Energy calculator: how is the calculation of electricity costs based on the power of devices

Determination of consumed energy is often necessary in order to find out why overspending within a month or make sure that the declared and real characteristics of household devices. One of the tools designed for this is the energy consumption calculator.

Using the calculator

Calculating electricity by power manually is a long and laborious process. This task can be facilitated by using dedicated sites. Such online calculators already contain ready-made fields for specific devices, where you need to enter the number of devices available in the house, consumption and operating time per day. Checkboxes should be placed next to each specific instrument to include them in the calculation.

And also you need to indicate the tariff for one kilowatt-hour, depending on the region and the terms of energy supply. As a result, the online calculator will display not only the average monthly consumption and the amount of expenses, but also the average hourly load, as well as other useful indicators.

Manual calculation

Knowing the power, you can also calculate the electricity manually when there is no computer nearby. First, you should determine and fix the consumption values ​​of electrical appliancesavailable in the house. This can be done by looking at the device information plate or by reading the instructions.

If the current strength is indicated there, then the power can be calculated, according to the formula, by multiplying the voltage by the mentioned value. All this information should be recorded on paper in the form of a table. The type of device fits into one column, the power into the other.

The next step in calculating power consumption by power is to determine the average operating time during the day, as well as the number of days during which the devices functioned. These values ​​also fit into the table. There is a generally accepted formula for calculating electricity consumption, in accordance with which the power of the device is sequentially multiplied by the two previous indicators. This procedure is carried out separately for each device. After summing up the indicators, you get the total value of energy consumption in kilowatt-hours. And after multiplying by the approved tariff - the amount to be paid in rubles.

Additional Information

All devices are divided into energy consumption classes. They are designated by Latin letters from A to G. The first letter denotes the lowest annual consumption and the last one the highest. It is also possible to calculate the energy consumption by the power of the equipment using a special device that can be installed in a panel with a meter.

Such a device monitors energy consumption, and then performs the necessary calculations, thanks to the built-in electronics. As a result, the display shows consumption, power, total operating time and operating costs according to the tariff.

Devices containing electric motors and high-capacity capacitors consume power 3-4 times higher than the rated power during switching on. If neither the plate nor the instruction has survived, then you can determine the approximate consumption in accordance with the type and purpose of the device:

• The washing machine consumes up to 2 kW of water during heating. In those cases when the heating element is turned off, the energy consumption becomes much lower - from 100 to 250 watts.
• A television with a cathode ray tube (kinescope) consumes from 60 to 140 watts, and a liquid crystal one - from 10 to 75 watts. An important role is played by the set screen brightness and its diagonal size.
• With an average fullness, a refrigerator consumes from 160 to 250 watts, depending on the model, as well as on the efficiency class and the position of the thermostat.
• A microwave oven's magnetron converts about 70 percent of the energy supplied to it into microwaves. For example, with a radiation power of 700 watts, the oven will consume 1 kilowatt.
• The power consumption of a desktop computer strongly depends on the power supply used, the use case, as well as the model of the processor, hard disk and other components. The average value is from 250 to 500 watts.
• Devices containing heating elements and powerful electric motors are characterized by the highest consumption.

Thus, calculating the power consumption of electricity will help to calculate costs on the use of electrical appliances, and also determine which devices have the greatest power. Using an online calculator is the fastest and most convenient way when you have a computer, smartphone or tablet nearby. But sometimes traditional counting is more appropriate - with the help of calculations. It is also necessary for the correct selection of power wiring.