How much is my aircon going to cost me?

[cheapskatesam]

Ok it is simply getting to warm for me to sleep at night so i'm gonna have to use the aircon..

I'm paying 8baht a unit so i gotta be careful..

 

I'm in a studio room...

 

Please estimate my bill.. if i set it at 25degrees and i use it for 10 hours a day.

I have a fridge that is running and i have a shower but i dont have the water heater running.

I run my kettle 5 times a day about for a cuppa tea. 

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2017 by cheapskatesam

[bartender100]

If the A/C unit is cleaned regularly B500 to B700 a month is my guess

[Crossy]

There are a number of variables, and we have virtually no information, so:-

 

Assumptions.

A/C is 12,000 BTU

Room is reasonably well insulated so 25C gives a 30% duty cycle.

A/C isn't prehistoric.

 

12,000 BTU will use about 1,110W

@ 30% duty-cycle = 0.4 units per hour, so 4 units per 10 hours.

30 days @ 4 units = 120 Units

120 units @ 8 Baht = 960 Baht per month.

 

If you can fill in some of the blanks (the size of the room would give a clue to the A/C sizing) this guess can be refined.

 

Also do you really need 25C? We run our bedroom A/C between 28C and 30C, cooler if rumpy-pumpy is on the cards although it tends to get Wifey rolled up in the duvet (more fun unwrapping mind).

 

 

[r136dg]

Awesome reply. Glad to have you around Grossy. Tolerant, patient, tactful & very informative in laymens terms. Look forward to your replies in my/all future posts ;-)

[grumbleweed]

3 minutes ago, r136dg said:

Awesome reply. Glad to have you around Grossy. Tolerant, patient, tactful & very informative in laymens terms. Look forward to your replies in my/all future posts ;-)

After all that help you could at least do him the honour of getting his name right 

[Naam]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

Assumptions.

A/C is 12,000 BTU

Room is reasonably well insulated so 25C gives a 30% duty cycle.

A/C isn't prehistoric.

Crossy, i doubt that a 30% duty cycle is sufficient from April till August to maintain 25ºC. my estimate is 40 up to 45% especially if we get the heat of last year.

[franck1972]

I run a 18 000 btu unit in a 22 sqm room, and I estimate the cost at 1500 THB, set at 30 degrees, 24 hours a day, with a unit price of 4 thb

During the hot months, expect a power bill of 2000 THB, max 2500 THB if you set it at 25 degrees
When it gets cooler in july, maybe 1800, max 2000 THB.
This estimation includes the aircon, fridge and kettle.

My advice to save a lot on aircon : don't set it to 25 degrees, way too cold compared to outside temperature, especially in march-april, you'd only end up with a cold.
Set it to 28+, you will see it's more than enough.
Second advice : buy a fan, it provides a very good cool feeling.
Running a fan with aircon at 29-30, is like setting aircon at 27 without fan.
A good fan (40 cms diameter) will cost 80-100 THB monthly if you run it 10 hours a day...and you might end up saving you 500 + THB on aircon power.

So, with a fan, aircon at 29-30, you could keep your bill below 1500 THB a month.

[sandyf]

It is effectively an impossible calculation, too many variables like direct sunlight, local overnight ambient,etc,etc. You can only estimate on historical info or averages in similar circumstances.

Most electrical requirements exist throughout the year so it is really the difference between using aircon and a no aircon situation. I run an 18K btu aircon for about 10 hours a night for the best part of the year. When not using any aircon the bill is around 1000 baht/month and in the height of the summer that is usually around 2000 baht. The monthly charges vary quite a bit, in the first few months may only be 1400/1500 for the month. I have had a similar situation for over 6 years now and the highest bill I have ever had was 2200 baht a couple of years ago. Bear in mind that is PEA rates.

A big problem is direct sunlight, it raises the temperature of the brickwork and the aircon takes longer to get the temperature under control. Since our bushes have matures and partially shaded the walls I have seen a reduction in the charges for certain times of the year. 

[TheFishman1]

8 bht per unit? TIT

[franck1972]

Another advice would be to locate your power counter when you move in.
In some condos it's accessible, could be inside the room, could be in the corridor just next to your door.
Always a good thing to make a picture of your counter when moving in, saves you from unfair tenants.
If you can locate it, then just check it after a week, multiply the amount of units used by 8 THB, then it'll give you a good idea of what to expect at the end of the month.

[teddog]

Better to rent small house,plenty around,  my ACs on at least 15 hours a day, CW  freezzer  another freeer  fans lights etc.  no more than 1500 per month       set at 27 AC

[English Engineer]

Best approach run the aircon and check the meter readings daily. You then know precisely the cost for your situation.

