Ceiling Fans are arguably the most ignored appliance when it comes to energy savings. People talk about big appliances like AC and refrigerator consuming a lot of energy. But what most people do not understand is that Ceiling Fans cumulatively consume more electricity than a refrigerator in a house. In fact, after air conditioners (if used), it is the second biggest contributor to electricity bills of any household. However, ceiling fans have a very good scope for reducing power consumed using a technology called Brushless DC Motor or simply BLDC motor. In this article, we will explain what BLDC fans are, their efficiency, their benefits and how they are on a cusp of bringing a paradigm shift in the ceiling fan industry.
BLDC technology, in general, has been in the market for a couple of decades and it is widely implemented in industries needing high torque motors. What was missing so long is its application in the ceiling fans. The traditional fan uses an induction motor and typically consumes 70-90 watts. But BLDC fan, on the other hand, can reduce power consumption up to 65%. The latest line up of Sinox Fans consumes just 28 watts of energy.
Prominent advantages of BLDC motor over induction motor is summarized as:
- Lower Electricity Consumption (65% savings)
- Longer backup on Inverters (even on Solar)
- Improved reliability
- Noise reduction
- Longer lifetime
Energy Consumption: Ordinary Fans Vs BLDC Fans
Now let us mathematically calculate how much electricity would be consumed, how much money would be saved using BLDC technology and how long it would take to recover the price of a BLDC fan through the energy saving it gives over time.
The typical induction-based fan would consume around 75 watts whereas a BLDC fan would consume about 30 watts. Unlike lights which are only used during nights, a fan is an appliance which runs most of the time if the ambient temperature is high with no regular airflow of cool air. So, assuming they run regularly for 15 hours for 365 days calculation would be:
| Fan Type | Wattage | Hourly Electricity Consumption | Daily Electricity Consumption | Yearly Electricity Consumption | Yearly Costs (assuming Rs 6 per unit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Fan | 75 watts | 0.075 units | 1.125 units | 410.625 units | Rs. 2463.75 |
| BLDC Fan | 30 watts | 0.030 units | 0.45 units | 164.25 units | Rs. 985.5 |
Typical price per unit of electricity in India is assumed to be around 6 Rs for the residential users. Though the pricing per unit varies greatly between regions, power companies, slab it is in, and whether the usage is commercial or residential. For metros, it is better to assume tariffs around 10 Rs/unit but for India as a whole 6 Rs is more practical.
With BLDC fans you can save approximately 1500 rupees per year. 1500 rupees is usually the price differential when buying a BLDC fan i.e BLDC fans starts with the pricing of around 3,000 Rs while ordinary fans are roughly prices around 1,500 Rs. So, in short, if you run your fans for more than 15 hours daily and per unit electricity cost exceeds 6 Rs you can expect to recover the complete cost of the fan in less than 2 years in the form of energy savings which BLDC fans give.