Flexwatt electricity usage (30 day estimate)

[packer43064]

Hi everyone.

I'm starting up an insect feeder business. I already have some insects going, but will really start everything when I get back from vacation this week.

My main concern is heating them. Some insects don't need the extra warmth so no need in heating the whole room. I'm going to be using flexwatt heat tape. I have the 11 inch 20 watt flexwatt. I like it alot, but I don't need that big of flexwatt. Most of the room will be filled with racks of the 4 inch (8 watt) flexwatt. Some the 11 inch, but mostly the 4 inch should do it.

The plan is 2-3 shelves with flexwatt to begin with until the business expands a little. About 20 feet of flexwatt per shelf so 60 feet in total.

How much would it cost to run everything if I'm using the 4 inch flexwatt which uses 8 watts. It costs 11.34 cents per kilowatt on avg. In Ohio here.

I would use a couple of thermostats so hopefully it shouldn't be on for more than 18 hours a day, I understand their are variables. Is there a way to figure this out though by knowing how many hours it is on per day (18 hours) and the watts used and the kilowatt that it would cost me in Ohio to pay? I'm looking for a 30 day estimate! Any help is appreciated.

I tried to do my own calculations and got a HUGE number, hopefully I was wrong.

Jeff

MODS: Hopefully it is okay that I posted this here. I understand there is a feeder portion of this website, but this is mainly concerning flexwatt which it seems alot of people know more about this in this section of the website.

[MitsuMike]

When I look at my herpstat it is normally a pretty low percentage. I would guess that the stuff uses 40% power 24 hours a day. So around 200 watts a day your using, so 6,000 a month. With you electric rates you can do the math.

[SlitherinSisters]

I don't really like math, nor do I want to do it right now, but I highly doubt you will notice it. I can't tell a difference with mine and I'm running about 20 feet total currently. With the thermostat I would say it's pretty darn close to running 1 normal sized light bulb all day everyday. Not that big of a deal.

And wait a minute...your shelves are going to be 20 feet long?

About 20 feet of flexwatt per shelf so 60 feet in total.

I've always heard/read to try and keep it around 3 feet a shelf. I'm not sure if lots of people have had a problem with it, but a few have said they tried longer shelves and the heat wasn't even/the flexwatt wore out. And when I say 'longer' I mean, only 4-6 feet.

[kitedemon]

Just out of curiosity wouldn't it be easier to heat the room at this scale? You could enclose as small an area, and insulate it with a small additional heater of some sort?

[purplemuffin]

I know this sounds totally like an ugly cheap idea..But my friend's dad is a total penny pincher.. He did seal off a room of his house by making a styrofoam wall..LOL he literally took giant sheets of styrofoam....Cut out a door hole that can be re plugged into the wall... keeps that room at 80 degrees when the house is at 40! And I believe it could keep it warmer if needed. Of course it isn't pretty, but it's mega cheap!

[packer43064]

When I look at my herpstat it is normally a pretty low percentage. I would guess that the stuff uses 40% power 24 hours a day. So around 200 watts a day your using, so 6,000 a month. With you electric rates you can do the math.

Thanks, I forget how much it turned out to be last night when I did the math further. I think it was 60 some bucks, for a whole month that's not bad. I just didn't want an added 300 bucks on the original electricity bill next month or something crazy.

I don't really like math, nor do I want to do it right now, but I highly doubt you will notice it. I can't tell a difference with mine and I'm running about 20 feet total currently. With the thermostat I would say it's pretty darn close to running 1 normal sized light bulb all day everyday. Not that big of a deal.

And wait a minute...your shelves are going to be 20 feet long? I've always heard/read to try and keep it around 3 feet a shelf. I'm not sure if lots of people have had a problem with it, but a few have said they tried longer shelves and the heat wasn't even/the flexwatt wore out. And when I say 'longer' I mean, only 4-6 feet.

I figured with 5 shelf racks I could put 5 (four) foot long lenths of flexwatt per shelf. Giving it a total length of 20 feet per rack. I thought about putting them all together, but the lengths per shelf could be 10 inches up to 2 feet. I would be wasting Flexwatt by running it in a continious length. Plus as you have just said, the temps could fluctuate alot.

Each shelf would have 5 plugins so would probably get a ranco/johnson thermostat with the surge protector to plug it all in.

I hope that makes sense. So 20 feet in total per rack, but in 4 foot increments at the most.

Just out of curiosity wouldn't it be easier to heat the room at this scale? You could enclose as small an area, and insulate it with a small additional heater of some sort?

I've thought about doing this, but since all of the insects for now would be all in one room some would not be needing the extra heat. For example, FF's (flightless fruit flies) if kept at warmer temps can start to fly again. Mealworms/supers need warmth, but at 85F or above they don't benefit from it and start to try to get out of their tub and try to fly. While roaches can be easily grown at 90F along with silkworms. Would be nice to have a heated room and an unheated room in the future though.

I know this sounds totally like an ugly cheap idea..But my friend's dad is a total penny pincher.. He did seal off a room of his house by making a styrofoam wall..LOL he literally took giant sheets of styrofoam....Cut out a door hole that can be re plugged into the wall... keeps that room at 80 degrees when the house is at 40! And I believe it could keep it warmer if needed. Of course it isn't pretty, but it's mega cheap!

lol That's funny, not sure if I want to go that route.

[packer43064]

bumpity

[RichsBallPythons]

Need to look at your electric bill to see your price per kwh.

I run about 2500 watts of power in snake room and my electric bill is 210 a month. Before the collection expanded it was around 130 a month.

But i run a space heater 24.7.

But on average a 11" 20watt piece of flexwatt should cost maybe 1-2$ a month per 12" cut length.