Electricity is one of the most frequent items in our monthly bills, yet the process of calculating it is difficult for many. In India, the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions determine the cost of electricity to be charged, and customers do not face much hassle in the billing process. This is why knowing the factors that affect these bills is important to control usage and costs incurred. In this blog, we’ll address the question, “How do I calculate electricity usage?” We will examine all the tools and steps that are necessary to determine electricity consumption accurately. By the end, you will understand the amount of electricity you use and how it will impact your total bill.
Understanding Electricity Usage
Electrical appliances and devices in homes or businesses consume energy, which defines electricity usage. Most of the time, it comes in under kilowatt hours. A 1000-watt electrical appliance consumes energy over a period of 1 hour.
Learn about Units of Electricity
- Power rating (watts): This indicates the amount of power consumed by any appliance. One watt is equal to the energy used by a small bulb.
- Kilowatt (kW): There are 1000 watts in 1 kilowatt. People generally use it where the load is high, such as with air conditioners.
- Kilowatt-Hours (kWh): Calculates energy consumption over a period of time. For example, using a 1 kW appliance for 1 hour consumes 1kWh of energy. Electricity tariffs are generally on a kWh basis.
- BTU: Measures heat. Raising the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1°F requires energy.
- BTU/h: Represents how much heat an appliance can move per hour. For example, an air conditioner with 12,000 BTU/h can cool a room effectively.
- Horsepower (hp): Used to measure the power of engines or motors. One horsepower equals about 746 watts.
- Ton: For refrigeration, melting 2,000 pounds of ice in 24 hours requires one ton of heat. It’s about 3,517 watts or 12,000 BTU/h.
Amount of energy used by common appliances
The table below shows the approximate energy requirements of various appliances (these values can vary considerably depending on the appliance). It is worth noting that the requirements given on the packaging of an appliance are most often about the maximum energy requirements of the appliance.
The stated energy consumption is very unlikely to be the energy consumed. When such an appliance is used by an average user.
This is why you cannot simply calculate it as a power requirement x time. When considering power consumption, it is often necessary to know the general wattage of household gadgets. Air conditioners, depending on the type, can be in the range of 1500 or ideally 10000 watts. With window type units having a capacity of between 1500 and 5000 watts. Home heaters have a higher capacity, while portable-device type gas water heaters have a capacity of 12,000- 20,000 watts. While portable ones draw power in the range of 750 to 2000 watts.
The HZ range is 25 to 350 watts and above that are humidifiers which have a HZ electrical power rating of a maximum of 750 watts. Normal fans, whether ceiling or table, operate at a lower power range of 15 watts to 200 watts. These appliances vary in the intensity of household power consumption, most LED bulbs use a power consumption rate between 3 and 25 watts. On the other hand, incandescent bulbs use between 15 to 200 watts. Last but not least the power of electric water heaters varies from 3000 watts to 6600 watts. Being familiar with these watts will help you know how to calculate the power usage of different household appliances in your homes.
| Refrigerator: 500-1000 | Electric range/oven: 2000-5000 |
| Electric cooktop/stove: 750-5000 | Microwave oven: 750-1500 |
| Dishwasher: 1200-2000 | Coffee maker: 600-1200 |
| Toaster: 750-1500 | Electric kettle: 1000-2000 |
| Electric cooker: 160-1500 |
Tools Needed for Calculating Electricity Usage
Electricity meter: An electricity meter is a device that measures the amount of electricity consumed in a premises over a given period of time. It records the unit or amount of electricity used in kilowatt-hours (kWh). The meter is usually read within a certain time frame to keep a record of bills and usage.
Calculator: You will find many calculators on the Internet that can help in doing such calculations and provide an estimate of electricity consumption based on some inputs. Such tools often ask you to fill in the wattage of your appliances and how many hours they are in use. For example, utility websites usually have power consumption calculators or energy saving apps.
How to Calculate:
To convert an appliance’s wattage to kilowatt-hours (kWh), multiply its wattage by the number of hours it is used and divide by 1,000. For instance, a 100-watt light bulb’s daily usage is (100 W x 5 hours) / 1,000 = 0.5 kWh.
How to Calculate Electricity Usage
To estimate the amount of electricity you use, you must first break down the power rating of your appliances. Which can often be found written on the appliance’s body or in the user manual, in watts (W). For example, if the microwave’s power is a thousand watts, then use this as the base value this time. Then find the daily usage hours for all of these appliances. For example, you may use the microwave for 30 minutes a day, in which case it is 0.5 hours.
