Estimate a humid week in the basement
A basement dehumidifier is switched on for a week, but its compressor runs only when needed. A household compares compressor runtime under two humidity conditions before extrapolating.
Open CalculatorInputs and calculation
| Tool input | Value |
|---|---|
| Currency | USD |
| Power unit | W |
| Power | 400 |
| Hours per day | 24 |
| Days or equivalent sessions | 7 |
| Duty cycle (%) | 25 |
| Energy price (USD per input kWh) | 0.25 |
400 ÷ 1,000 × 24 × 7 × 25% = 16.8 kWh. 16.8 × 0.25 rounds to USD 4.20.
Tool result · USD 4.20
| Tool input | Value |
|---|---|
| Currency | USD |
| Power unit | W |
| Power | 400 |
| Hours per day | 24 |
| Days or equivalent sessions | 7 |
| Duty cycle (%) | 60 |
| Energy price (USD per input kWh) | 0.25 |
400 ÷ 1,000 × 24 × 7 × 60% = 40.32 kWh. 40.32 × 0.25 rounds to USD 10.08.
Tool result · USD 10.08
What the comparison shows
The humid week adds 23.52 kWh at the same wattage. A single week may be a poor monthly baseline.
Assumptions and limits
The sample assumes negligible fan-only consumption. If the fan stays on continuously, measure average power across the whole week.
Related guides and examples
- Rated power is not average power
- Watts, kilowatts and kilowatt-hours
- Measuring standby power without overstating the savings
- How to measure appliance energy across a full operating cycle
- Reading electricity interval data without confusing kW and kWh
- Air conditioning during an eight-hour window
- Shorten an air-conditioning schedule by two hours
- Separate a summer usage spike from a price change
- Compare winter heating with spring bills