How Many Amps Does a Dehumidifier Use? (Everything You Need To Know)

A dehumidifier is a piece of electrical equipment that helps reduce a room’s relative humidity. Mold and mildew development and an uptick in dust mite activity are all consequences of an atmosphere that is too humid. Using a dehumidifier is one way to alleviate these issues and improve the living conditions in your house.

The answer to this question is conditional upon factors such as the unit’s size and ambient humidity. For instance, a small dehumidifier’s power consumption might be as low as 60 watts. 

However, a big dehumidifier might require as much as 1500 watts of power in a highly humid area. This article provides information on the amps needed to power a dehumidifier and other related issues.

How Many Amps Does a Dehumidifier Use?

In operation, a dehumidifier will generally need between 2.2 amp and 10.2 amp. Starting up may cause an increase in amp draw of up to 27 amps for a short period; however, regular operation draws around 8 amps. Dehumidifiers can use more than five times as many amps when first turned on as they do while operating at total capacity.

Many appliances, especially electric motors (like washers and dryers), use much more power when they first turn on. You can achieve a similar effect by using a dehumidifier. It takes more energy to get the various parts of a dehumidifier (compressors, coils, fans) going during the first few minutes. 

Consequently, the drain current decreases. This is because initial startup energy consumption by dehumidifiers is higher than operating energy consumption. As a result, industrial dehumidifiers may need greater power, and specialists should install whole-house models. Most portable dehumidifiers, however, may work from any standard electrical outlet.

How Many Amps Does a 30-Pint Dehumidifier Use?

A portable dehumidifier with a capacity of 30 pints requires 3.217 amps of current and 300 watts of power while operating on 115 volts. In the grand scheme, a dehumidifier with 30 pints consumes far less energy than other electrical appliances such as water heaters, air conditioners, and even hair dryers.

A dehumidifier that holds 30 pints has a relatively low impact on the environment due to its electricity use. A dehumidifier with a capacity of 30 pints uses an average of just 280 watts of power per hour, equal to 0.28 kilowatts-hour. 

The product label and the user manual for your dehumidifier should provide information on the energy it consumes.

How Many Amps Does a 50-Pint Dehumidifier Use?

A dehumidifier with a capacity of 50 pints draws around 4.7 amps of current and uses approximately 550 watts of power. Because of its high efficiency, it would have a negligible impact on your utility bill. However, the energy utilized depends on different elements, such as the humidity levels and the space size.

If the humidity level in the room you are trying to dehumidify is high, you will need to leave the dehumidifier on for a more extended period. 

However, occasionally, it will shut off when a particular moisture level is achieved, resulting in decreased energy use.

How Many Amps Does a 70-Pint Dehumidifier Use?

The power consumption of a standard dehumidifier with a capacity of 70 pints ranges from 3.2 amp to 7.2 amp. This translates to a watt range of around 600 watts to 800 watts. This might differ depending on the dehumidifier manufacturer and the settings you choose to utilize.

A 70-pint dehumidifier of 110v consumes between 3.5-7.2 amps whereas the one with 220V can draw up to 7.5 amps.

The energy consumption of a 70-pint dehumidifier is just 600W, which is a comparatively modest amount in comparison to the energy consumption of other home equipment. 

The energy consumption of a dehumidifier with a capacity of 70 pints is more than that of a computer but lower than that of a microwave.

How Many Amps Does a 90-Pint Dehumidifier Use?

A dehumidifier with a capacity of 90 pints might use anywhere from 8.33 amp to 10 amp of electricity while operating at total capacity. In terms of watts, this amounts to around 1000 to 1200 watts. Of course, this might be different based on the maker of the dehumidifier and the settings you pick to use.

The energy consumption of a dehumidifier with a capacity of 90 pints is only 1000W, a relatively low quantity compared to the energy consumption of some pieces of household machinery. Therefore, the higher number in each range is the highest possible setting for that particular dehumidifier, which operates at its maximum potential capacity. 

Dehumidifiers use a modest amount of energy, often a few hundred watts, which is far less than the energy consumption of most electric warmers, air fryers, ovens, and other equipment. Nevertheless, the fact that their power consumption is comparable to air conditioners is intriguing.

