Need help with calculating electical usasge

[Renthorin]

This is an odd question but I need some help.

History: We own a business that shares a building with 3 other tenants. One of those tenants used to be a business partner so we had been splitting the electricity 80/20 with the other two, ours being the 80%.

We are no longer partners with that person and I need to be able to tell the landlord what % of the electricity bill is ours.


My thought is to walk around and add up all the wattages of the lights and such that we use and multiply that by the time they are usually on....and say "we use this much electricity".

The lights are easy...but what about the two HUGE air conditioners? Our business is basically a large arena with two bathrooms. No computers...no microwaves...just lights, AC, and a shop vac for cleaning.

Anyone have any good ideas? I don't want to do it based on square footage as the other part of the building has hair dryers, electric heaters, a pool (circulation pump runs 24/7), huge heat pump for the pool (basically an AC unit), underwater treadmill with 3 pool pumps, runs a lot of the time, microwave...etc.

Thoughts? I need some help :frown:

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

Go to a BIG electrical supply house and buy a meter and install it on your line.
I just hope you have separate breaker panels as that would make the job easier then changing spark plugs on an aerostar.

 

[granatl]

The light bulbs are trivial in relation to the A/C. 240V * 30 AMP = 7200Watts (not sure about the amperage, you would need to read the label on your A/C unit). Or 7.2KW ; so estimate the total # hours the units are running each day, and multiply that by your load (for 10 run hours @ 7.2 KW = 72 KW each day).

 

[Renthorin]

Just spoke with the landlord. He may put in separate meters for each section. There are 4 breaker panels in the building. One that we use...and 3 others that are not in our part.

THAT would solve the problem nicely.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

That’s going to cost a lot do
If he does not want to do that
And you still have a long lease on your side
Buy your own meter put it on your line then at the end of every month just write down the amount that you used and do the math

So the building will have one main meter that the electric company will do its normal reading and a second meter that you or the land lord will read. And divide that amount from the bill.
Good luck Dude.

 

[Renthorin]

Buy your own meter put it on your line

I thought about that but I don't know how to wire it up and I assume it would cost me as much as him to have one installed.

The breaker panel for the building is in my part and it is HUGE. I could park my GN in that room. There are a half dozen huge levers (main disconnects) each one labeled "panel A, B, C" etc. I know which ones go to what parts of the building but they are all tied into the one meter.

Right now he has it done by square feet and that has us paying 90% of the elec and that is WAY off.

Stay tuned Thanks for the suggestions too!

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

NO way dude don't do that your self unless you are an electrician or know how to work with that much juice.

The way I suggested it it will not cost or should not cost anyways near what it would cost to add a second or third service.
Call a good local electrician and get an estimate.
Good luck Dude.

 

[Renthorin]

Yeah..no..I wouldn't do the job myself My electrical skills are 110 based. You jam a screwdriver into a bunch of wires and if anything sparks there is power at that point....

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

:biggrin:

 

[Renthorin]

Ok...there are 7 panels with HUGE levers (very technical) in the breaker room.

2 belong to our part (breakers and AC unit)
3 to our ex-partner (breakers and 2 AC unites)
2 to the other 2 tenants (breakers and AC unit)

I think putting one of these on each panel would do the job:
Conzerv Inc ELF3234-CL1.0 - Conzerv ELF3234 Panel Meter on PowerMeterStore.com

I can read and record them in a spreadsheet the beginning of each electrical billing cycle and the single invoice from Detroit Edison can be compared to the individual panel readings to determine what percentage each panel used.

Sound like a plan?

 

[zeus87gn]

Your landlord should have separate meters installed.
You should insist on this.
Most power companies will inspect the new meter installation and if it has not been installed by a licensed electrician they won't connect to it. Make the landord 'get er done'.
Don't mess with those panels. One leg of 480V can give you the shock of your life...or just make you dance for a moment. They can be dangerous to most people.

That meter may very well help....if you feel like spending the time and money.

Your AC units will probably have to be calculated on kVA or BTU (both would be nice). If you look on the units you should be able to find a specifications plate that gives this information. Get it for me.

The power company should be basing thier information on kWh. I should be able to convert it. By chance do you have a copy of the bill with the total kWh? Or possible the values of the other AC units? The lighting, if florescent, is minimial compared to the AC power consumption. If it's not, we will also need to know the wattage of each and every bulb.

 

[Renthorin]

Hey Patrick.

He did say he is thinking about installing individual meters but it might take 3 months to do it.

Rather than new meters (same as new service?) I just thought some device to say.."hey, this panel used this...that one used that...in KWH" and do a percentage of the total for the month.

I don't have any of the invoices here at work but I think for one month it was 215kwh...but that doesn't sound like much.

 

[zeus87gn]

Hey Bill,

3 months? Probably have to fit it into someones schedule.
It's not that expensive to have done.
A good electrician can install a typical house meter in about an hour.
That's all your setup would need...and it shoud have been there in the first place.

If you can find that info, I will be glad to give a shot at estimation of your power consumption....but I can't do anything without it. AC units aren't called HiVoltageAC for nothing! HA

The small meter you listed should work, I was just thinking of how to not spend money. $150 is my monthly power bill at home!

 

[Renthorin]

Well the meters install won't cost us any, landlord is footing the bill, if he does it.

 

[zeus87gn]

I was talking about this

I think putting one of these on each panel would do the job:
Conzerv Inc ELF3234-CL1.0 - Conzerv ELF3234 Panel Meter on PowerMeterStore.com

 

[Renthorin]

Yup