete lockup and not moving.
The barrels in all my tests were loaded to their normal 2/3 or so. @Mywindow, thanks for that additional information.
@@mywindow9929 I was going to say it is the “max” rating.
@@mywindow9929 Not true, an electric motor running at the name plate rating, FLA, full load amps, is not locked up. It is the max load that it can sustain with out burning out, insulation failure. Duty cycle rating is also important here, some motors are designed for continuous use others can only run for certain times on then a rest time to cool down. There are some motors, refrigeration compressors, probably some others that also display LRC, locked rotor current.
No, the ratings are always absolute max for supply fuse sizing.
Wow I didn't expect the Lot-o Tumbler to use that much more electricity than the others. This was interesting, thanks for sharing!
I was a little surprised at that too.
@@MichiganRocks When you stop to consider that a 1 week run in the Lotto saves you 3 weeks of barrel tumbling and requires a lot less grit consumption the electrical cost isn’t all that bad.
So 1 month of Lotto operation would save you 12 weeks of barrel tumbling if my math is right.
@@davidhile5363 Very good point, David.
Just as good as your instructional videos on how to tumble, this really makes better sense. It didn’t cost as much as I thought
I wasn't too surprised because this has been discussed on the Rock Tumbling Hobby forums before. I was a little surprised at the low cost of the National Geographic tumbler.
Interesting to know!
Great video, my wife was always giving me a hard time about my tumbler running 24/7 for six months straight now. Really cool video, excited to see what you have in your cabinet barrels tumbling, see you in the next one!
We never noticed a big jump in the power bill when I started. I slowly added tumblers over the years and then replaced them all (except the Lot-O) with my big tumbler.
That's really good to know that I'm not bankrupting our house.
Right, now I can buy more, lol.
Haha me too
Everybody can sleep well tonight.
Nice! Always wondered about the cost of running the tumblers and appreciate you helping us rock-geeks out!
No problem, Adam.
This is something I always wondered. I am a bit surprised that the Lot-O takes that much electricity. They all came up cheaper to run than I expected. Thank you much for all the great information !
@@kellysquirrelk Yes it sure is. After having to re do mine. Now I know it isn't going to break the bank :)
I was a little surprised about that one too.
Pretty cool idea to show the usage and the price to run. Thought it would have been more. Was fun to watch. Great video
Very informative video! Not bad usage at all.
Very informative! Thanks for sharing! The math behind it was cool to see!😍🥰😇👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I was just googling this not two hours before this video was posted. Great timing and great video as always
I'm here to help, Noah.
Thank you! I was worried about that and now I can rest easy, thanks again my friend. :)
You're welcome, Chad.
That's cool to know. I have a few tumblers. Great info. Thanks for sharing.
That's a cool gadget. Kill a Watt. Nice to know tumbling doesn't cost much. Buying the equipment the is the most expensive part of the hobby. But totally worth it.
I think grit is the next most expensive.
Very interesting and useful information Rob. When I was getting into tumbling, my wife lamented that power bills would skyrocket. They didn't. If we really looked into it, we'd find that the problem is; she and the kids have never turned a light off in their lives. I joke that I have a full-time job just walking around the house turning of lights.
My wife and I are on the same page with the lights. It was a team effort to get my son to turn them off.
Thanks for doing all the research for us. I still run my tumbler almost continuously when I am not out of town.
I let mine go if I'm only gone for a couple days, but unplug it if I'm gone longer. I have no idea why I'm comfortable with a couple days but not three or four.
This was good information to know. It was always something that was in the back of my mind!
Thanks Rob!
No problem, Kyle!
I love that you got into this because you wanted to do things with your son. I just started last month and I enjoy your videos, and (like UR son) always like shiny rocks.. THANK YOU!
We had some fun rock hunting trips together.
Not too bad. I think your cabinet tumbler is neat.
I like that one too.
Thank you for your time and all the great information you give. I look forward to you sharing your extensive knowledge through your videos. Your rockhounding experience around the Michigan area is amazing. Thank you.
You're welcome!
That difference is exactly what I was explaining on the other comment section! Prefect guide sir.
Thanks for watching and letting me know that this is what you were talking about.
This kind of video is really nice to share. I do not think I would have the patience to wait so long.
Something else to consider: if it's winter, any waste heat from electrical devices inside the house simply reduces the energy output needed from your heating source. That "waste heat" coming from a light bulb, a computer, a hairdryer -- and, yes, a rock tumbler -- isn't really being wasted if the heat goes into a space that otherwise needs to be heated.
