Help with High Power Bill

[MyLittleFoot]

I hope this is the right spot

My power bill use to be $245 before I got Little Foot which was in December of this year, now it is $351.60
I know this might not seem high to some but with me the only one working right now it's a little hard.

Little Foots light comes on at 6:45am and goes off at 5:45pm often she goes to bed before it goes off maybe 30 minutes or even an hour sometimes before it goes off and when she does I turn the light off.

Please let me know if my light hours and times are fine, also I use a Powersun UV 100wt for a 50 gal tank.

I nee any tips Please

 

[sunkist]

I have no clue... your lights are actually on for less than mine are. Mine are on from about 630 am to about 9 pm at night and that's with 4 beardies. My electric bill only went up about $25 though.

 

[midnight_962002]

What kind of setup are you using? It all comes down to making it efficient. Most of my cages get enough heat from 100 watts. While a 40 gallon breeder I use has to have double that just to get to the low end of the range I like.

Ernie

 

[MyLittleFoot]

I'm only using the 100wt powersun UV bulb

 

[GoFast]

cut back in other places. If your electric bill WAS $245 you are wasting too much anyways. My home is 3200 sq.ft total and mine is only $165 winter months and 215ish during the summer. It used to be really high as well until both my fiance and I started being more conscientious about shutting lights off when we left the room, making sure we set the sleep timer on the tv, and shut the computer monitor off aren't using it, etc.. Just little stuff like that could easily help cut that electric bill a little bit.

Also, is that the only bulb you are using or do you have the powersun 160 and something else? If so, what is that something else?

 

[MyLittleFoot]

it's the only buld it provides both of the light sources I need so I do not use any other bulbs, we try to make sure our kids turn the lights offf when they are not in a certain room

 

[GoFast]

wow if that is the only bulb and your bill went up over $90 then something is wrong. Try the t-rex 100 watt mvb maybe?? there should be no reason a bulb would increase the bill like that.

 

[MyLittleFoot]

I'm going to get some energy save bulbs for the rest of the house and hopefuly that will help me some also, I don't wont to just go out and buy another bulb unless someone knows for sure it would help ($40 is not something I can splurge on right now unless I know for sure)I don't see how one bulb would save more energy when they both do the same thing and they would be the same watgae.


Thanks for your comments and advice

 

[LJean]

Are you sure there wasn't just an increase in price for your electricity? That seems awfully high a jump for one bulb. Mine didn't go up that high with two enclosures, and two fish tanks. (turtles and frogs)

Unplugging things not in use helps. (can opener, coffee pot, vcr/dvd players etc) Anything that uses electricity that is not being used (things like above) are still using some when plugged in. Can you turn your heat down some and just wear a sweater, and put extra blankets on the beds?

 

[ZANESMAMA]

That sounds awfully high to me for just one fixture. It's hard for to be certain because I have my electric bill averaged, but I have four domes, three with lights and one with a CHE and I have a 48" fluorescent tube. My lights are on 12 hrs per day and my bill runs about 210.00 per month, but my house is old, drafty and small, about 1300 sq. ft. I don't think one fixture should make your bill increase that much.

 

[MyLittleFoot]

I'm going look at my bill when I get home and see if it shows any increases, also I'm going to start unplugging things not in use because I do have things like the microwave and hairdryer and things like that plugged in that are not in use everyday. Also my kids have a playstation plugged in all the time and I did hear that they draw alot of power.
It's just odd that it jumped up that high after I got my beardie.

Hopefuly I can get this fixed.

I just checked on another forum that I'm a member of and this is what someone showed me.

One 100watt bulb shouldn't be drawing that much current. Is it possible that you have used your heat more than the month before or something else in your house is using that power? Here is a wattage calculator that you can use to figure usage on bulbs based on the average rates.

http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/howmuch.html

In the inset on the right just select 100 watt bulb. Doesn't matter what the brand is. Based on those calculations that bulb running 11hrs a day 365 days a year should cost you about $49 for the entire year.