|
The wattage of appliances and equipment as well as the amount of
operating time can vary greatly. Collecting the information in these
tables will show you how to determine where the energy dollars are going
in your home or farm.
HOW
TO ESTIMATE ENERGY USE & COST
STEP
1
Since the cost of electricity is determined by the number of
kilowatt-hours (kWh) used during a billing period, the first step is to
determine your average cost per kWh.
The average cost per kWh is
computed this way:
Average Cost per kWh=$ amount of bill/Total kWh used.
(Example: $.06=$6/1,000 kWh)
STEP 2
Since the wattage of an appliance (equipment)
determines the electrical usage per hour, the second step is to determine
the wattage.
The wattage of an appliance is found on the nameplate.
But it is possible that the electrical requirements will be expressed in
volts and amperes, rather than watts. If so, multiply volts times amperes
to obtain the wattage.
STEP 3
Use the formula shown in this example to estimate
usage.
A light uses 100 watts and is on for 15 hours.
Compute the usage as follows:
kWh = (100 watts X 15 hours)/ 1000 watts
= 1.5 kWh.
STEP 4
To find your daily cost for electricity, divide your
bill by the number of days in the month.
|
Equipment |
Average
kWh Use* |
Comments |
Estimated
kWh/Month |
|
Barn
Cleaner |
120
annually |
|
|
|
Barn
Lighting |
60/month |
|
|
|
Barn
Ventilation (approx.) |
2 ½/cow/month |
|
|
|
Clipper |
1/10 hours of Use |
|
|
|
Dairy
Water Heater |
1/3.6
gallons |
Heated
from 50° to 165° @ 100% efficiency |
|
|
Engine
Heater (truck or tractor) |
1-2/hour |
1000 to
2000 watts |
|
|
Fence |
7/month |
|
|
|
Grain
Dryer (no heat) |
1/bushel |
Varies
with weather & moisture to be removed |
|
|
(heated with
electric heat) |
2/bushel |
|
|
Grain
Elevator |
4/1000
bushel |
|
|
|
Grain
Grinder |
.2/100
pounds |
|
|
|
Incubator |
1/25 eggs
set |
|
|
|
Milking
Machine (portable) |
1 ½/cow/month |
|
|
|
Milking
Machine (pipeline) |
1 ½/cow/month |
|
|
|
Milk
Cooler (can) |
1/10
gallons |
¼ to 5
H.P. |
|
|
Milk
Cooler (bulk) |
11/100
gallons |
½ to 7 ½
H.P. |
|
|
Motor |
1/H.P./hour |
sizes ½ to
10 H.P. |
|
|
Poultry
House (incandescent) |
6/100
birds/month |
|
|
|
Poultry
House (fluorescent) |
2/100
birds/month |
|
|
|
Poultry
Water Warmer |
1/day |
|
|
|
Silo
Unloader (grass) |
4/ton |
3 to 5
H.P. |
|
|
Silo
Unloader (corn) |
2 ½/ton |
3 to 5
H.P. |
|
|
Tool
Grinder |
½/hour
of use |
|
|
|
Water Pump
(deep well) |
1 ½/1000
gallons |
rate: 8
gallons/min. |
|
|
Water Pump
(shallow well) |
1/1000
gallons |
rate: 8
gallons/min. |
|
|
Water
Stock Tank Heater –Hog |
193/season |
sheltered
area |
|
|
Water
Stock Tank Heater-Cattle |
193/season |
in
barn |
|
|
Water
Stock Tank Heater-Cattle |
469/season |
open
shed |
|
|
Cattle-Hog
Combination |
535/season |
open
shed |
|
|
Cattle-Hog
Combination |
1208/season |
open
lot |
|
|
Welder |
100/year |
variable |
|
|
Yard
Lighting (dusk to dawn) |
|
|
|
|
70 Watt
Sodium Vapor |
31/month |
|
|
|
100 Watt
Sodium Vapor |
47/month |
|
|
|
175 Watt
Mercury Vapor |
73/month |
|
|
|
250 Watt
Mercury or Sodium Vapor |
105/month |
|
|
|
400 Watt
Mercury or Sodium Vapor |
161/month |
|
|
| |
|
Farm Total:
|
|
* The average monthly kilowatt-hour consumption figures
shown on this chart are based on normal use. Your electrical consumption
may be higher or lower, depending on how you and other people in your home
or on your farm use the various appliances and equipment and on the season
of the year.
If you have
questions on this, or any of our energy
services programs, please
contact Tim Power, Director of
Energy Services at extension
3125.
|
Farm
Energy Estimator