Metal Halide vs PC bulbs

[alton]

What gets expensive with MH is when you purchase old ballst that are no longer efficient. As ballast get older they lose there life, there fore they start getting hotter and as anything gets hotter it uses more energy. Some new electronic ballast claim 100% efficient. I don't quite believe that so let's reduce that to around 95%. 250w / .95= 263 input watts versues an old mag 250w / .75 = 333 input watts. Major companies are changing out there old mag ballast for new electronic and are claiming they will pay for themselves in 3 to 5 years in energy savings. Remember not only are you saving energy on ballast usage but on heat from the ballast. 263watts x 2 lights x 10 hrs a day x30 days a month = 157,800 watt hours / 1,000 = 157.8 KWH x 10 cents = $15.78 a month and $189.36 a year for 2 - 250MH with electronic ballast / Old ballast 333 input watts same formula = $19.98 a month x 12 = $239.76 a year

[1460sun]

Great info thanks. Guess I need to look in another direction for the huge increase in my electric bill since my ARO ballasts are electronic and I'm not evern running the VHO's 10 hours a day.

[hobogato]

my bills increased alot this year, mostly because of peak season and fuel surcharges. check your statement, it might help.

[alton]

Fuel surcharge raised my bill 30% during the summer

[1460sun]

I'm talking and average electric bill of $150 last year for Nov, Dec and Jan. In Nov it almost doubled and the Dec bill is 2.5x/3x more this year. Can't wait for spring/summer and the air conditioner to kick in. Yikes! There have been some slight increases in surcharges and fuel costs that of course have to be passed on to the customers but not enough to explain the difference. I was looking hard at the MH, since they are really the only difference. Altons post kind of rules them out.Glad that there not the problem, as I'd hate to go back to VHOs

[Bill S]

I have that same problem. Of course, it doesn't hurt to be married to Mrs. Griswold. I just bought her 24,000 more lights that were on sale after xmas at Walgreens!