Lighting question

[fishman]

Im running 2 Icecap 660's over a 100 gallon(VHO). I am only running 6 - 110 watts bulbs for a total of 660 watts of light. I run them 12 hours a day. I am wondering how much this will effect the electricity bill? Any ideas? Reason I ask is I am thinking that my bill has jumped from say $75 per month (in the off season meaning not using the A/C) to around $120..does this seem reasonable for VHO lights?

 

[malkore]

well, that is 660watts running 12 hours a day. I have no idea how to do the math, but I'm thinking that every hour you're using .6 kilowatt hours...that'd add up.
Sounds like you ahve expensive electricity too. Around here, mid-summer with a/c and tanks going my highest bill was only $119.

 

[fishman]

Well I could only wish my electric bill was that low during the summer. My lowest ever (and was in the winter as I have gas heat) was $60...highest was $350 in the summer...
Im just curious as to if 660 watts of electricity can make a bill spike like I think it has...I would think people with like metal halides could verify this...since halides are a LOT of electricty..

 

[theatrus]

At $0.15/kWh (you're probably over 'baseline' useage), thats about $35/month.

Now you could get creative, and say, run the tank lights inverse of daylight, if you have Time Of Day metering (its cheaper 7pm-7am more or less)... But that just silly

 

[fishman]

Well I may cut the light usage down to 10-11 hours a day and see what happens. I hate to keep the fish in the dark that long though...what amt of time do people run their lights?