[Mattfish]

Well, right back where we were a few months ago - just got our power bill for the new system and it's $300 more than the month without the tank running.

What kind of power meter can I get that will tell me what the kilowatt hours per month are for each device I plug into it are? I'm trying to figure out the cost of each item in the system and figure out how I'm spending this kind of money every month.

And figure out how to make it smaller - this kind of bill is killing me. I looked at the power meter spinning away, and unless it's broken (we're going to have them come out and check it...), I'm gonna go broke.

And yes, I'm looking at what I can turn down, turn off, etc.....

[crxman]

this is what i use P3 International

[Mattfish]

Thanks Chris. While I was out today, I stopped by Fry's and bought a "Watts Up?" from Electronic Educational Devices (wattsupmeters.com) for $80. I haven't tried it yet, but tomrorow, I'll probably connect it and try and make myself cry when I realize it's real.... then I'll go back and stare at the tank and realize it's the cost of having a tank....

When I measure some of my devices, I'll put it on this thread to see if anyone has any comparison info.

[crxman]

damn you spent $80 on that you could have got what i got and spend $30 and it does the same thing

[plecosword]

maybe it was from all the christams lights, you can buy LED christmas lights too
What lightning fixture do you have running? You can replace lights around the house too with florecent lights. I hope you get it fugured out!

[Mattfish]

Originally Posted by crxman

damn you spent $80 on that you could have got what i got and spend $30 and it does the same thing

Thanks! You just saved me $50 - I can take this one back and order the one you have. Looks like it does the same thing and for $50 less, I can plan to spend that next month on my power bill.....

Originally Posted by plecosword

maybe it was from all the christams lights, you can buy LED christmas lights too
What lightning fixture do you have running? You can replace lights around the house too with florecent lights. I hope you get it fugured out!

No Christmas lights, we use those low-watt curly fluorescent bulbs in almost every fixture, and turn off lots of stuff when we can. Of course a 65" TV and a stereo, and all that stuff in the new tank setup...

I have a Solaris 72" and it's supposed to be 40% less energy usage than MH's.

I gotta put that meter on the setup and check it out.

[blu23girl]

good luck figuring this out! I'm actually really curious what each item uses, it will be good to compare to the manufacturers specs. Keep posting! Let us know how it goes. Also one thought, computers are a drain too, even when in "sleep" mode... If you don't already, might be helpful to turn off each night/ day when not in use... Who knows!

[patrick1234]

Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine - Short Take: Watts Up With Your Tank: Estimating Your Tank's Electrical Costs

[thelastmucci]

Mike,
That is crazy...for once I'm glad I live in an apratment and have my electricity paid for. Plan on having a good amount of stuff plugged in at once...hope my landlord doesn't figure her elec. bill went up 300 thanks to the new reef tank in the complex.

[Mattfish]

Originally Posted by blu23girl

good luck figuring this out! I'm actually really curious what each item uses, it will be good to compare to the manufacturers specs. Keep posting! Let us know how it goes. Also one thought, computers are a drain too, even when in "sleep" mode... If you don't already, might be helpful to turn off each night/ day when not in use... Who knows!

I'm going to measure everything tomorrow and post it all Rachel. It'll probably be painful to learn.....

Originally Posted by patrick1234

Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine - Short Take: Watts Up With Your Tank: Estimating Your Tank's Electrical Costs

Good article Patrick - thanks for the ref. I still need to measure everything, but the article's a good one, and the rates he quotes look like the ones I pay, except out here, PG&E seems to charge more as you go above your "baseline" by %'s.... gotta find this out from the guy we rent our house from.

Originally Posted by thelastmucci

Mike,
That is crazy...for once I'm glad I live in an apratment and have my electricity paid for. Plan on having a good amount of stuff plugged in at once...hope my landlord doesn't figure her elec. bill went up 300 thanks to the new reef tank in the complex.

We used to live in an apartment where we didn't pay electricity... but then we moved to a house. Worth it, but if this is all real, it's incredibly expensive.