Do Dehumidifiers Draw a Lot of Electricity?

Dehumidifiers have a low energy consumption. A dehumidifier’s energy consumption is far lower than most household electrical equipment. This includes the electric water heater, ironing board, hair dryer, air conditioning unit, and refrigerator. The typical power consumption of a dehumidifier is about 300-700 watts, making them very energy efficient. 

To give you an idea, a laptop computer consumes roughly the same energy as your toaster, iron, and air conditioner combined. 

Operating the most efficient dehumidifier for ten hours would cost less than a dollar. That’s much cheaper than running your hair dryer for the same time (about $5). In addition, if you only use a dehumidifier periodically, its power consumption will be minimal.

How Many Watts Does a 30,50,70 Pint Dehumidifier Use?

In general, the power consumption of a dehumidifier that can remove moisture from the air in a 30-pint space is between 350 to 450 watts. Also, around 500 watts of electricity is required to run a dehumidifier with a capacity of 50 pints. And the 70-pint dehumidifier has a low power consumption of about 585 watts.

You should be okay with your dehumidifier’s energy consumption. Most models use power at a rate comparable to that of a regular incandescent bulb. Naturally, the actual power consumption may vary according to the size and capacity of the machine, but typically, a dehumidifier would use about 700 watts of electricity.

Power requirements are model- and brand-specific for dehumidifiers. For example, a few models could need 300 watts, while others might need 700 watts. Therefore, you should consider a dehumidifier if you want to enhance the air quality within your home without breaking the budget.

women-sitting-next-to-dehumidifier

How Much Does It Cost To Run a Dehumidifier?

According to surveys of US dehumidifier users, it costs about 16 cents for an hour of usage which means your daily expenditure for running a dehumidifier could be between $0.72 to $3.84 again depending on the model and wattage. Running it for a full month could cost you around $23-$27 for the most efficient model.

 That can be calculated by knowing 3 things:

  1. The wattage of the dehumidifier. Most dehumidifiers are between 300-700W
  2. The number of hours you’re running your dehumidifier.
  3. The average price of electricity in your area

But yours might be more minor or more significant depending on the size of your dehumidifier, the amount of electricity it uses, the length of time you run it throughout the day, and the rate per kWh charged by your local utility provider.

You will need to allocate additional money each month to cover the cost of running a dehumidifier (an electrical appliance). You have to wait until the end of the month to get your electricity bill, and even then, it will only specify how much power each of your appliances uses.

Consequently, it is recommended that you find out how much extra money you will be spending after you install a dehumidifier. The whole scope of what goes into calculating the ongoing cost of operating a dehumidifier is laid out here.

Watts of dehumidifier / 1000 = kWh of the dehumidifier.

Duration in hours: How many days a month a dehumidifier is used, multiplied by the amount of time it runs every day, is the total monthly use.

Energy used by the dehumidifier (kWh) multiplied by the number of hours per month that it is in use multiplied by the per-kWh rate yields the monthly cost of operation.

Does a Dehumidifier Require a Dedicated Circuit?

As long as the quantity of electricity used by the dehumidifier is less than 8 amps, there is often no need for a dedicated circuit to be installed. This is because a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter is generally already installed in many homes. This safety device is commonly referred to by its acronym, GFCI.

These are installed to check the equilibrium of the electricity flowing through a circuit and ensure that power is not diverted to the wrong location.

When that happens, the GFCI immediately shuts off power to avoid a blackout or other dangers. So if you have a freezer, dryer, washer, trash disposal—or any other device that uses electricity—it’s a good idea to see if your building or house has a GFCI.

Wrapping Up

The cost of operating a dehumidifier can be lower than it now is. This is because the quantity of power that it uses is mainly determined by its size as well as the frequency with which it is used. 

You can get the most out of your dehumidifier if you choose one that is the appropriate size for your space and do routine maintenance on it. We hope our analysis clears up any misunderstandings about the energy efficiency of dehumidifiers.

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About Rinkesh

A true environmentalist by heart ❤️. Founded Conserve Energy Future with the sole motto of providing helpful information related to our rapidly depleting environment. Unless you strongly believe in Elon Musk‘s idea of making Mars as another habitable planet, do remember that there really is no 'Planet B' in this whole universe.