How much to run a 500w amp for 1 hour?

smokedog · 10 Mar 2009 at 20:19

Been looking at some home cinema receivers and its power usage is over 500 watts :eek:

Without sounding tight fisted, how much would it cost to run it for an hour, just a general figure.

dave-lew99 · 10 Mar 2009 at 20:31

http://www.ukpower.co.uk/running-costs-elec.asp

Get your cost per unit from your electricity supplier.

Alexrose1uk · 10 Mar 2009 at 21:19

Even in the most expensive tariffs its not likely to be more than 10p per hour (the most expensive units I have seen are about 20p, most are 15 or less, 500w draw will use exactly half a unit per hour). To be honest; I wouldn't worry, you will spend more on food in a day most likely, than running that amp all day!
Think my amp actually has a larger power supply, although I havent got a wattage plug to show me the actual draw, not to mention rating/power supply rating are not the same as actual use

Amoeba · 10 Mar 2009 at 23:42

Alexrose1uk said:
Think my amp actually has a larger power supply, although I havent got a wattage plug to show me the actual draw, not to mention rating/power supply rating are not the same as actual use

Definately. The rating is the /maximum/ the appliance will draw, not what it will draw all the time. One of my amps states it draws 250 watts on the back, yet rarely goes above 50 or so in average use.

Corasik · 11 Mar 2009 at 10:16

I have a pair of stereo amps rated at 500W each, and a pair of monoblocks rated at 300w each running my home theatre system, yet the whole thing rarely passes 200w. It needs that power available for big action/explosion scenes, with lots of bass, but on the whole it just "sips" at the power.

Its the same story as plasma TV's they need a high rating to display maximum brightness white, but on average they are actually not much worse than an LCD panel. People just pick on them because of the rating numbers on the back plate.

4T5 · 11 Mar 2009 at 10:21

Corasik said:
, but on the whole it just "sips" at the power.

.

Well put & Correct :cool:

I have a pre pay meter & monitored my leccy use Heavily when I first got it installed, All our tech sips at the power where as something like a Kettle or a shower completly Spanks it.