Electrical Cost to Run Your System
- Thread starter hollback
- Start date
Shark Keeper
Member
I dont even want to know the answer to that one.
hollback
Team RC
I didn't think it would be that bad. I'm guessing it is somewhere between $60-$75 per month. This was just from me trying to remember all the electrical stuff I run from work. I will have to sit down, make a list and determine how many hours per day each item is actually on. I'm sure it will be even more! Then I'm going to have to determine who/where to make cuts.
I calc'd it to and was not feeling so great that I did either - it's $78/month not including the extra the central air runs in the summer to keep the living room cool enough to stand being in the room. That's also assuming my electrical equipment pulls only the current that's provided by the mfg.
After that calc I started changing my light cycle downward some, which actually made my corals look better. I also, have the lights coming on later at night to help with the extra heat in the living area, cut back on the vent fan in the fish room and was able to cut about $15 bucks in the calculation. Seen a $20 decrease on the bill so far (I started this exercise about 2 months ago.) so I'm guessing cental air savings from ordinary cycle or maybe the lighting...
After that calc I started changing my light cycle downward some, which actually made my corals look better. I also, have the lights coming on later at night to help with the extra heat in the living area, cut back on the vent fan in the fish room and was able to cut about $15 bucks in the calculation. Seen a $20 decrease on the bill so far (I started this exercise about 2 months ago.) so I'm guessing cental air savings from ordinary cycle or maybe the lighting...
MarineFishGuy
Capn Jack Sparrow
I got a Kill-a-watt recently because I was curious how much wattage various pumps/lights were actually using.
The manufacturers spec is often wrong and not a good basis for calculation based on the information I have gathered.
For example, my skimmer recirculation pumps (Ocean Runner 3700s) are rated at 65 watts each.
With Mesh Mods and the water level at only 50% of my normal height they actually draw 25W each.
When I raise the water level to operating height, they actually draw 72W.
Changing the water level by as little as 1" (at the top of the range) can drop them by 1-2W each.
Without accounting for AC, I estimate I am using about $80/month on electric based on actual draw from the devices I have measured.
Electric rates also vary from peak use to non-peak use times, so running the lights later, may drop you into a cheaper bracket.
The manufacturers spec is often wrong and not a good basis for calculation based on the information I have gathered.
For example, my skimmer recirculation pumps (Ocean Runner 3700s) are rated at 65 watts each.
With Mesh Mods and the water level at only 50% of my normal height they actually draw 25W each.
When I raise the water level to operating height, they actually draw 72W.
Changing the water level by as little as 1" (at the top of the range) can drop them by 1-2W each.
Without accounting for AC, I estimate I am using about $80/month on electric based on actual draw from the devices I have measured.
Electric rates also vary from peak use to non-peak use times, so running the lights later, may drop you into a cheaper bracket.
serpentman
part time superhero
I just did mine and it comes to roughly $130-150/mo/. Gonna go pour a drink and leave my refrigerator door open....
oldreefer76
New member
Don't know and don't really care the cost is just part of the hobby
Paul B
Premium Member
I just posted a thread about it here
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1692076
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1692076
Reefdiver72
Premium Member
My tank runs about 75.00 a month when I got the icecap ballasts it lowered it 65.00 from the old tar ballasts.