Good point, Greg. It's not much, but every little bit helps.
Love the tee shirt! That is brilliant.
Another excellent video. I was initially drawn to your videos by the wonderful relaxing hunts but your wit, talent and informative teaching has hooked me.
I bought that shirt at a shop in Traverse City. I forget the name of the place, but they make the shirt while you wait.
I really like your stuff, Rob. Super informative and user friendly.
Thanks, that really put things into perspective! I was a little worried about how much energy it would use, but I feel a lot better about it now! Got my rotary and vibratory tumblers in the mail and I’m ready to get started! Thanks for all of your detailed videos!
You're welcome!
Great news Sir. As a "Lopper" ( lower peninsula) it's good to know about this. As well as seeing the different rocks from my birth state. Thank you!
Lopper? I have never heard that. I have always heard "troll".
thanks for the video always like seeing comparisons of things. Looks like a great and rewarding hobby. 👍🏼
I sure have enjoyed it.
We bought a Lortone 33b tumbler last year and a few weeks after we started to use it we got a notice from our power company that there was a consumption increase that was going to cost around $25/mo. So, we did the fancy math and concluded the tumbler was not responsible for that large of an increase. We never did figure it out…I guess we need one of those gadgets you highlight to monitor usage. On a side note, we’ve been the market for a Lot-O. We can’t find one at the moment but when we do I guess we’ll have to expect a slightly larger jump in the electric bill than what we experienced with the Lortone. I wouldn’t have expected that. The things you have to put up with in the quest for shiny rocks!
I really don't think your 33B caused your extra power use either. Must have been something else. The good thing about the Lot-O is that it works so fast that you probably won't be running it continuously like your rotary tumbler.
I have links to the Rock Shed and Kingsley North in the description. Both carry the Lot-O. I'd just send them a note and ask them to hold one for you when they get one in. I have bought two in the last few months.
Thank you Rob as this really helps me with presenting my argument to my hubby that a tumbler doesn't break the bank in electricity costs. He was kind enough to buy me a vibratory tumbler for Christmas but I mentioned that I wanted a rotary one for my upcoming birthday. As my hubby holds an electrical technician diploma, your numbers and figures were in his language!!! Thank you again for another informative video
I'm glad I could save your marriage!
Thanks for this! We live off solar and we’d like to do some tumbling but haven’t really looked into it thinking we would probably suck a lot of battery running one for long periods of time.
Now you know about how much to expect to use. I don't know if running off a battery makes any difference though.
We just started our first batch using the harbor freight double roller a few days ago. Thanks for your content, it's great. From Lake Texoma.
Please see my comment to Aggie Rowe.
This video answers what I've been wondering about exactly. Thanks for making this.
I keep getting questions about this, so I figured it was about time I made a video. I'm glad it was helpful.
Great hobby, great cost, great video ,thanks , Chris & Lisa
Thanks, Chris and Lisa!
That’s good information Rob it is a good hobby for sure. It gets you outdoors which is a good thing.
That cabinet is amazing!
Thank You ! Your always learning new things and showing us new things ~! You Rock !
Your'e welcome, Robert!
Awesome video Rob! My husband and I were just talking about this last week. I have a small tumbler that has 2, 3# barrels and a big one that has a 15# barrel. Thank you for sharing this!✌🤠
You're welcome, Kyla. Is everybody happy at your house now or do you need to shut the tumblers down?
@@MichiganRocks I run them in my attached garage during the warmer months so they're close but can't be heard inside. Now they are in my husband's shop because it is heated and I don't want them to freeze up this winter.
Great info. Electricity use was one of my concerns before I dove in so, now I can put that myth to rest. Time to get another tumbler 😊
Get two while you're at it!
Great information, well done. I have wonder the same thing but never invested the time. Thanks for sharing
Perfect timing as my electric supply rate more than doubled. I started wondering about the tumbler draw (among other things). I guesstimated $5 tops, but will definitely pickup a meter.
BTW, the lotto was a lot more than I would have guessed. But it does work fast and you get such nice results I'd say it's worth it.
The Lot-O can do the last three steps in a week compared to about a month in a rotary, so I think it's worth the extra cost.
Very Interesting!! I thought it would cost a lot more. But not enough to make me quit!! A great Video once again!! 👍🤗♥️🙏🏼
Nope, not expensive at all.
Rob, thanks! I never bothered to do the math, but this answered some questions. Wondering when you are going to publish the plans for your tumbler cabinet. Sure would be interested in building one, and many of your fans probably would be as well. Thanks again.
