Compare the cost of up to three electrical devices based on their operating power expressed in watts.

It is interesting to see how much it cost to use light bulbs using different wattage!

Sample Calculation

Three TVs

TV1 = 50 watts
TV2 = 80 watts
TV3 = 150 watts

On average you watch TV for 5 hours per day and you do this 20 days per month.

• TV1 = 50 watts, this TV has a power consumption of 50 watts per hour.
  You use 50 watts of electricity per hour for 5 hours = 250 watts -- for 20 days of usage = 250 * 20 = 5000 watts of power consumption
• TV2 = 80 watts, this TV has a power consumption of 80 watts per hour.
  You use 80 watts of electricity per hour for 5 hours = 400 watts -- for 20 days of usage = 400 * 20 = 8000 watts of power consumption
• TV3 = 150 watts, this TV has a power consumption of 150 watts per hour.
  You use 150 watts of electricity per hour for 5 hours = 750 watts -- for 20 days of usage = 750 * 20 = 15000 watts of power consumption

Your utility company charges you 12 cents per kWh of electricity you use.
This means 12 cents for each kilowatt of power used.
There are 1000 watts in a kilowatt

• TV1-- 5000 watts converted to kilowatts = 5000 / 1000 = 5 kilowatts @ 12 cents per kW = 5 * 0.12 = 0.60
  It would cost 60 cents in electricity to use TV1, 5hrs a day for 20 days
• TV2-- 8000 watts converted to kilowatts = 8000 / 1000 = 8 kilowatts @ 12 cents per kW = 8 * 0.12 = 0.96.
  It would cost 96 cents in electricity to use TV2, 5hrs a day for 20 days
• TV3-- 15000 watts converted to kilo watts = 15000 / 1000 = 15 kilowatts @ 12 cents per kW = 15 * 0.12 = 1.80.
  It would cost one dollar and 80 cents in electricity to use TV3, 5hrs a day for 20 days

Examples of annual/monthly costs of operating various devices and appliances according to BC Hydro on the bottom of the page.

Calculation

1. enter the watt value for up to three electrical devices
2. the average number of hours per day you use these devices
3. $kWh, the amount your utility company charges you per kilo watt hour of power used. If they charge 12 cents for each kWh then enter this as 0.12
4. the amount of days you wish to calculate for

Results