Power saving tips and ways to save money!?

[mrhasan]

Let me get something out of my mind about "power savings" by switching to:

LEDs: Alright, so typically, someone replaces one MH fixture (250W) to get a Radio G1. Some calculations:

Cost of MH fixture: $150-$200
Wattage: 250W
Monthly cost of electricity @ 8hrs lighting cycle and @ 8c/kWh: 0.250W * 8hrs * 30 days * 0.08 = $4.8 (+- 10% give or take) = $5.28 max
Yearly cost of maintaining (1 bulb change + electricity) = $70 + 5.28 * 12 = $133
Yearly cost of JUST electricity = $63.36

Cost of a PROPER LED fixture (I am not any generic fixture):
Two proven LEDs that I consider worthy are Radios and Mitras (flame me all you want but those LEDs actually have future; not vertex or razor!)

Radion (G2) costs: $660
Wattage: 140W
Monthly cost of electricity @ 8hrs lighting cycle and @ 8c/kWh: $2.69 (+- 10% give or take) = $2.96
No yearly maintenance other than electricity bill = 2.96 * 12 = $35.52

Savings with Radion (G2) = $97.48/year (including bulb change once a year)
Price difference between Radion (G2) and MH = $460

So to have a "gain with LED", you will have to use it for atleast, 460/97.48 = 4.7 years before you start profiting with Radion (G2).

I am not going to do the calculations for the Mitras (possibly costs around $1200 and with most output so possibly the years will almost be DOUBLE!).

So, instead of putting my conclusion, I would like to ask, suppose you buy a LED fixture today, would you be using it for, say, 5 years?

2. DC pumps: These are clearly very efficient stuffs since only DC can offer variable speed motors with low power consumption (war of current is coming back I tell ya! ). But once again, the cost-saving benefit should be done. I am not very familiar with pumps and so I am leaving it over here (I don't have the data on prices and how long they are in running mode, etc).

If you ask me why would I get LEDs and DC pumps (when financially permitted), I would say its because of:
1. Technology
2. Versatility
3. Trend ()

Last but not the least; I used to get flamed by lines like "don't cheap out in this hobby" and "leave this hobby if you can't afford a $50 refractometer" but now-a-days, I see people buying $700 LEDs to save like $100 a year! And I used to get flamed; cruel world

[naesco]

[quote=mrhasan;793618]

(Quote)




If you ask me why would I get LEDs and DC pumps (when financially permitted), I would say its because of:
1. Technology
2. Versatility
3. Trend (

(End of quote)



But most importantly, the environment.

[Baldy]

Comparing average mh to a radion isn't exactly a fair comparison. My DIY fixture cost 750 for my 75g. I would need at least 2 radions to equal it in output. 750 vs 1360 makes the time to recover the investment less. Radions, sols, mitras, they're all overpriced compared to what you can do yourself.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Baldy

Comparing average mh to a radion isn't exactly a fair comparison. My DIY fixture cost 750 for my 75g. I would need at least 2 radions to equal it in output. 750 vs 1360 makes the time to recover the investment less. Radions, sols, mitras, they're all overpriced compared to what you can do yourself.

not really , if you were to add half the things the radions or ghl's can do your diy fixture would cost some more im sure.

maybe its me but i find the bluetooth and wireless for my radion to vortech quite nice and handy


out of curiosity how do you control your leds?

light times, spectrum changes, color blending,power off etc.

[Baldy]

I could see the vortech to radion for current control, but I've got a sunrise sunset controller on mine, and things like.storm mode and such, is it really worth it? You can use lighting controllers on units like apex and program powerheads to do similar. Mind you, I haven't played with a vortech yet so I might not know what I'm missing yet

[blacknife]

you guys need to double your electricity costs.. i see around 8 cents/kwh used lots but remember under most billers all your other fees <transmission distribution, etc> are bassed on usage and cost at least as much as your actual electricity. Your 5 dollar a month savings quickly turns into 10

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by blacknife

you guys need to double your electricity costs.. i see around 8 cents/kwh used lots but remember under most billers all your other fees <transmission distribution, etc> are bassed on usage and cost at least as much as your actual electricity. Your 5 dollar a month savings quickly turns into 10

I haven't dealt with proper bills yet (included within rent) but as far as I know, in Calgary, it comes to something like 12c/kWh including those.

Anyhow, since its a product factor, its the same in both LED and MH and gets canceled in the calculation anyway. A slight difference will occur only due to the addiction factor of the bulb. Maybe instead of 4.7 years, it will be like 4.5 years (I am bad without calculation).

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Baldy

Comparing average mh to a radion isn't exactly a fair comparison. My DIY fixture cost 750 for my 75g. I would need at least 2 radions to equal it in output. 750 vs 1360 makes the time to recover the investment less. Radions, sols, mitras, they're all overpriced compared to what you can do yourself.

DIYs are always on a very different league. Like Denny said, DIYs always welcome unexpected costs. But once done properly will have the possibility of major savings. On the other hand, you won't be getting any sort of "warranty" with the DIYs. Is the heatsink enough? Is the wiring properly done with the codes for safety? Is the fixture totally safe? Semiconductor devices can easily go wrong no matter what in DIYs. Surely you will be getting warranty from driver manufacturers like invertronics or meanwell but they can easily go wrong and the warranty over here shouldn't come over reliability.

One thing's for sure....all brand LEDs are overpriced to some extend. And that's because they are controlling the market and players will always take this advantage. One thing that we don't see is the R&D costs that incorporates within these LEDs. Radion, mitras...these come from big companies and they will surely make 20-40% since those will eventually be distributed among various sources (starting from dealers to those back door engineers who spent hours perfecting these fixtures).

[intarsiabox]

+1, if you love the environment own a reef tank!

[mrhasan]

[quote=naesco;793620]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

But most importantly, the environment.

Completely agree to that.