My friend designed that and has asked me not to share the plans, so there won't be a video on that. I do have a couple videos about it and have answered a few questions in the comments.
Homemade Tumbler: th-cam.com/video/6qIcK2ZohGM/w-d-xo.html
Tumbler Update: th-cam.com/video/PAMOCc2BNJM/w-d-xo.html
Great Information as usual.
I've been wondering this for awhile since i started watching your channel. I live close to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, so I'm sure there are some sick geodes and cool rocks to tumble around here.
I don't know what's in Kentucky, but I'm sure you'll figure it out.
Thanks for the information, I was wondering about that.
I got lots of questions about that, so I figured I'd just make a video.
As always love your vids, Rob.
I wanted to make another tip.
So, the last batch I was doing, I couldn't understand why it wasn't polishing in the last stage. I've bought good polishing grit from, The Rock Shed. When I was cleaning one of my lids, I noticed a small hole in the rubber part. When I squeezed around it, I notice a whole lot of grit came out of the hole. That's when I had an AAAAAAHA moment!
I separated the rubber part from the metal plate. There was a ton of grit that could've been in there for who knows how long leaking back into different stages. 🙄
I'll clean it really good and just silicone the rubber part to the metal plate so that want happen again.
You can also buy a replacement lid gasket. Those wear out after a year or two.
Спасибо за видео 🙂!)
Здорово, когда в семье общее хобби!)
Здоровья и удачи вам всем!)))
Great information!
What a great share for a video❣
U R such a helpful human!!
I'm glad you think so. I try.
@@MichiganRocks
Consider yourself a success!!
Your trying pays off❣👏👏👏
I just purchase two 33Bs at the Rock Shed, Every time I go there we talk about you.
Go there? You live in the area? I'd love to stop in there sometime.
Hi Rob just wanted to say thanks for the info on the Cost of the Tumblers. Also just wanted to say on the cost I think it depends on where you get your power from because in our city I believe our power comes from Is Hydro power and it could be lower than some areas. If I get 1 of those meters that you have I wouldn't mind checking that out myself. Anyway I'm going now thanks Ray 😊
Yes, it definitely depends on where you get your electricity. Mine is hydro too.
The difference between the two is probably either because that spec was determined by the design engineer(s) by: 1) building a "safety factor" into the spec. This is very common with engineering designs to guarantee it will perform to a promise level and/or 2) The specification was determined using a higher test load than your test. You could test this by letting it tumble with a high density load like lead perhaps?
Other people have told me the same thing. That makes sense that they would put the maximum rating on the motor. Thanks for the help.
@@MichiganRocks if you were feeling ambitious you could do two controlled loads to test it. One with a 1/2 barrell and or lower density rock...
This is all chump change. Thanks for sharing the data!!
Thank you for this!
Great topic
Thanks, Greig.
Thank you, very helpful.
Thanks for doing all the work/math for us! This was very interesting to see. Even your big setup is pretty cheap to run considering how much volume it can tumble per month. I wonder if it's more efficient per pound than the Lortone 33b? Guess I should do the math on that one 🤔
I haven't really figured that out either, but I think it probably is. I love that big tumbler.
excellent rob
Great video! I was honestly wondering how much it cost when I got into this hobby considering the tumblers usually run all day every day. But it makes sense that it uses less power than a filament bulb.
A lot of people seem to think it’s really expensive. I’m glad I bought that Kill A Watt and cleared things up. I wondered about my big tumbler too. Now I know.
Useful info.
Great information. Not that expensive to run tumblers.
Great info. I've always wondered about that! The question is how are you retired already? Good for you !! Love your vids!!✅😁👍🏴☠️🏴☠️
I'm retired from teaching, but I'm spending an awful lot of time making TH-cam videos. I sort of consider this my new career.
Running don't cost much, it's buying all the grit and the machines! LOL! Thanks for sharing!
You're right, those are the most expensive parts. When I did my year long tumble, a lot of people asked how much electricity it used. One person said that it might be nice to have millions of dollars so that I could afford to do that experiment. So some people have a really distorted view of the cost of electricity to run a tumbler.
Good lesson Teach!
Thanks for sending me here!
You're welcome. I got that question a lot, so I made a video to answer it.
Fun facts! Thank you.
Would love to give it a go man I think I would love it 😀
You should, if you like rocks, this is a fun hobby.
Good information, thanks!! I've always been curious on this but never took the time to figure it out. I run 3 tumblers and all three of them were on your bench. I also run a vibralap, maybe I will try to figure out how much power that one uses.
