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Author Topic:   CALLING ALL ELECTRICIANS
johnmustang
Gearhead

Posts: 5855
From: British Columbia , Canada
Registered: Nov 2001

posted 03-19-2005 10:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for johnmustang   Click Here to Email johnmustang     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I am trying to figure out the cost of leaving my florescent lights on all the time in the garage as opposed to always turning them off and on. This is what I have come up with so far. I installed 2 new four foot florescent fixtures in my garage and each fixture takes two four foot 40-watt bulbs, so this is how I figured it out as to what my cost is by just leaving them on instead of turning them on and off all the time. I have been told that it is very hard on the ballast-resistor and the main cost of running florescent bulbs is the initial point of turning them on. Here is what I came up with:

4 - 40 watt bulbs = 160 watts per hour

160 watts per hour x 24 hours = 3,840 watt hours

3,840 watt hours divided by 1000 = 3.84 Kwh per day (1000 watts = 1 Kwh)

3.84 Kwh x 30 days (1 month) = 115.2 Kwh per month

115.2 Kwh x $0.06050443 hydro rate = $6.96 per month

So by going with this math (I hope it is correct)I am spending an extra $6.96 per month on my hydro by just leaving the lights on in my garage. If I did turn them on and off just when I need them do you think it would cost me more or less than what I am spending now, and how much more wear and tear am I causing the electrical components of the lights ? If anybody has any ideas about this I would love to hear them, also if my math is wrong please tell me the proper formula I would need to figure this out, I have always wondered about this and I am just trying to figure it out. I have asked people at work about it and they are pretty evenly split as to weather I should leave them on or off, so I am now turning to all the smart people here on M&M to set the record straight. I am looking forward to hearing all of your responses.

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JOHN
65 FASTBACK 2+2.....14.44 @ 107mph 1/4
87 TAURUS WAGON
03 F150 XLT SUPER CREW 4X4 SHORT BOX
Member:Vancouver Island Mustang Association
M&M #1710
65 FASTBACK
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stc65coupe351w
Gearhead

Posts: 227
From: Riverside California
Registered: Sep 2004

posted 03-19-2005 10:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for stc65coupe351w   Click Here to Email stc65coupe351w     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have 8 sets of two bulb fixtures and it does not seem to change the spinning meter any. Although what you missed if I am corect is that a 40 watt bulb is the light brightness and only uses about 11 or 14 watts of power.

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-1974 351w Block Bored .30-1969 351w Heads Fully Ported
-Custom made Ford 9" with 3" Axle Tubes-28 Detroit Locker-3.73 Gears-Shelby Traction Bars
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68F100
Gearhead

Posts: 2377
From: Fort Madison, Iowa USA - United We Stand
Registered: Oct 99

posted 03-19-2005 11:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 68F100   Click Here to Email 68F100     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
40 watts is 40 watts.

You are right about the ballast drawing more power at startup than when it is "warmed up".

I would have to do a lot of math to find the difference. It would be dependant alot on how many times you switch them on/off.

I have four - 2 bulb flourescent fixtures(4ft) in my garage, all 40W bulbs, and one single bulb fixture(4ft,25W) over my workbench. There isn't very much difference in how bright they are between 25W and 40W and if you get the right "color temperature" bulbs, you probably couldn't tell the difference.

What I'm getting at here is, a lot of those fixtures will run either wattage bulb and 25W would cost less to run.

I keep the lights on when I leave the garage if I plan on being back within an hour to work again, but otherwise, I turn them off.

If you still want me to figure the difference, I could do that also.

The reason flourescent is cheaper than incandescant is because it runs on much less amperage(ratings should be right on the ballast). More light with less power consumption = more efficient.

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68F100
Gearhead

Posts: 2377
From: Fort Madison, Iowa USA - United We Stand
Registered: Oct 99

posted 03-19-2005 11:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 68F100   Click Here to Email 68F100     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Lemme do some checking...

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Big D
Gearhead

Posts: 5133
From: WELLS, NEVADA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 03-19-2005 11:35 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Big D   Click Here to Email Big D     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
John,,

Your figures are right except for the amount the balast uses..

That's why the compact florescents are so good.. A 15 Watt CFL replaces a 75 Watt Incandescent bulb..

A 100 Watt INCAN. Bulb takes 10 hours to use 1 kwh.. A 15 watt CFL takes 66 hours to use 1 kwh.. Take that times all the bulbs in your home for a year..

