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How do I figure the cost to run elec equipment?

Started by karl, February 25, 2009, 01:29:42 PM

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karl

It has become obvious by the electric rate increases lately that I need to be able to assign real costs to the kiln and shop these days. Also want to find the actual costs for running our OWB since it has 4 constantly running circulators and two on demand plus the fire blower.

I assume that a reasonable estimate could be established from the running amps of each item, but I don't know how.
The right way would probably be to meter each unit, but I'm not real interested spending more money right now.
Probably we could get the power co to evaluate our costs, but since we are operating on residential, we really don't want to tip them off that  we are running a business too.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
"I ask for wisdom and strength, Not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself"  - from Ojibwa Prayer.

SPIKER

karl:

you will need to do several things to find actual cost of the electricity each device uses.   there are a lot of factors that go into figuring it out if you want it to be very close. if just so so average close then you will need to get the wattage, (amperage) of each device, and figure it's consumption on a watt/hr basis and compare that to the cost you pay for your electricity.  some places pay higher costs during the day when power consumption is up.  I doubt this is us since you said it is on residential line not commercial line.

If you have 5ea. 100 watt light bulbs running on 120 volt line they use (500watts/120volts=4.2amps) if you run them 24/7 then you use ~500watts/hr * 24 hrs=12,000 watt hrs a day (or 12KWs a day)  if you pay 50cents/KW those light bulbs cost you 6 bucks a day to run them 24 hrs.
motors usually listed as FLA (full load amps) use the formula above to figure watts, a 1.2amp taco pump uses (1.2a*120volts=144watts.  so running a 1.2amp taco pump 24/7=24,192 watts/week or ~$12.10 a week @ 50cents/KW.

hope that helps now all ya need to do is find all the items you are looking to run or do away with.  remember that just because it says that the pump uses 1.2 amps FLA does not mean it is actually using that much it may be running at a lower amp/watt draw depending on many conditions.  only way to get real reading is use a meter or watt meter of one type or other.

Mark
I'm looking for help all the shrinks have given up on me :o

karl

Thanks Mark
That should give me an idea of what we're spending on each unit.

I like this place!
"I ask for wisdom and strength, Not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself"  - from Ojibwa Prayer.

Dan_Shade

Spiker's method is probably the easiest way to do it, but won't be quite accurate, but I think it's fine for rough estimates.

calculating power consumption on AC loads gets "complex"  :)
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

StorminN

Karl,

You can get a little closer estimate with a clamp-on amp meter... then (unless you have a recording multimeter), you'll have to approximate time usage (ex., how often does this pump run, and for how long?).

For small 120V plug-in devices, (less than 15A), a $20 P3 Kill-A-Watt meter is hard to beat. They record kWh over time, which makes them useful for equipment that runs now and again over days, like a freezer, fridge, or pump. I have a Kill-A-Watt and love it, and have loaned it out a bunch.
http://www.p3international.com/products/special/P4400/P4400-CE.html

For 240V loads, there's a $145 device called a T.E.D. (The Energy Detective). It has amp clamps that clamp on both legs of a 240V feed, and it records usage... it even will plug into your computer via USB, and you can chart usage. I've never used a T.E.D., but they look interesting.
http://www.theenergydetective.com/what/overview.html

Another option for bigger loads is a standard kWh meter... like the type the utility probably has on the side of your house... these meters are fairly cheap... I've seen them for under $20, plus the meter base... and you could install one and keep it on certain piece of equipment for a week, then put it on a different piece of equipment for a week... again, only if you want to get that accurate. You could also probably get old used ones for nearly free from your utility or the electronics recycling place that they have a contract with.

-Norm.
Happiness... is a sharp saw.

beav39

alot of libarys around here have a meter you can sign out to check what you are using maybe something to check ot its free .i often wander about my outside wood boiler and how much power it takes. thinking about getting a solar panel to run it
sawdust in the blood

karl

 nearly free is good.
Never thought of asking power co if'n they had old meters- they have been changing out the old ones around here to the ones that the meterreaderperson doesn't even get out of their vehicle to read.....must be a pile of the old ones someplace . Hmmm, one on the kiln, one on the shop, one for Jed's cabin

Thanks agin all

karl
"I ask for wisdom and strength, Not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself"  - from Ojibwa Prayer.

StorminN

Quote from: karl on March 14, 2009, 06:06:01 PMNever thought of asking power co if'n they had old meters- they have been changing out the old ones around here to the ones that the meterreaderperson doesn't even get out of their vehicle to read.....must be a pile of the old ones someplace.

Yes, that's exactly what I mean... I've seen entire pallet boxes full of old meters at our local electronic recycling place... very cheap...

-Norm.
Happiness... is a sharp saw.

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