I'm glad I had a fairly good selection to test.
Thank you!
Wowza u have a gadget for everything. Thanks for sharing great info to know
I bought that gadget just for this video. I knew the tumblers weren't breaking the bank, but I needed something fairly accurate if I'm sharing the info with so many people.
@@MichiganRocks hello again. Im wondering if u can help me solve something. I have had the 33b tumbler for a couple weeks now and I've had it running nonstop since. Recently ive been smelling a propane like smell. Do you think there's a connection here
@@dunny3032 I have never had that smell come from a tumbler.
@@MichiganRocks thx
The good old electric motor is still one of the most energy efficient devices known, lucky for all us rock hounds!
Yes, lucky us!
Love the shared pics of your young man. Also can you recommend Hoeft Park or Agate beach near Rodgers City for close to the road beach. Cousin Carol has a walker and just is in love with Pudding Stones. Any tips would be so appreciated.
Yep, I've suggested Hoeft State Park to you a couple times. I think the trail should be pretty flat. I'm not sure if it's too sandy though.
Thanks Rob! I was trying to explain this to my wonderfully frugal wife...gonna have her watch this video!!! Hehehe....
I'm glad to help out with your martial spat. Just don't get me involved too much, ok?
The Kill A Watt is a HANDY tool to have. I can see my gaming PC power draw, calculate how much a bagel REALLY costs, total power draw from my generator during a hurricane, just about anything. 10/10 worth it to have. There are other brands, but I can't speak to them.
This is the only one I have ever had too. I've seen other people recommend this brand, so that's what I went with. It wasn't expensive either.
@@MichiganRocks $30 or less.
Is is weird I wanted to know how much it costs? Thanks for a great video once again!
Not weird at all. I made this video because that question comes up a lot.
That’s so weird, my partner just asked me about this last night and I looked up the charts regarding electricity costs for tumbling. Then I see this in my recommended the next day!
Wow, that works out great!
@@MichiganRocks it did! Although I wasn’t like “in trouble” or anything lol- we were both surprised by how (relatively) cheap it is to run, actually. 🤷🏼♀️
You ran one for a year, so you are definitely the person to do the math.
Yes, I can see this is another really great hobby to get kids away from their easy chairs & out into the Great Outdoors - I always feared it was expensive (& noisy!) but really isn't & you don't need tons of trendy, glitzy togs & equipment to do it - although how much do you reckon the sands, grits & polishes cost (say per batch)? Is appreciated you take this pragmatic tack every now & then - thank you...
I probably spend more on grit than electricity, but it's not too bad. I can't give you a price based on a batch because the batches vary so much. I use way, way more 46/70 coarse grit than anything else. I buy that in 45 or 50 lb. boxes to get the price way down. That costs a little over $100 shipped and used to last for a year or so. I'm going through a little more now. With the Lot-O tumbler I only use 2 tablespoons of 220 grit and only 1/2 teaspoon each of 500 and polish.
As some have suggested, a full unit will most certainly use more electricity than an empty one, but I don't know by how much. You should pick one of your units and do an empty vs full experiment.
All the barrels had a normal amount of rocks in them, about 2/3 full. I did remove one and then both barrels on the Lortone 33B and it didn't make a huge difference. It made some difference.
The exact question I was wondering after watching one video.
I got this question a lot recently so I decided to make a video.
@@MichiganRocks I work at a place that sells the National Geographic tumbler and once knew a girl who loved to collect crystals. After seeing your rotary tumblers and knowing how long they run for just to get the first finish, I thought a kid who would love to get into the hobby would have parents that might complain about it. It's nearly not what I expected and definitely cheaper than the cost of running a small family's washing machine per week.
Thank you! 🙂👍👍
You're welcome!
Now I want the kilowatt device, looks very handy lol
I'm always ready for a math lesson.
Sorry to disappoint you.
thank you
Great video! Now I can get a good night's rest...knowing I am not making Penelec rich(er)!
Those meters are pretty handy and accurate.
Some models can be modified to add a bluetooth module and log that data using a smartphone or computer.
I got some help with this video from the folks on the Rock Tumbling Hobby forums. One guy shared screenshots of graphs from his computer that looked really nice. I only bought that meter for this video, so I was going for the lowest cost option I could find that was still reliable.
Thank you, I had been wondering what the electrical usage adds up to a month.
You're welcome!
I have a similar dual drum tumbler from Harbor Freight that has some similar specs as the Lortone tumbler label. The tumbler has sat in our house, in its box and unopened since Christmas (!) as we tried to figure out how much electricity is this wonderful hobby going to cost the family, lol. Actually we just finally got around to collecting enough rocks everywhere:) Thanks so much for the info.
