[Shop-talk] Comparing kerosene & electric shop heater costs

[Brian Kemp]

Gotta love that cheap electricity.  Out here in the Los Angeles area, So 
Cal Edison has us on a tiered rate structure and we start at 13 
cents/kWh for our "baseline allowance".   Apparently the public 
utilities commission thinks all we need is 298 kWh per month.  Use more 
and the rates go up to the 31 cents per kWh we paid last month for the 
top tier.

Running your heater for under 1 hour a day out here would bust that 
baseline.   Fortunately it's been in the 60's and sunny.

Brian

On 2/2/2011 4:07 PM, Jim Franklin wrote:
> Since my tools are rusty enough, I'm thinking of using electric heaters in the
> garage. Can someone confirm my math here?
>
> Kerosene is about 135,000 BTU per gallon. Running a 45,000 BTU heater for 3
> hours =  $4 or so.
>
> Running a 45000 BTU electric heater uses 13Kw, for 3 hours at my 12 cents/Kw =
> $4.68.
>
> So neglecting infrastructure costs, it'd be about even....right?
>
> Neat site:
> http://www.ultimategarageheater.com/garage-heater-calculator.php
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