Cost For Electricity

[Bfofre]

So.. As I swallow my last few electricity bills.. Headed north of $350/mnth.. I started looking at all the power sucking things in my home...
Hot tub - check
Pool-check
1 million tv's - check
Aquarium - check..

however, I've switched to leds 8 months ago, am running DC main pump etc etc... But I estimate my aquarium costs about $30/mnth..
Sound right?


In addition to all this, it prompted me to replace my outdoor lights with led fixtures, installed brand new ac/furnace with DC motor, changed the bulbs that are on most to led...
For comparison sake, since they've installed my smart meter, my bills hand increased $60/mnth

 

[reefgeek]

Grab yourself a 'Kill a watt' monitor or something similar to figure out what your largest consuming outlets are. http://www.amazon.ca/P3-International-P4400-Kill-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU
Wish I could chime in about cost but my tank is not yet running. At 300 gals I am going to assume I will be quite a bit higher than $30 per month, we will see.

 

[yveterinarian]

Mine has steadily increased over the years since I got my tanks running and now is over $500/month. Prior to this my bills were around $350 so it really hurts. When you live in the country the water is on a pump which of course pushes up the hydro bills. This is part of the reason why they were high before but now they are outrageous. I may check out the "kill a watt" monitor and see where my hydro is going as well.

 

[Pistol]

heating water or anything for that matter with electricity is very inefficient at best, that is why I have a gas furnace, gas stove, gas dryer, gas hot water heater and in the process of heating my tank with hot water as well. I hope to have it running today actually.

 

[DerekL]

We switched every light bulb in our house to LED when we set up our tank which has leds as well and our bill has come down and we now have a reef tank running. One thing that we do do is pay attention to the time of use that Enwin has now. We don't do laundry or run the dishwasher and even try not using the oven until after 7pm. This has made a huge difference for us on our electricity bill. We got our bill down to around $200 to $250 a month even with adding the fish tank.

 

[scubasteve]

wowsers i pay around 125 a month my 45 sh tank 90frag and 125 gal reef only costs me about $35 a month total and dropped from 45$ when i tossed the t5 and got led's these days all digital devices constantly draw power even when turned off but theres alot you can do to save on the pool hot tub is prob whats really hurting you costs my uncle over $100 a month just for the tub

 

[reefgeek]

After reading everyone's comments regarding what they pay a month for electricity I have to say holy smokes! Highest bill I've had for the past two years is $250 and my bills cover two+ months usage. Then again I do not have a pool, hot tub etc. Fortunately my apex will tell me how much my devices are drawing so I should be able to weed out any power hungry aquarium components. That said everything I have purchased is DC/led where possible.

 

[EricTMah]

^I thought the same as well.

I also have a pool and my bill is usually $250-$300 for every two months and in pool season we usually tip the scale around the $350-$400 for two months. We usually always have music playing when we're at home. I also use my PC hooked into my home theater. And that has a 400W power supply and is usually running anytime we're home too.

I have my 120 DT, 90 sump w/24hr fuge, 65 frag tank, and a 50 gal all running.

I also have switch to LED where possible.

 

[Bfofre]

My latest bill, that is from technically from late August to late September, including water (which is $60) was $326 so with AC, Pool, HotTub, aquarium and myriad of other electronics etc (3 boys at home 50% of the time)
So.. Electricity was $256.. Including all that stupidity delivery charge, debt retirement.. I think 1750kwh to be exact

 

[TORX]

<My hydro is on par with the others here. Mind you we are on equal payments through the year and my wife likes it at 66F through the summer leaving our AC on 24/7. I will say, that I do track the actual usage and costs that come on the bill and running a low wattage return pump and LED's, my bill has gone down nicely. She likes the house warm in the winter, so my heaters will rarely be on.

 

[AdInfinitum]

My hydro bill went up almost 50% when they installed the smart meter. We complained they apparently checked the meter and the answer you get is that your old meter has been under charging you......

 

[sunnykita]

My hydro bill went up almost 50% when they installed the smart meter. We complained they apparently checked the meter and the answer you get is that your old meter has been under charging you......

as always it wouldn't be their equipment that was the problem, holy shit ! 50 % increase, that's horrific !

 

[Pistol]

There have been a lot of problems with smart meters, they have quietly been replacing quite a few of them.

 

[Poseidon]

Yup huge issues with smart meters.
Our power bill is 1300$ a month....!!!
Then again, we do live on a farm with a large barn haha

But since shutting my frag tank down, the bill has dropped 100$
And it was t5/led with mag 12 and powerheads/ heaters etc

 

[TORX]

I ran a mag on my last setup. It was the biggest draw I think. Was glad to drop to a dc pump.

 

[onecansay]

Remember, with smart meters they have the ability charge you for time time of day use.
What does this mean? Well, no longer are you charged a flat rate and then pro rated as to your usage.
Just look into time of day billing and you will get the drift.
Unfortunately most IF not all components of a SWS, or for that mater FWS as well need to run 24/7.
Part of the hobby.
At least you do not have large vet bills.

onecansay

 

[Bfofre]

I'm not really complaining.. I'm a power consumer.. My electricity bill at my factory is on average 14-16k per month.. Swallow that pill!

 

[onecansay]

We did not think you were.
You did ask a question so we have tried to answer it as best as possible.

Even with your best efforts using products to reduce power consumption this
new way of metering puts us all behind the eight ball.

Then again, do not see the masses revolting, just rolling over.

Knowledge has Power within it.

onecansay