Electrical load?

I've had my system running for two months now - was shocked when I received my utility bill this morning. It normally runs about $50/month (gotta love San Diego!) But this month was $150.

Have the following electrical load on my tank:

- Lights: 6-bulb 24" T5. Running 12/hrs per day
- Pump: Quite One 3000
- Powerhead: Koralia Evolution 750gph
- Skimmer: Bubble-Magus 3e
- Heater: Sized for 75-gallon (sorry lost the packaging on this item!)
- Compact florescent light on my refugium (small bulb - 12-hours per evening)

And the following runs often, on my water-change bin:

- Powerhead: Same as above
- Heater: rated for 20 gallons

Can somebody help me to estimate how much current I am using, so I can guestimate if it will always be this expensive to run? Is this pretty much par for the course? I knew it wouldn't be cheap to get started, and stocked. But I didn't expect this much of a hit on my electric bill.

Thanks!
-bk

I'm paying about .12 a kilowatt hour, and a 180 has added about $25 a month to my electric bill

To calculate the electic cost of a gadget, take its rating in watts and divide it by 1000 then multiply that by the number of hours a day that you run it, and then by the cost per kilowatt hour

So for example assuming the bulbs in your fixture are 26 watts a piece and assuming a kilowatt / hr charge of 12 cents

(156 /1000) * 12 (hours it runs) * .12 (kilowatt/hr charge) = .22 cents a day or $6.73 a month for the light fixture

Note: The calculation above does not take into account any other fees or extra charges your utility may charge

Wow thats really a lot my guess is that you ran a heater or AC more than normal

could be that last month was just an estimate and this month was an actual and you got hit with the difference for the 2 months - my electric company has done that before to me - just a thought

Wish that was all I paid.

Thanks Northstar - that's good info! Amber you're probably right (I hope) - it's been cold (at least for Southern California) this past month or so.

FastRD400 dare I ask how much your tank(s) are costing you each month?

So cold in California is what, 65 and sunny?

Okay, back on topic

400+

My pumps say they are rated at 4.5 watts. Does that really mean 4.5 kw? I don't know anything about electricity (obviously!) but I have a hard time believing the pump draws 1/5 of what a single bulb draws. Should I read that as 45 watts? 450 watts? (I also have trouble imagining that a pump draws less than a 60 watt light bulb!!)

Thanks,
bk

No - 4.5 KW is 4.5 kilowats, or 4500 watts. If your pump is rated at 4.5 watts then this is how you would figure cost (same assumptions as above)

(4.5/1000) *.12 (cost per kilowatt hour) * 24 (assuming pump runs 24/7) = 1.2 cents a day or 36 cents a month for a pump rated at 4.5 watts