METAL HALIDE ENERGY USAGE

[kennethstowell]

does anyone know how to figure out how much electricity metal halide bulbs use. i have two 175w's on my tank and three 900 maxi's and i'm trying to figure out how much my tank is using in a month

 

[Ben1]

go to reefcentral.com and check out there calcs. They have one for energy usage, you just put in what you have and they tell you how much energy per month you use.

http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/tank_elec_calc.htm

direct link

 

[Dargason]

That page is a great little tool!

However, the manual way is simple too.

For any electrical device you have, multiply the number of watts times the number of hours it runs in a month and divide by 1000. That gives you the number of kilowatt-hours used each month. Now multiply that number times the cost per kilowatt hour (found on your bill) and you're done.

So, for your lighting, 175W * 10 hours/day * 30 days/month / 1000 = 52.5 kilowatt-hours per month * $0.06 dollars/kilowatt-hour (my cost) = $3.15 per month.

You have 2 bulbs, so it would be $6.30 per month.

 

[kennethstowell]

thanks, it sounds like it costs me 19 bucks a month , thanks again for the info

 

[kennethstowell]

oh, i did it wrong .at .08 cents an kilowatt/hr, it costs 10.35 a month. much better

 

[Carpentersreef]

I think that there's a little more to it...

doesn't a tar ballast add 30%, while an electronic ballast adds 10% to the useage?

Mitch

 

[Hammer]

If you look at what the different ballasts draw for energy you will get a more accurate figure. I have a magnatec 175 watt MH ballast that says it draws a max of 325 watts, and minimum of 285 watts.
By the way, those are almost the exact same number for 250 watt MH ballasts as well.
The electronic ballasts are much more efficient, but it also depends on which one you get. The Icecap ballast uses just about the same wattage and tar ballasts, but overdrives the bulbs. The Blueline stile electronic ballasts run the bulb at about the same intensity, and use less wattage.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't want to know.

Pulling into the driveway every evening and seeing I have the only house that Radiates blue light from over 1000 watts in the living room is all I want to know

 

[Mickey Lale]

Converting amps to volts is a crucial calculation in electrical systems, as it helps determine the amount of electrical potential in a circuit. The formula for converting amps to volts is based on Ohm’s Law:

Volts = Amps × Ohms

This equation implies that the voltage (V) is the product of the current (I, measured in amps) and the resistance (R, measured in ohms). Whether you're working with batteries, electrical devices, or solar systems, this calculation is essential to ensure the proper voltage is used.

For an easy way to convert amps to volts, refer to this article and use the provided calculator for quick and accurate results.