Multiply the item’s active power with its duration of operation to calculate the energy used in watt-hours. In this example, for the microwave, it would be 1,000 watts times 0.5 hours which leads to 500 watt hours. Divide the answer obtained in watt hours by 1000 to convert this amount in watt hours to kilowatt hours. Which is a common unit for electricity consumption. So 500 watts per hour, and dividing by 1000 gives 0.5 kilowatt hours.
For example, in a practical situation if you have a light bulb with a rating of 100 watts and you use it for 5 hours a day, first get a watt hour energy consumption by calculating the watt rating from 100 to 5, which gives 500 watt hours. To convert this to kilowatt hours, you divide by 1000, which results in 0.5 kilowatt hours. Therefore, this tells you that the light bulb in question consumes 0.5 kilowatt hours of electricity in a day. By following these steps, you can find out how much electricity the appliance in your home uses, allowing you to better control your energy usage.
How Electricity bills are calculated in India and how can you calculate electricity usage?
- Meter Reading: This component includes the average unpaid electricity consumption over the month. Your electricity company’s meter reader will record how much electricity you have used since the last reading. We measure it in kilowatt-hours (kWh). You can check the reading on your meter and calculate the cost charged at that time.
- Tariff Rates: The State Electricity Regulatory Commission determines the generation and distribution cost of electricity, which governs tariff rates.
The rates usually vary on the type of consumer such as residential and commercial. - Calculate Energy Consumption: To know how much electricity you have consumed, subtract the previous internal meter reading from the current internal meter reading. Multiply the number of units of electricity on the rooftops by the energy cost to determine the electrical energy cost. For example, if the previous reading was 1,000 kWh and the current reading is 1,200 kWh, the usage would be 200. Let’s say the rate is Rs 5 per kWh, it means your total cost would be Rs 1,000 (200 x 5).
- Fixed charges: Also, some DISCOMs charge you a fixed amount every month, irrespective of the amount of energy consumed during that period. This charge can also change depending on the category of consumers and the type of connection given to the consumer (single-phase or three-phase).
There are some other charges for each service, which have to be paid apart from the fees discussed above. Some such charges include taxes like GST (5%) on the bill, meter rental charges, and electricity duty.
Energy saving tips: How do I calculate electricity usage?
- Keep a track of how you use energy: Prevent wastage of electricity such as leaving lights and appliances on unnecessarily, use standing fans instead of using AC, increase the number of clothes and wash fewer clothes instead of using heaters.
- LED bulbs are a great replacement for incandescent light bulbs: LEDs are cheaper in the long run and consume less power.
- Installing a programmable thermostat: A thermostat that can be programmed to eliminate instances where people do not use their heating and then turn the thermostat up can lead to huge savings.
- While shopping for appliances, keep in mind their energy efficiency: Keep in mind that you should purchase appliances after considering their cost.
- Check the windows: Efficient energy saving windows help reduce heat dissipation into the atmosphere, hence requiring less energy. Install curtains, blinds or any barriers in the windows to reduce exposure to sunlight for better cooling costs.
- Insulate your home: Energy bills for heating and cooling will be lower when parts of the home are carefully insulated.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Incorrect Meter Reading
The biggest problem when estimating home electricity consumption is misreading the meter. To properly apply the estimate, it is always best to read the meter correctly. If you follow the arrows on the meter, record the numbers that appear on the meter at the same time every month. Also, if you are taking meter readings yourself, you will need to pay attention to the counter with a circular dial or electronic meter and read them correctly. If there is a mistake or any of the hills are incomplete, call the company and find out if the place is good.
Overestimating Usage
Another common problem is the tendency to overestimate electricity consumption. Make a clear distinction between what you say about consumption and what is consumed. Ensure you use actual meter readings and appliance metrics when making these estimates, rather than relying on guesswork or estimations. This helps people avoid unnecessary panic over high bills or the impulse to adopt energy-saving measures when not needed. Creating a habit of looking back at your considered metabolism of energy and knowing the reasons why any changes have occurred will greatly improve your strategy.
- Phone: +91-8130025257
- Email: info@solarsense.in
- Solar Sense
- 13 Main GT Road, Azadpur, Delhi-110033
Stay connected with us for the latest updates and offers on our solar solutions.
