THE WEED SCENE
Utilities · Free browser tool

Grow Light Electricity Cost Calculator

Electricity is one of the easiest facility costs to model before equipment is installed. Enter fixture wattage, count, photoperiod and your utility rate to estimate daily energy use, monthly cost, annual cost and the approximate heat those lights add to the room.

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Enter your numbers

What it calculates

Use the result as a scenario, not a black box

This tool models the electrical energy consumed by the lights themselves. It does not hide ventilation, HVAC, pumps or dehumidification inside the number, which makes it useful for comparing fixtures apples-to-apples. The heat-load estimate converts the electrical watts into BTU per hour so you can see why lighting choice affects cooling requirements as well as the power bill.

How the math works

Connected watts = fixture watts × fixture count. kWh/day = connected watts ÷ 1,000 × hours/day. Billing-period cost = kWh/day × billing days × utility rate. Approximate heat load = connected watts × 3.412 BTU/h per watt.

Example

Eight 650 W fixtures draw 5,200 W when on. At 12 hours per day they use 62.4 kWh per day. At $0.16/kWh, the lights alone cost about $299 over a 30-day billing period.

FAQ

Questions about this calculator

Does this include air conditioning?

No. The result isolates lighting energy. Use the HVAC load calculator to estimate cooling capacity, then model HVAC energy separately if you know the equipment efficiency.

Should I use rated watts or measured watts?

Measured draw is best. If you do not have it, use the manufacturer input-power specification.

Why show BTU per hour?

Nearly all electrical power used by lighting ends up as heat in the space, so connected watts are useful for cooling-load planning.