Your Harbor Freight tumbler will produce beautiful polished stones. HOWEVER do not follow the tumbling instructions found in the manual or you will be disappointed. Watch Rob’s “Rock Tumbling Tutorial For Rotary Tumblers And Ceramic Media” and follow his instructions to a T and you will get excellent results. Be sure to adjust the plastic tabs at each end of the tumbler frame to keep the barrels from rubbing against the frame. The added friction will cause the drive belt to break. They don’t tell you this in the manual but you need to keep the ends of the motor shaft oiled on a regular basis. Especially the pulley end of the motor shaft as this is where more wear will occur. If you don’t the motor will eventually fail. It will get noisy at first and then lock up when the bronze sleeve bearing wears to the point wear the armature starts to rub on the motor frame. I have 3 tumblers and 2 of them have had the motors fail recently. One new motor plus tax and shipping cost about $50, not far from the cost of a new tumbler. Like I said the machine will produce beautiful stones. I hope this info is helpful. Good luck and have fun.
That's some great advice, David. I really need to do a video on Harbor Freight Tumblers. When I do, I'm coming to you for information.
@Aggie Rowe I'm glad I could help you out, even though I haven't tested that exact tumbler.
@@MichiganRocks I hope to eventually get a Lortone.
One other thing that I might add is that if you oil the motor please unplug the power cord before you open the motor compartment. You can do that by either removing the top or bottom cover. I helps if you have an oiler that has a thin tube that can reach the motor shaft. Don’t use a spray lube like WD-40. It’s a fine product but not for lubricating electric motors.
Thanks.
Great info video. Also is your big cabinet tumbler homemade or did u purchase that cabinet that way? If it's homemade did u ever make a video on how u made it
My friend designed that and I built it. He asked me not to share the plans, but I do have two videos showing it closer.
Homemade Tumbler: th-cam.com/video/6qIcK2ZohGM/w-d-xo.html
Tumbler Update: th-cam.com/video/PAMOCc2BNJM/w-d-xo.html
@@MichiganRocks thxs
How about doing a video on the tumbler that is in the cabinet? Love all the videos that I '
be seen do far
How about two?
Homemade Tumbler: th-cam.com/video/6qIcK2ZohGM/w-d-xo.html
Tumbler Update: th-cam.com/video/PAMOCc2BNJM/w-d-xo.html
Hey. What do you do with all your tubled rocks? I am about to buy some kind of rock tumbler this spring. I love quartz and the different tints in them.
I made a video to answer that question, but honestly, most are just stored in boxes. I have another video in the works showing a lot of different uses for them. Here's the old video in case you're interested. th-cam.com/video/jZ9Dns9ioX8/w-d-xo.html
Super video e com as pedras lindas e top.
Great video! I wonder if the variance comes down to the load. Try running it empty vs full and post the results.
Several people have told me that the rating is for a completely loaded motor, like to the point of stopping it. Adding and removing barrels had a slight effect, but not too much.
My mind is running all over the place with thoughts! My first reaction was, well, it’s cheaper than going out for supper!! Then I was excited to show my engineer husband this video….until the Lot -O-Tumbler! Thank goodness I only run my Lortone Double 6# barrels and LotO at the same time and not a whole case! I will still show him. After all, $8-ish dollars a month is only but one Chick•Fil•A meal I’ll have to give up! 🐓🐄 🤣
It's possible to actually make money off the hobby, if you go to the right sites to collect stones, and then sell the polished ones - or even just buy raw in bulk then tumble and resell. You can get raw tiger eye for around $10/pound, and then tumble and sell for $25/lb. ...if you really just enjoy tumbling. But for most people, I think, the fun is going out and finding specimens and then transforming them into something wonderful.
@@eventhisidistaken hmmm….something to think about!! Currently I’ve been polishing smaller, flat stones, drilling holes and using them for buttons on hanging towels and selling those. I do love to just tumble! So many options with this hobby!! Thank you!!
@T Oadaly, I can't imagine trying to make money by tumbling rocks. Maybe you could recoup some of your costs, but I agree with you that you should only do this if you enjoy the hobby.
I like how you compare to food. I'm imagining you withering away to nothing as you skip meals to pay for more tumbling capacity.
@@MichiganRocks 🤣🤣
Good to know. My electric bill did not seem to change when l started using my harbor freight dual barrel tumbler. It runs 24/7
That's right, you don't really notice the difference.