Part 1 Kilowatts and Kilowatt-Hours

Image titled Calculate Kilowatts Used by Light Bulbs

Step 1

1 Find the wattage rating of the bulb. The wattage is often printed directly on
the bulb as a number followed by a W. If you don't see it there, check the
packaging the bulb was sold in. The watt is a unit of power, measuring the energy
the bulb uses each second.

Ignore phrases like "100-watt equivalent," which are used to compare brightness.
You want the actual number of watts the bulb uses.

Image titled Calculate Kilowatts Used by Light Bulbs Step 2

2 Divide this number by one thousand. This converts the number from watts
to kilowatts. An easy way to divide by one thousand is to move the decimal point
three places to the left.

Example 1: A typical incandescent bulb draws 60 watts of power, or 60 / 1000 =

Example 2: A typical fluorescent bulb uses 15 watts, or 15 / 1000 = 0.015 kW. This
bulb only uses ¼ as much power as the bulb in example 1, since 15 / 60 = ¼.

Image titled Calculate Alimony Step 6

3 Estimate the number hours the bulb is on per month. To calculate your
utility bill, you'll need to know how much you use your bulb. Assuming you receive
monthly utility bills, count up the number of hours the bulb is on in a typical
month.

Example 1: Your 0.06 kW bulb is turned on for 6 hours a day, every day. In a 30-day
month, that's a total of (30 days/month * 6 hrs/day) = 180 hours per month.

Example 2: Your 0.015 kW fluorescent bulb is on for 3.5 hours a day, 2 days a
week. In one month, it will be on for roughly (3.5 hours/day * 2 days/wk * 4
wks/month) = 28 hours per month.

Image titled Calculate Kilowatts Used by Light Bulbs Step 4

4 Multiply the kilowatt use by the number of hours. Your energy company
charges you for each "kilowatt-hour" (kWh), or each kilowatt of power in use for
one hour. To find the kilowatt-hours your light bulb consumes per month, multiply
the kilowatt use by the number of hours it's on each month.

Example 1: The incandescent bulb uses 0.06 kW of power and is on for 180 hours
a month. Its energy usage is (0.06 kW * 180 hours/month) = 10.8 kilowatt-hours
per month.

Example 2: The fluorescent bulb uses 0.015 kW and is on for 28 hours a month. Its
energy usage is (0.015 kW * 28 hours/month) = 0.42 kilowatt-hours per month.

Part 2 Calculating Cost

Image titled Calculate Kilowatts Used by Light Bulbs Step 5

1 Calculate the cost of running your light bulb. Check your utility bill for the
cost of each kilowatt-hour of electricity. (Average costs are roughly $0.12 per kWh
in the US, or €0.20 per kWh in Europe.[1] ) Multiply this by the number of kWh
your bulb uses each month to estimate how much you pay to power that bulb.

Example 1: Your power company charges 10 US cents per kWh, or $0.10. The
incandescent bulb uses 10.8 kWh/month, so running it is costing you ($0.10/kWh
* 10.8 kWh/mo.) = $1.08 per month.

Example 2: At the same cost of $0.10 per month, the low-use fluorescent bulb
costs you ($0.10/kWh * 0.42 kWh/mo.) = $0.042 per month, or about four cents.

Image titled Calculate Kilowatts Used by Light Bulbs Step 6

2 Save on lighting costs. Light bulbs account for about 5% of the electricity bill
of the average US household.[2] Although other energy savers will have a larger
effect, replacing incandescent bulbs is always worth it in the long term:[3][4]

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are even more efficient and have a lifespan of 50,000
hours (almost six years of constant use). Over their whole lifespan, they save
about $7 US per year.[5]

Image titled Calculate Kilowatts Used by Light Bulbs Step 7

3 Choose the right replacement. Consider the following when shopping for
energy-efficient lighting:[6]

Poorly made CFL bulbs can burn out quickly. The best options have an EnergyStar
logo in the US, or a rating of A+ or higher on the European Union energy label.

If you're lucky, the packaging will list "lumens," a measure of brightness. If not,
use this estimate: a 60 watt incandescent bulb, 15 watt CFL, or 10 watt LED are all
roughly the same brightness.

Look for a color descriptor. "Warm white" is closer to the yellow glow of an
incandescent. "Cool white" heightens the contrast, which may feel harsh in living
spaces.

