Electrical Usage

[alrha]

ok, lets compare electrical consumption of our tanks.

i'll start (based on a 24 hour period).

BlueLine70 (Return Pump) = 290 watts x 24 hrs = 6.96 KWH
Tunze Stream 6100 (powerhead) = 45 watts x 24 hrs = 1.08 KWH
Fuge Light = 96 watts x 24 hrs = 2.30 KWH
Actinics = 280 watts x 14 hrs = 3.92 KWH
MH = 1200 watts x 7.5 hrs = 9.00 KWH
Misc (top-off, kalk reactor, phosban reactor, fans, heater, etc) = ~50 watts x 24 hrs = 1.2 KWH

Total = 24.46 KWH/day / 187 gallon display = .13 KWH / gallon / day
(almost $125/month of electric bill @ $0.17/KWH) - I never realized this. Perhaps paying attention to it shows that there is money to be saved on energy effecient equipment.

Running the Time-of-Use plan (at summer rates Jun-Sept) my cost is as follows:
60 peak hrs/week / 168 hrs/week = 35% peak and 65% off-peak.
peak rate is $0.39/KWH and off peak rate is $0.07/KWH.
Avg rate (for 24hr operation) is ($0.39/KWH x 35%) + ($0.07/KWH x 65%) = $0.1365/KWH + $0.0455/KWH = $0.18/KWH

BL70 = 6.96 KWH/day x 30 days x $0.18/KWH = $37.58
Tunze = 1.08 KWH/day x 30 days x $0.18/KWH = $5.83
Fuge = 2.30 KWH/day x 30 days x $0.18/KWH = $12.42
Actinics = 65 hrs peak / month x .24 KWH x $0.39 = $6.08
Actinics = 355 hrs off-peak / month x .24 KWH x $0.07 = $5.96
MH = 9.00 KWH/day x 30 days x $0.07 = $18.90
Misc = 1.2 KWH/day x 30 days x $0.18/KWH = $6.48
Total = $93.25 / month (oct-may peak rates are much cheaper)
being on this plan saves me $30/month or $360/yr compared to the regular plan - this is just on the aquarium, i also save on other appliances around the house as well.

 

[cali_reef]

Albert, please don't try to depress us.

 

[jhale]

I was going to do this, you beat me to it.

you could see a huge savings if you cut back the MH hours,

and used pumps that were low wattage.

 

[alrha]

I was going to do this, you beat me to it.

I saw that you wanted to, but didnt get around to it, so i'd figure i'd start it up.

you could see a huge savings if you cut back the MH hours

I run them Off-Peak, so they dont cost much - i'll do the breakdown and update my post

and used pumps that were low wattage.

hence I might appreciate the red dragon

 

[jhale]

seeing the info laid out in front of you is a slap in the face, or wake up call.

it's enough to make me order the tunze's and turn down the halides.

that red dragon is looking good, but $500 for a pump, I have to get past that and
look at the long term savings.
lets say the 48 watt rating is really 60 watts in real life, still better than the comparable 140 watt blueline pump that pushes the same amount of water.
so at some point once the cost has been offset the pump should start saving you money.

now the other big thing to contend with is keeping the tank cool, which is a big issue for me and others. I'd like to find the most efficient chiller out there and combine it with fans running over the sump and in the hood, which I have now.

 

[herman]

I know one guy that has one of those minifridges and he basically drilled 2 holes into it. One for in and the other out. The hose lines the entire fridge. All this while keeping beers cool. In my basement I have a fridge anyway and its running 24hrs. I will definitely make use of it. The pump that leads the water through the hose is controlled by any temp controller. Cheap way to use what you got without adding an additional chiller.

 

[cali_reef]

Jonathan,

Here is a US dealar's website with prices and limited spec for the red dragon pumps:
http://www.finsreef.com/home.php?cat=281&sort=price&sort_direction=0&page=1

Not sure about the watt rating you quoted, I thought they were higher.

 

[ShaunW]

Wow! Those pumps certainly do have a high price tag!

 

[alrha]

you could see a huge savings if you cut back the MH hours

at 1.2KWH/hr/day x 30 days x $0.07/KWH I would only save $2.52 for every hour I cut from the MH photoperiod.

 

[Deanos]

Wow! Those pumps certainly do have a high price tag!

Even more amazing, they are completely out of stock on them. :shocked1:

 

[alrha]

Here is a US dealar's website with prices and limited spec for the red dragon pumps:
http://www.finsreef.com/home.php?cat=281&sort=price&sort_direction=0&page=1

doesnt show watts or dimensions.

 

[alrha]

Even more amazing, they are completely out of stock on them. :shocked1:

maybe because they dont sell, they dont bother stocking them.

 

[cali_reef]

Albert, Did you get that kill-a-watt thingy yet? You should note all items you have listed will use more watts then what you have listed, ie 400Watts MH ballast will use a lot more to light the bulbs and 460W+ to keep it lit, different bulbs will consume differently as well.

 

[alrha]

yup, i got it, but didnt play with it yet.

i just went by the "official" rating of each thing so that others can compare to it (i assume not everyone has the "kill a watt" at home)

still waiting for someone else to calculate their tank to get a comparative idea.

 

[House of Laughter]

where did you get that kill-o-watt thingy, I want one.

House

 

[Sean]

ok, lets compare electrical consumption of our tanks.

i'll start (based on a 24 hour period).

BlueLine70 (Return Pump) = 290 watts x 24 hrs = 6.96 KWH
Tunze Stream 6100 (powerhead) = 45 watts x 24 hrs = 1.08 KWH
Fuge Light = 96 watts x 24 hrs = 2.30 KWH
Actinics = 280 watts x 14 hrs = 3.92 KWH
MH = 1200 watts x 7.5 hrs = 9.00 KWH
Misc (top-off, kalk reactor, phosban reactor, fans, heater, etc) = ~50 watts x 24 hrs = 1.2 KWH
.

Change blue line 70 to a Gen-x 6000-130 watts or a Dolphin 2100 (115 watts)
cut actinics to 12hrs.
cut MH to 6 hrs. that would make a large change in your elect. bill.
one thing I learned is stay away from pressure rated pumps unless you need them.

 

[herman]

kill a watt

 

[herman]

cheaper kill a watt

 

[jhale]

Not sure about the watt rating you quoted, I thought they were higher.

red dragon specs

 

[cali_reef]

red dragon specs

Got it, I was looking at the larger units.