Electric Bill Questions ??

[daniel411]

I work in a power plant, I think I should get a discount, and be able to give it to my fellow sw board members! Would be nice wouldn't it?
Side note.... most power companies used to give their employees free electricity... you know what happened.. they "wired" their grandparents, family members, friends, etc... up with free electricity, so they stopped that perk

 

[sinner's girl]

April and May together were $160 and that included transfer fees (had bill put into my name, not his mom's before we got married)
June was $160 but that included reconnection fee since we moved
July was $147
We live in south Louisiana, the AC is kept at 80 (or higher), one computer runs 24/7, the other computer close to 24/7, two tanks running (55gl and 75gl) only 55gl has lights (and only one set),

 

[wamp]

Your AC is 80?????? I could never live with you!!! I keep mine on 67... I like it cold.. I hate the heat..

 

[buzz]

When you're walking out of 100+ degree heat (lately here in SoCal), 80 feels nice and cool. I keep mine at about 79-80 too.

 

[tangman99]

The majority of electrical cost comes from heating and cooling a home. I just had an energy audit on my new home and 47% of the cost is heating and coolingwith heatpumps. I keep the entire house at 77 degrees.
I have a 3200 S.F. two story home in Florida. It has 2 separate Central heating and air heat pumps (1 upstairs, 1 downstairs). My tank has 440 watt VHO lighting which is a minimal cost in power. Between computers, TV/Entertainment system, 2 refrigerators and all the appliances, my July electric bill was $175.00. This usually the most expensive month of the year in Florida. I received a graph of estimated monthly costs and July was within $1 of the estimate. My fall and Spring Electric bills should be around $80.
My home has a complete energy package that helps bring my costs down and probably saves me around $20.00 a month. It is pretty new and has energy efficient appliances and heat pumps. My house is also 100% electric with no gas.

 

[finfin2003]

Marine Marty-
I live in upstate NY and in the same type of sistuation that you have... 1 Bedroom apt, 2 air conditioners.. run them a LOT! But my Niagra Mohawk bil lonly runs about $58.00 in the summer...
I think you are getting riped off.. I would have your power company come in and check to make sure something isn't drawing power that isn;t suppost to.
Hope this helps!!

 

[daniel411]

Wow, I'm sure its a drop from being outside.... but I need it colder than 80 in the house! Do you run a chiller on your tank?

 

[buzz]

Nope. Tank stays between 80-82. The way I have my fans set up, they suck air straight out of the A/C vent above the canopy and blow it under the canopy. Keeps a nice cool layer right over the water.

 

[daniel411]

Pretty ingenious of ya Buzz!

 

[sinner's girl]

I would love to keep ac below 80 wamp but my husband won't let me. with bill being that high we can't afford to keep it lower (just poor students here).
I don't have a chiller, at the old place we lived at didn't need it b/c the ac vent was right in front of the tank.
The 55gl temp gets up to 86 during the day...i freaked for awhile, the first day I saw it at 86 i added 7 pounds of ice to baggie and it all melted in less than an hour. kept a fan on the tank too.
but the fish don't seem to care, nor do the stars. I know it can't be healthy but there has been no change in behavoir. I do keep the lights off during the day. turn them off at about 5:30 when I get home. we don't have the money for a chiller
the 75gl gets hotter since it's in front of a window but there are no fish or inverts in the tank.
heater and stove are gas, but they aren't hooked up yet (don't ask)
When you're walking out of 100+ degree heat (lately here in SoCal), 80 feels nice and cool.
YEP! I'd still rather it cooler though.
Buzz how do you have fans set up? what's the best way?

 

[buzz]

For my setup, I have them on the top of the canopy, blowing straight down into the tank, one on each end of the canopy. I don't know if that is the best way, but it seems to work for my setup. That is because the a/c vent is directly over the tank on the wall.
I had heard varying opinions on whether the fans should be mounted on the sides of the canopy or the top. I am happy with my choice.

 

[sinner's girl]

thanks, are AC vent is on the floor on the other side of the room (didn't know that when I picked out where the tank would go, or I would have the tank in a diff place)

 

[marinemarty]

Thanks All, when i get my next bill i will post how many Kwatts i use and at how much and compare. This was informative thanks
Martin

 

[wyldgunz]

I ive in a 1200 Squarfoot ranch and run my central air non stop keeping the house around 76 degrees .. i have a 55 with a dual 250 watt metal halide and 2 110 watt vho's along with a mag 7 reurn pump, skimmer, heater, 35 watt NO light running over the refugium, and 3 804 powerheads. and im pushing around $90 a month. Thats a pretty high power bill you got going a month.

 

[saltypatti]

78-80. My tank does not have much equipment on it, so I do not think it is going to be much difference. My last bill was $284.00. I have a pool now, so that is part of the problem. However, we can come in from swimming and put the air at 80. It is almost too cold when it is lower. I have had bills last summer that were almost 400.00 no pool.
I am hoping the tank will not take too much energy, but that is one of the prices you pay to be in the hobby.
Patti

 

[squidd]

My electirc bill went up $35.00 avg. when I set up my tank. 125fowlr.
At that time I was running 3 ph. a 600gph pump and 4 40watt NO lights,a 250 and a 150watt heater
Since then I have added, a 20 gal hotel, Both tanks have a sump fuge 400gph and 700gph pumps a 65watt light on the 20 and a 30 watt "grow' light on each fuge that runs 24/7, and a 18watt UV on the 125, and a 150 watt heater.
My "new" average is $60.00 higher than it was BT (before tanks)
My wife thinks It's 'outrageous" I'm just glad she doesn't know what I spent on fish rocks lights sand UV skimmer sump pumps salt test kits and "all" the Misc. hardware I've accumulated.

 

[tangman99]

Wow squid! That seem like a lot. I guess our rates are really low. We only pay 6.5 cents per kilowatt hour. I think my tank calculated out to about $15.00 per month with the 440 VHO, Mag7 return, 4 maxijet 1200's and the skimmer.

 

[plum70rt]

well now I feel bad at 400.00 a month, big pool, 3000sf under A/C, 560wattss VHO dual 400watt MH, ampmaster pump,
YIKES!!! 30galon setup 7 gallon, 5 ton A/C unit all electric
hey tang what part of Fla you live?

 

[tangman99]

Originally posted by plum70rt
well now I feel bad at 400.00 a month, big pool, 3000sf under A/C, 560wattss VHO dual 400watt MH, ampmaster pump,
YIKES!!! 30galon setup 7 gallon, 5 ton A/C unit all electric
hey tang what part of Fla you live?
Plumb, I live in Jacksonville and we are on JEA utilities. Electric is pretty reasonable here. Their claim to fame is that they have not raised electric rates in 12 years. I'm not complaining.

 

[squidd]

My electric bill BT (before tanks) was about $50-$60.00 a month, my last bill was $112.00
Actually, I think it's all the time I spend on the internet (SWF)
thats driving the bill up!!LOL