cost to run one light bulb for a year
Nick25
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
I’m getting tired of getting harrassed about leaving lights on. I can’t imagine it actually costs much money a year maybee 2 bucks a bulb or so. Anyone have an actual figure?
Replies
You'll have to use your local total electrical cost (supply plus transmission cost), but say you pay 12 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is typical, and your lamp is 100 watts. A year has 8760 hours. 100 watts x 8760 hours = 876,000 watt-hours = 876 kilowatt-hours. 876 kWh per year x 0.12 dollars per kWh = $105.12 per year.
If you have lights you leave on (or want to leave on), look at replacing the incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent lamp (available at home centers and other locations).
If you have a 90 watt bulb (incandescent) that puts out 1400 lumens of light, it will cost about $0.50 and last 750 hours. If you were to burn the bulb 24 hours per day, a year of light (including replacement bulbs) would cost about $100.40. You would change the bulbs about 12 times during the year.
If you were to install a 23 watt compact fluorescent lamp that puts out 1400 lumens of light, it will cost about $7.00 (frequently less) and last 6,000 hours. Buring the bulb 24 hours per day, the year of light (including replacement bulbs) would be about $34.40. You save a bunch of time as you would have to change the bulb only once during the year.
Compact fluorescents come in various light colors. You should select a color (known as color temp) that matches the incandescent you are replacing. Compact fluorescent bulbs that match incandescent are 2700 Kelvin (frequently the package says 27K). Other choices are more blue and have a higher color temp (4100 Kelvin). That light is more like daylight but some folks don't like it.
I had a compact fluorescent in an outside fixture on a photocell that burned every night, all night, for about 8 years. Pretty impressive.
Compact fluorescents save energy, save money, and save time. What's not to like?
I agree. Hammerhead is the one who needs convincing.
O.k. I'll turn the lights off. Thanks.
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