Electricity Cost&Consumption

[jlehigh]

Hey all,

I put together this operating cost summary for my 280Gal tank, I thought I might as well share the data as it may be helpfully for people to gage cost ect.. Fee free to let me know if you see errors as I am sure I could have made some. Note this covers the main bases for my system. I have incidental usage through a feeder, auto top off ect..

Power Consumption/Cost summary
1000watt hr = 1 Kwh
KWH usage in excess of 600Kwh cost .079571 per Kwh through PugetSoundEnergy

Lighting
2x400W 20K DE
2x250W 10K SE
1300W x 9hr = 11700W daily = 11.7Kwh per day = 351Kwh monthly
T-5 Actinics
160w x 14hr = 2240W daily = 2.24Kwh per day = 67.2Kwh monthly
tot = 418.2Kwh per month

418.2Kwh at .079571 = 33.28 per month

Water Movement
Closed loop
Ampmaster 3500 with OM 8-way
351W x 24hrs = 8424W daily = 8.424Kwh per day = 252.72 monthly
tot = 252.72 per month

252.72Kwh at .079571 = 20.11 per month

Return pump
Mag 12
110W x 24hrs = 2640W daily = 2.64Kwh per day = 79.2Kwh monthly
tot = 79.2Kwh per month

79.2Kwh at .079571 = 6.30 per month

Skimmer Pump
Sedra 5000
50W x 24hrs = 1200W daily = 1.2Kwh per day = 36Kwh monthly
tot = 36Kwh per month

36Kwh at .079571 = 2.86 per month

Heaters
4 250W and 1 300W
Winter runtime = 12hrs
1300W x 12hrs = 15.6Kwh per day = 468Kwh per month
tot = 468Kwh per month

468Kwh at .079571 = 37.24

Summer run time = 4hrs
tot = 117Kwh
117Kwh at .079571 = 9.30

Summary
Lighting = 33.28
H2o Movement = 20.11
Return = 6.30
Skimmer = 2.86
Heaters = 37.24(Winter)
= 9.30 (Summer)
TOTAL = 81.15 to 109.09 Monthly

 

[reedman]

Ouch! Delete this post...I don't want to know these things.

 

[Elmo18]

EEk



Thank you for sharing. I for one...am glad i have a slightly smaller tank...

- Elmo

 

[jlehigh]

lol! Yea I put off doing this calculation as I REALLY didn't want to know what I was paying

The interesting thing is my bill isn't reflecting such high charges... I am wondering if some of the equipment is not requiring as much watts as they are rated to run at..

 

[Scooterman]

The interesting thing is my bill isn't reflecting such high charges... I am wondering if some of the equipment is not requiring as much watts as they are rated to run at..

Actually this is to hold true to most all electrical equipment, those are the listed or max power consumption of each device. Running power is usually much less, after startup. which would probably cut the cost down to 1/3 of that. You would need to use an ammeter, inline or clamp on to get actual reading, then you would also consider accuracy of the meters using to test.

 

[MikeS]

TOTAL = 81.15 to 109.09 Monthly

Yeah.....that statistic probably belongs on the list of things about this hobby you are better off just to be ignorant about...or even better, the list of things about this hobby to keep your wife ignorant about... :lol:

MikeS

 

[jlehigh]

I can hear me now....
"Hey hunny the electric bill is up this month STOP USING THAT DARN ELCETRIC SPACE HEATER!!"

LOL!

 

[Zephrant]

Heaters
4 250W and 1 300W
Winter runtime = 12hrs
1300W x 12hrs = 15.6Kwh per day = 468Kwh per month
tot = 468Kwh per month

468Kwh at .079571 = 37.24

The neat part is that you could replace these heaters with underwater pumps. Since you are adding heat all the time anyway, might as well make it move water around too. A 100W pump fully submerged will dump all 100 watts in to the water, just like a heater does.

Note that this does not work well if you have to run a chiller.

Zeph
(edit- Fixed typo on Watts number)

 

[jlehigh]

That is a great point Zeph. In my case I only have a submerged skimmer pump because keeping the tank cool in the summer is a challenge of mine (Cant afford a chiller)

 

[dwall174]

keeping the tank cool in the summer is a challenge of mine

1460-Watts of lighting! I cant imagine why you can’t keep things cool!

STOP USING THAT DARN ELCETRIC SPACE HEATER!

I have always tried to blame it on her hair drier & curling iron! :lol:

 

[dnjan]

Thanks for doing the calculations. I thought the comments by somebody in the big skimmer thread about some skimmers saving money because they didn't need as large a pump (and therefore used less energy) were a bit off base. The overall cost of energy for a skimmer pump is pretty small compared to lighting and circulation/return pumps.

 

[jlehigh]

Your welcome dnjan!

I think that is a fair conclusion for small to medium systems. Some of the larger deltecs and euroreefs are running several small pumps which probably rival or surpass the costs of running counter current air type systems..

 

[wrightme43]

Insert fingers in ears, begin saying LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA, LOL Thanks man. That looked like alot of work. Steve

 

[dnjan]

However those systems probably have significantly larger lighting and water-movement costs. There are probably very few systems with large skimming capacity but minimal lighting. (other than tanks specializing in non-photosynthetic corals). I think that the relative proportions of your costs are reasonable for most hobbiest systems.

As a side note - the best investment a person can make is good reflectors.

 

[jlehigh]

hehehehe it wasn't too bad Steve, but thanks.

However those systems probably have significantly larger lighting and water-movement costs. There are probably very few systems with large skimming capacity but minimal lighting. (other than tanks specializing in non-photosynthetic corals). I think that the relative proportions of your costs are reasonable for most hobbiest systems.

As a side note - the best investment a person can make is good reflectors.

I completely agree with that deduction! We would all choke on the cost of skimming the popular public systems but we aren't keeping full size sharks and feeding the equivilent of several Pike Place fish stores daily either.

Totally agree on the reflector statement. Keep the glass, reflectors and water clean.