"Directional" LED lights focus light on a small area instead of illuminating a whole
room.Part

1 Kilowatts and Kilowatt-Hours

Image titled Calculate Kilowatts Used by Light Bulbs Step 1

1 Find the wattage rating of the bulb. The wattage is often printed directly on
the bulb as a number followed by a W. If you don't see it there, check the
packaging the bulb was sold in. The watt is a unit of power, measuring the energy
the bulb uses each second.

Ignore phrases like "100-watt equivalent," which are used to compare brightness.
You want the actual number of watts the bulb uses.

Image titled Calculate Kilowatts Used by Light Bulbs Step 2

2 Divide this number by one thousand. This converts the number from watts
to kilowatts. An easy way to divide by one thousand is to move the decimal point
three places to the left.

Example 1: A typical incandescent bulb draws 60 watts of power, or 60 / 1000 =

Example 2: A typical fluorescent bulb uses 15 watts, or 15 / 1000 = 0.015 kW. This
bulb only uses ¼ as much power as the bulb in example 1, since 15 / 60 = ¼.

Image titled Calculate Alimony Step 6

3 Estimate the number hours the bulb is on per month. To calculate your
utility bill, you'll need to know how much you use your bulb. Assuming you receive
monthly utility bills, count up the number of hours the bulb is on in a typical
month.

Example 1: Your 0.06 kW bulb is turned on for 6 hours a day, every day. In a 30-day
month, that's a total of (30 days/month * 6 hrs/day) = 180 hours per month.

Example 2: Your 0.015 kW fluorescent bulb is on for 3.5 hours a day, 2 days a
week. In one month, it will be on for roughly (3.5 hours/day * 2 days/wk * 4
wks/month) = 28 hours per month.
Image titled Calculate Kilowatts Used by Light Bulbs Step 4

4 Multiply the kilowatt use by the number of hours. Your energy company
charges you for each "kilowatt-hour" (kWh), or each kilowatt of power in use for
one hour. To find the kilowatt-hours your light bulb consumes per month, multiply
the kilowatt use by the number of hours it's on each month.

Example 1: The incandescent bulb uses 0.06 kW of power and is on for 180 hours
a month. Its energy usage is (0.06 kW * 180 hours/month) = 10.8 kilowatt-hours
per month.

Example 2: The fluorescent bulb uses 0.015 kW and is on for 28 hours a month. Its
energy usage is (0.015 kW * 28 hours/month) = 0.42 kilowatt-hours per month.

Part

2 Calculating Cost

Image titled Calculate Kilowatts Used by Light Bulbs Step 5

1 Calculate the cost of running your light bulb. Check your utility bill for the
cost of each kilowatt-hour of electricity. (Average costs are roughly $0.12 per kWh
in the US, or €0.20 per kWh in Europe.[1] ) Multiply this by the number of kWh
your bulb uses each month to estimate how much you pay to power that bulb.

Example 1: Your power company charges 10 US cents per kWh, or $0.10. The
incandescent bulb uses 10.8 kWh/month, so running it is costing you ($0.10/kWh
* 10.8 kWh/mo.) = $1.08 per month.

Example 2: At the same cost of $0.10 per month, the low-use fluorescent bulb
costs you ($0.10/kWh * 0.42 kWh/mo.) = $0.042 per month, or about four cents.

Image titled Calculate Kilowatts Used by Light Bulbs Step 6

Save on lighting costs. Light bulbs account for about 5% of the electricity bill of the
average US household.[2] Although other energy savers will have a larger effect,
replacing incandescent bulbs is always worth it in the long term:[3][4]
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are even more efficient and have a lifespan of 50,000
hours (almost six years of constant use). Over their whole lifespan, they save
about $7 US per year.[5]

Image titled Calculate Kilowatts Used by Light Bulbs Step 7

Choose the right replacement. Consider the following when shopping for energy-
efficient lighting:[6]

Poorly made CFL bulbs can burn out quickly. The best options have an EnergyStar
logo in the US, or a rating of A+ or higher on the European Union energy label.

If you're lucky, the packaging will list "lumens," a measure of brightness. If not,
use this estimate: a 60 watt incandescent bulb, 15 watt CFL, or 10 watt LED are all
roughly the same brightness.

Look for a color descriptor. "Warm white" is closer to the yellow glow of an
incandescent. "Cool white" heightens the contrast, which may feel harsh in living
spaces.

"Directional" LED lights focus light on a small area instead of illuminating a whole
room.