And the CFL's will last at least 8 times longer.. The ones they sell at CostCo are really bright and one of the best values I've seen.. Like 6 bulbs for $12 ..

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Don
6T6 Fastback
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http://mustangsandmore.50megs.com/MembersPics/BigD.html
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stc65coupe351w
Gearhead

Posts: 227
From: Riverside California
Registered: Sep 2004

posted 03-20-2005 01:13 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for stc65coupe351w   Click Here to Email stc65coupe351w     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by 68F100:
40 watts is 40 watts.
The reason flourescent is cheaper than incandescant is because it runs on much less amperage(ratings should be right on the ballast). More light with less power consumption = more efficient.


In looking at the packing the tubes do use 40 watts. It is the flourescent replacement for incandescant that put out ( on the package I have) it says 100 watts and energy used 25 watts. My mistake.

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GTRocks
Gearhead

Posts: 3631
From: Lusby, MD
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-20-2005 12:59 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for GTRocks   Click Here to Email GTRocks     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
You need the data on the other end of this equation too. What is the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) of the balast? In other words, how many times, on average, can you cycle the balast on/off before it fails? If you leave it on indefinitely, how long would it last on average? How much does a new balast cost? You'll need all that data to do the comparison. The manufacturer should be able to tell you that data, but may claim "proprietary information" and not reveal it.

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'66 Coupe C code
'93 GT 'vert (AOD to T5 swapped)
'01 Saleen #648

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Fastymz
Moderator

Posts: 18703
From: Reno Nv USA MEM#1240
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 03-20-2005 02:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Fastymz   Click Here to Email Fastymz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Sorry to jump in here John, but if I want more light in my garage. Is it better to add more florescent light fixtures or brigther blubs to the ones I already have. I now have to fixtures with 2, 4 foot 40w blubs in each unit.

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GTRocks
Gearhead

Posts: 3631
From: Lusby, MD
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-20-2005 09:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for GTRocks   Click Here to Email GTRocks     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Scoop, Is the problem that the lights aren't bright enough, or that you don't have the light where you want it? If you see shadows around the perifery of the garage, you'll probably want to add more lights. If you don't see shadows, but just feel it's always dim, you probably would be ok upping the wattage. Just make sure that your fixture is rated for the higher wattage. You can create a fire hazard by putting say a 100 watt bulb into a fixture that is only rated for 40 watts. You'll pull too much current and the wires within the fixture weren't rated for the additional current, so they'll get hot and create a fire hazard.

Dave

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'66 Coupe C code
'93 GT 'vert (AOD to T5 swapped)
'01 Saleen #648

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indyphil
Gearhead

Posts: 2398
From: Senoia, G.A. USA
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 03-21-2005 09:50 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for indyphil   Click Here to Email indyphil     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Let me jump in here with another garage lighting suggestion.
How bright (white) your ceiling, floor and walls are will make a big difference to how much lighting you need.

If youve been looking for an excuse to paint the floor with that nice 2 part epoxy (with flake) coating then this adds an extra dimension. When I painted my floor (its a light pewter color) the whole room brightened up significantly. In one house I lived the walls were bare drywall, and if they had just been painted white it would have really brightened it up.

its $100 to cover the floor in a 2 car garage (using the rustoleum epoxy kit).

I have 2 hanging flourescant fixtures, each one has a pair of 40W bulbs and with my white ceiling, painted walls and shiney floor its like summertime in there. Im also considering putting in some tracklights with spots shining into the middle where the hood of the car is

Here at work in the test cells they also have "waist" that are in the wall about 3 feet up - lights that help illuminate the engines from the side. when the light is coming from every angle you can always see what your working on.

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'68 coupe, '66 289 C code
engine, edel 600cfm carb, performer intake, dual exhaust http://www.geocities.com/ottouk_77/68mustang.htm

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Fastymz
Moderator

Posts: 18703
From: Reno Nv USA MEM#1240
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 03-21-2005 12:01 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Fastymz   Click Here to Email Fastymz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
With this new garage I painted it all bright white. That does help a lot, but I still get shadows. I'll have to add some more fixtures. I hate not having the area bright when I'm working on a project. I really need to get some glasses soon too. Either that or all those little parts are being made with a fuzz on them now.
I now use one of those big two fixture spot lights and a flourescent drop light.

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oddly obsessed with big scoops on little Mustangs

65 coupe 351w C4 Big Boss 429 hood scoop,8" 3.40 TracLoc.

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