IS there any simple way to guesstimate electricity usage/cost?

[coolred]

I will be moving soon, and am trying to pin down a rough budget before the move. I am pretty much set on everything except for electricity. I am in Columbus, OH and I believe we use firstenergy as an electricity provider. I can't seem to pin down thier cost per kwh.


Here is my sitiucation if it helps. I am moving into a 928sq ft 2 bedroom townhome apartment. It will be me my girlfriend and are son. Gas heat, so that won't figure into it. There is central air, but this will only be used sparinly, and obviously only if it will fit in my budget, but for now, don't worry about it. Normal appliances/electronics that see use in my house are:

A couple TV's
1 computer now, soon to be 2
Tivo
PS2
Reciever
VCR
A couple fans when its hot
Normal kitchen appliances
Lights obviously


I'm sure theres some other stuff, but I doubt listing it all will help any. So anybody in a similar situation that could let me know what they are paying, or help me guess what my payment will be?

As long as its under 50.00 a month, then thats fine, if its more then I will need to pin it down closer.

 

[J0hnny]

Dude it's easy, just multiply by the number of watts each item is rated at with the number of hours you use.

Example- 1 60Watt lightbulb for 8 hours = 480Watts consumed = 0.48KWh

at 18Cent per KWh then you're paying 0.08 cent a day.

Multiply it out to 30 days = $2.40 a month for that light bulb!

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: J0hnny
Dude it's easy, just multiply by the number of watts each item is rated at with the number of hours you use.

Example- 1 60Watt lightbulb for 8 hours = 480Watts consumed = 0.48KWh

at 18Cent per KWh then you're paying 0.08 cent a day.

Multiply it out to 30 days = $2.40 a month for that light bulb!

EIGHTEEN CENTS/KWH!?!?!?!?!

Holy jeebus. We pay ~0.075/kWh here in Oregon.

But yeah, he's got the right idea. All you have to do is add up the wattage of everything you have, and then guestimate how many hours each item is on per day.

If an appliance only has Amps listed, multiply the voltage(120) times the amperage to find wattage.

 

[J0hnny]

In NYC, we pay 24.5 cent per KWh.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: J0hnny
In NYC, we pay 24.5 cent per KWh.

:shocked:

That's insane! Our electric bill would be 540$/mo!

:Q

 

[patrick409]

I'm in Brooklyn and I pay close to 17 cents an hour. Electricity bill isn't too bad considering I use my air conditioning a lot.

 

[PowerEngineer]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: J0hnny
In NYC, we pay 24.5 cent per KWh.

:shocked:

That's insane! Our electric bill would be 540$/mo!

:Q

Makes all the complaints over high electricity rates in the Northwest seem overblown, doesn't it?

Your electricity bill will be most affected by the appliances you use to either heat or cool stuff, like that air conditioner (which you'll only use on hot days..), the oven, the refrigerator, etc. Is your water heater electric?

Here's a link to the First Energy tariffs. You'll see they involve a lot of fixed-cost charges in addition to the charge for actual energy consumed (all utility tariffs do these days), so it may be a bit more difficult to calculate than you think.

Good luck!

 

[J0hnny]

You're in for a rude awakening. Rates were just approved by the PSC for an increase.

 

[pkypkypky]

what is a supply credit? I cannot understand that concept when advertised by suppliers.

Yea, rates are going up and I'm thinking of switching to a variable rate. Any comments on that? I know there is risk, but it seems minimal and the past two years have shown I would have saved on variable.

Is electricity prices supposed to sky rocket? I'm not sure why there is such a significant hike for NYSEG customers. All politics aside of course.

 

[Cattlegod]

8.6c / kwh here in SE michigan