Electrical meter
- Thread starter Carpentersreef
- Start date
Carpentersreef- the "what-ifs" are much easier to calcualte than you think. Check all of the goodies that are plugged into your aquarium for their amperage rating, and calculate how long each is on per day (in hours). Add them up, and multiply by the voltage used (110V I'd assume, I think Canada is the same as the US). This will give you the total kilowatt-hours used by your tank every day. Multiply once again by the rate your electric company charges per kWh, and you'll have the total that your tank costs to run per day.
Mitch,
What compounds the problem is that the meters are actually owned by the electric company, not you. The company I work with builds panels (panel boards) for residential and panels and larger switchgear for commercial customers. When they make a unit for a customer, the metering is almost always left out (even on larger panels that measure 4' deep x 12' long and 8' tall) since the utility company puts its own metering in once the panels are installed in the customer site. I will talk to a friend of mine and see if there is a CT/meter that you rig up.
Ernie
E
What compounds the problem is that the meters are actually owned by the electric company, not you. The company I work with builds panels (panel boards) for residential and panels and larger switchgear for commercial customers. When they make a unit for a customer, the metering is almost always left out (even on larger panels that measure 4' deep x 12' long and 8' tall) since the utility company puts its own metering in once the panels are installed in the customer site. I will talk to a friend of mine and see if there is a CT/meter that you rig up.
Ernie
E
Chucker, thanks.
This is all in my quest to be more energy efficient. The biggest variable is the 550w heaters (total) for my 240g system. In the winter, the basement walls in my place, where my aquarium is, can have a draft of cold air coming off of them that is 8 degrees celcius (48 F). I like lots of fresh air coming in to my place, and I want to try to determine whether to buy a new fridge, stove, washer/dryer, whatever. Maybe it would be worth it to tear down my old 2 x 4 walls and furr them out to 2 x 6 with R20 insulation.
I've read estimates of electronic ballasts add 10% to bulb consumption, and tar adds 30%. I've got both running. What happens when powerheads get old, or when bulbs get old? Does it make much of a difference? For me, there are too many variables, and I would like to know for sure. The thermal mass of my aquarium would help with heating the basement, but how much does it really cost?
Man, I gotta get me a life!
Mitch
This is all in my quest to be more energy efficient. The biggest variable is the 550w heaters (total) for my 240g system. In the winter, the basement walls in my place, where my aquarium is, can have a draft of cold air coming off of them that is 8 degrees celcius (48 F). I like lots of fresh air coming in to my place, and I want to try to determine whether to buy a new fridge, stove, washer/dryer, whatever. Maybe it would be worth it to tear down my old 2 x 4 walls and furr them out to 2 x 6 with R20 insulation.
I've read estimates of electronic ballasts add 10% to bulb consumption, and tar adds 30%. I've got both running. What happens when powerheads get old, or when bulbs get old? Does it make much of a difference? For me, there are too many variables, and I would like to know for sure. The thermal mass of my aquarium would help with heating the basement, but how much does it really cost?
Man, I gotta get me a life!
Mitch
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