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Price for running HID

DaPurps

Member
cost per kilowatt by the wattage of your lightbulb times the hours it is on times days per month and you'll have your answer.

kw x lbw x d = approx cost

Dang bendoslendo was fast !
 

SmilinBob

Member
A: Your cost of energy (usually identified as "KWH" charge on your electric bill)
B: The total watts of your lighting system
C: The total operating hours ("ON" time) of your lighting system per month.


Formula = A * B/1000 * C = Total Energy Cost per month.

Based on a KWH charge of .08 cents, running 600watts, 12 hours a day equals about $17.50
 

Mrgrowem

Active member
To calculate power "watts" = Current 2.85 X voltage 117 = 334 watts. That tells me your light isn't 600 watts ?

Or 600 times 12 hours on = 7200 watts. 7200 divided by 1000 expressed as 7.2 kilowatts times your price per kilowatt found on your power bill.

Your 2.85 amps is likely a mis-read. It should be about 5.85 amps...
 

Danks2005

Active member
it does have everything to do with it. 2.85A x 240V= 685W. Remember you are burning a 600w lamp, but remember the heat coming from your ballast is energy you are paying for also. So any further calculations to determine cost must take into account the inefficiency. Ohms law will help you quite a bit in this hobby.
 

DaPurps

Member
2.85A = 685W = $39.45
5.85A = 702W = $40.44

Depending on what your charged for electric the gap will get bigger or smaller, but it is not worth fighting over :)

But amps does matter, yes.
 

Angelus

Member
So what is the correct formula. KWH of ballast X KWH X Amps X hours X month?

Because that sounds right when the last electricity bill came?
Sorry for bother you guys but I am gonna hang up more than one light supply for my next grow and I am calculating costs.
 

Midnight

Member
Veteran
So what is the correct formula. KWH of ballast X KWH X Amps X hours X month?

Because that sounds right when the last electricity bill came?
Sorry for bother you guys but I am gonna hang up more than one light supply for my next grow and I am calculating costs.

KWH of ballast times cost of electricity times hours you have light on times days in the month so, using a 1000 watt light and an electrical cost of 10 cents per kwh (your cost may be more or less)...

1000 (watts of light)x18(hours light is on per day)=18000 watts per day.

Since electrical company uses KWH, you must convert the 18000 to KWH. Do this by dividing 18000 by 1000(1000watts equals 1KW) so your kwh usage for 18 hours is 18KW.

Now take 18x.10=1.8 or $1.80 per day times 30 days = $54.00 per 30 days.

The thing you have to watch out for is that most electrical companies have tiered service. This means that you get so many KWH of electricity at a fixed price. When you go above that amount you pay a higher price. Here is the price sheet for where I live;

WINTER SEASON - NOVEMBER 1 through APRIL 30
Standard Rate (Rate Categories RSE, RWE, RSG, RWG)
Service Charge: $7.00
Energy Charge:
Tier I Baseline Quantities per month ( 0 t0 1120 hours) 9.46¢ per kWh
Tier II Quantities per month (more than 1120 hours)17.55¢ per kWh
Electric Space Heat Rate ** (CLOSED) (Rate Categories RSC, RWC)
Service charge per month or portion thereof $7.00
Energy Charge:
Tier I Baseline Quantities per month 7.40¢ per kWh
Tier II Quantities per month 14.11¢ per kWh
SUMMER SEASON - MAY 1 through OCTOBER 31
Standard Rate (Rate Categories RSE, RWE, RSC, RWC, RSG, RWG)
Service charge: $7.00
Energy Charge:
Tier I Baseline Quantities per month 10.22¢ per kWh
Tier II Quantities per month 18.18¢ per kWh
 
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