For anyone skilled with electricity - this house has 3 sections, and we rent one. Unfortunately, both of the other "tenants" aren't home much, and we don't see many lights on. They may still have some heavy power-use thing, but unlikely. Is it possible that some sort of ground-fault is using an immense amount of power? How likely is it the meter's broken?

I turned off the power to the entire tank setup, and the power meter was still spinning quickly. We had some lights and the TV and stereo on. But it just doesn't seem possible.... Any thoughts of where we could be "losing" electricity, or unusual ways the meter could be running so fast?

We're going to get PG&E to come out and measure everything to make sure, but in the meantime, it's still sky-high unless I can prove different...

[plecosword]

Ha youl be surprices how much electricity most of your apliances use when in they are off. If you have a CRT tv, they go around 50 watts.

[plecosword]

Oh and one more thing, here is a link to a smart strip. I dont know how to explain it clearly on how it works. you can just google it because this is the first link I found on it.
Smart Strip Power Strip w/ Fax & Modem Protection - LCG4 - SmartHomeUSA.com

[Mattfish]

Thanks Mario. I bookmarked it for later - when my brain can deal with thinking again - like tomorrow.

For me, the issue is compounded by a whole bunch of stuff - a home office with a printer/fax, computers, devices charging like mobile phones, etc, DSL modems, phones, microwave, stereo, TV and cable box, electric shaver charging, and other stuff I can't even think of without walking around and making a list. Aside from the tank.

But my situation can't be all that different from anyone else's.

[e_baer]

Believe it or not, a few months ago, my parents were getting charged for rediculous amounts of electricity. We found out the meter was way off, now we get 6 months of electricity for free!

If your meter is fine, looks like someone may have to consider solar panels on the roof!

[Mattfish]

I got my fingers and my eyes crossed hoping it's the meter. But then I wake up and realize it's probably just that life's gotten more expensive.

If I could just get my 2 year old son out working, that'd pay for it.... he wastes a lot of time hanging around the house anyway....

[e_baer]

The bird has to leave the nest sometime....why not now?

[Mattfish]

Well it's a bit late now (nearly 11.30pm) and I wouldn't want to be accused of exploiting a child.

But tomorrow morning, he'll be on his way out the door to earn his keep.

Back in my day we walked uphill to and from school in the snow. And we liked it. (OK, it was NYC and we took the subway, but I always wanted to use that line... and sound like my grandfather....)

[glampka]

Originally Posted by Mattfish

Well it's a bit late now (nearly 11.30pm) and I wouldn't want to be accused of exploiting a child.

But tomorrow morning, he'll be on his way out the door to earn his keep.

Back in my day we walked uphill to and from school in the snow. And we liked it. (OK, it was NYC and we took the subway, but I always wanted to use that line... and sound like my grandfather....)

Better make sure he has his working papers!!!

Seems I've read a thread like this before - oh yeah - didn't you post one like this when you had the 1st tank up & running???

Let's see what you have going - lights, pump for skimmer, return pump, chiller, light on fuge, heaters, the Eheim pump that's plumbed to something & whatever else I haven't mentioned. I'm surprised that the lights in the apartment don't dim when you have everything going!!!

[Mattfish]

He don't need no stinking working papers....

Yeah, I did have a similar post. But that was my wife misunderstanding the difference between kilowatt hours and actual cost - at that time, the kWh had gone up dramatically, so we started paying an extra $100 per month to the bill. Now, the actual bill was several hundred dollars higher - that hurt badly.

I'm hoping this meter will explain some of it....

[rlcline76]

For now, while I am here in military housing, I do not see bills for electricity or water. It all comes out of the rent...and probably half of that into some private contractors pocket. Some installations are charging for these if we go over the allotted amount. Might need to upgrade to one bigger tank versus double on everything. I am almost certain I use more water than electricity, though.

[Mattfish]

Wanna adopt us? Matthew's housebroken, and I try hard.....

[rlcline76]

I am fine with the crew I have!

[Mattfish]

I haven't told you all of our good points yet.....

[plecosword]

Is this going to get emotional? lol

[Mattfish]

I hope not - but that electric bill IS pretty high...... If I thought getting emotional would help, I guess I'd consider it....