Electric Bill

[suprfast]

Let me start by saying, "i hope this is in the correct spot, if not TOO BAD

"

I just received my first full electric bill after buying the electric brinkman.
AHHHH, it went up less than FIVE DOLLARS($5.00) per month and i use it quite frequently. I pay 11 cents per KW for the first X amount and 13 cents for the next X amount.

To put that in perspective my brinkman is 1500 W or 1.5KW / hr.

11 cents x 1.5 kw = 16.5 cents per hour to run.

Lets break it down further:

4 hours to smoke ribs = 66 cents

8 hours for brisket = $1.32

I would use it about 30 hours per month +/- a few hours so its roughly 5.00/month to run my brinkman.

Glad i could share how happy i am.
kris

 

[fishawn]

Glad for you & your 17" Biceps......

 

[sea_munky]

Nice work on the price break down. When you compare that to what I pay for lump, it's practically free! ($6 for 10 lb bag...and that's when I can find it.)

 

[smokeguy]

Your figures assume that it will always be on and heating. Since the heat will cycle on and off, you will use considerably less than that, probably about 1/3 less would be my guess.
Nice numbers though. My MES is 800 watts, so I can sort of guess from there on what I'm using since I don't know my KW $.

 

[mikey]

Actually the Brinkmann does not cycle on & off so suprfasts' figures are more than likely correct. :D

 

[smokeguy]

How does it keep the temperature at a certain level if it doesn't turn off the element?

 

[mikey]

It will keep a steady 225-250 depending on the weather. I use sand in the pan which helps to keep temps up & I vented the lid to keep the smoke moving. Not exactly "set it & forget it" as some folks tend to think about wattburners.

 

[smokeguy]

Wow, I didn't know that. What sort of temperature range do you get from dead of winter like at 40 degrees & breezy, and then mid summer at 95 degrees and no wind? I could imagine the temps getting pretty high in the summer if it hits the temps in the winter.

 

[mikey]

It's pretty rare to get temps in the 40's in So. Cal, but we had a few days of those this "winter". I made up a cheap "smoking jacket" from a water heater blanket, which helped when the wind kicked up. During the summer I won't use sand in the pan as I probably won't need it. Push comes to shove, I can always use my Char-Broil which has a 1650 watt element w/thermostat control to dial things down a bit.