Chuckmeister Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 How Much Electricity?Once people see the assortment of aquarium accessories that are plugged into the wall, many hobbyists wonder just how much their tank is costing them in electricity each month. Here’s the basic formula:Monthly Cost = (wattage) x (charge/kwh) x (hours/day) x 30 x .001(wattage) can usually found on each item(charge/kwh) can be found on your electric bill; residential and in Perth is about 25c per unit (2015)(hours/day) is how long the item is operatingFor example, an aquarium pump might use 4 watts and runs 24 hours per day, so it’s monthly energy cost would be:4 x .25 x 24 x 30 x .001 = .72 or about 72 cents per monthAdding up all the items for a typical 20 gallon (75 Litre) setup might look like this:========================================|Item |Wattage |hours/day |Cost |--------------------------------------------------------------------||Light |15 |12 |1.35 | ||Air Pump |4 |24 |0.72 | ||Power Filter |9 |24 |1.62 | || Heater |100 |4* |3.00 | |--------------------------------------------------------------------||Total | | |$6.69 |========================================* This number varies considerably depending on difference between room and aquarium temperatures. In cooler climates or seasons, the heater might run a total of 12 or more per day; in warmer situations, it may hardly run at all.Larger aquariums will of course require somewhat larger amounts of energy, and it often pays to look into the wattage rating on items before purchasing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buccal Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 There also digital power usage meters found at bunnings that appliances simply plug into. (very cheap).A 15amp - 20amp orange power box can have all the appliances plugged into, then the box plugged into the power meter.Pumps, heaters and filters can really vary a lot in usage compared to the their ratings.For me though, it's a little like getting stitches,,, it's best not to look, LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markfnq Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Mine is easy , sweat profusely in the days prior to getting the bill .On the day of receiving the bill , pass out on the floor after opening envelope.Bill Calculated ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n3wbi3 Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Ouch, just relised how much its costing me in the winter months with 2x300w heaters running... OUCH god damm it. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ged Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Really handy when you want to justify that having one more tank isn't going to cost all that much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoody Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 about $25 for my 6x2, i also have a 4x2 and one 2 ft and a little 20/30l tank.must be the mrs home all day why my power bill is so high! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlecoSam Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Ouch, just relised how much its costing me in the winter months with 2x300w heaters running... OUCH god damm it. lolYour heater will not use 300w continuously, remember it should cycle on as the temp drops below set point and cycle off when water temp is above set point. A heater will only use its full wattage continuously if it cannot supply enough energy to raise the product temp to setpoint. You should be able to approximately halve the power usage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n3wbi3 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Ouch, just relised how much its costing me in the winter months with 2x300w heaters running... OUCH god damm it. lolYour heater will not use 300w continuously, remember it should cycle on as the temp drops below set point and cycle off when water temp is above set point. A heater will only use its full wattage continuously if it cannot supply enough energy to raise the product temp to setpoint. You should be able to approximately halve the power usage.http://www.aceforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=60004my heaters stayed on for a while this winter.i have a power usage meter at the power point, it was using just over 700w at its peak during winter, and believe me it didnt go down much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlecoSam Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 They are probably undersized and struggling getting to setpoint, depends on insulation etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosco Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Mine is easy , sweat profusely in the days prior to getting the bill .On the day of receiving the bill , pass out on the floor after opening envelope.Bill Calculated !***sigh*** Unfortunately this is the one ofthe main reasons I shut my room down in sunny canberra. I thought it would lessen the blow if I paid fortnightly on an even pay system but when the bill went over $240 a fortnight I said that was enough. I had a heavily insulated room sumps with lagunga pumps and led lights with light timers. It wasn't all fish stuff but when I shut my room down I got around $180 back a fortnight or around $4,700 a year. I also did struggle to look after the fish with family commitments but cash wad killing us. CheersRosco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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