[Poppadom]

We never paid more than 800 for our studio condo in Phuket with aircon every night set at 26-27 and cleaned regularly. Also use fan, fridge, TV, monitor, coffee machine, microwave, water heater and induction cooker. Last month we were away for one week and bill came to 430, was a bit surprised as it's been around 600 lately.

[Ulic]

900 baht a month for electric is my estimation.

[NoshowJones]

You are getting done paying 8 Bt a unit, the government charge is only about 4 Bt a unit.

Edited March 9, 2017 by possum1931

[Ramen087]

I would budget for 1600 baht per month at eight baht per unit. I'd also recommend getting a fan if you don't have one.  My fan paid for itself in about two and a half months when I supplemented the air conditioner by using it.

Edited March 9, 2017 by Ramen087

[Kabula]

Double the first quote if your landlord doubled the price from what he is charged.

 

Double that price when electric prices increase with the coming inflation and hotties jumping up and down on you for extended periods!

 

And, the price will increase when it gets hot as Hell as you lower the temperature...

 

Welcome to Paradise!

 

Go with the flow and don't worry.  

[cheapskatesam]

Wow what a pleasant surprise.. ... all informative replies and no "cheap charlie" abuse.

 

Just to clarify i'm not a complete cheap charlie but this will be the first time I've ever rented a place monthly in Thailand. Up until now i've only stayed at hotels. Couple that with the numerous "help my electricity bill is 17000baht" threads i've read on Thaivisa makes me paranoid. 

 

If its only a few thousand a month i will run it 24/7 not a problem.. but if its gonna be 10's of thousands of baht.. no way!

 

I'm staying in 25sq studio room. I don't have a fan but i might go and buy one

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 9, 2017 by cheapskatesam

[franck1972]

I used to have a room same size as yours, 24 hours a day, set at 28 degrees, used to cost me 3000 THB a month during hot months.
Average was rather 2000-2500.
I had big windows and sun was shining all afternoon on my side of the building, so 3000-3500 is really the worse you could expect.

[Poppadom]

6 minutes ago, cheapskatesam said:

 

I'm staying in 25sq studio room. I don't have a fan but i might go and buy one

 

Go get one. It's a no brainer especially if you use it with the A/C.

[johng]

1 hour ago, Poppadom said:

We never paid more than 800 for our studio condo in Phuket

Seems very low   how many units of electricity does the bill say you used ?

[mikiea]

if you have to ask this question , the answer is way too much ...............

[CharlieH]

Go take a meter reading, use everything as normal, take another reading 24hrs later then you know exactly the cost.

 

 

[Poppadom]

37 minutes ago, johng said:

Seems very low   how many units of electricity does the bill say you used ?

See attached, was surprised, too. Normally 5-600 and if some daytime aircon too, then 800 or slightly over. Luckily we are not getting too much sun due to building arrangement, and have nice mountain view too.

[little mary sunshine]

If you have to ask......

[lopburi3]

3 hours ago, franck1972 said:

I run a 18 000 btu unit in a 22 sqm room, and I estimate the cost at 1500 THB, set at 30 degrees, 24 hours a day, with a unit price of 4 thb

During the hot months, expect a power bill of 2000 THB, max 2500 THB if you set it at 25 degrees
When it gets cooler in july, maybe 1800, max 2000 THB.
This estimation includes the aircon, fridge and kettle.

My advice to save a lot on aircon : don't set it to 25 degrees, way too cold compared to outside temperature, especially in march-april, you'd only end up with a cold.
Set it to 28+, you will see it's more than enough.
Second advice : buy a fan, it provides a very good cool feeling.
Running a fan with aircon at 29-30, is like setting aircon at 27 without fan.
A good fan (40 cms diameter) will cost 80-100 THB monthly if you run it 10 hours a day...and you might end up saving you 500 + THB on aircon power.

So, with a fan, aircon at 29-30, you could keep your bill below 1500 THB a month.

Agree but would add third advise - do not use an 18k air-conditioner to cool a 22sm room to 30c.  Unless you have open walls suspect there is very little water removal.  I find 9k fine for 24 hours cooling to 28-29 degrees for about 34sm bedroom (it is groundfloor but directly below cement tile ceiling which does get sun).  And yes I have an unused 18k unit in this room as Thai expect everyone wants meat locker temperatures.   Unless you want frostbite you do not need what is normally recommended here (unless doing physical work in the area).

[johng]

7 minutes ago, Poppadom said:

See attached, was surprised, too.

Yes  surprising that you only used 123 units   

with aircon every night set at 26-27 , fan, fridge, TV, monitor, coffee machine, microwave, water heater and induction cooker. 

[BsBs]

12 hours ago, bartender100 said:

If the A/C unit is cleaned regularly B500 to B700 a month is my guess

 

 

Wrong, for 10 hours a day is around 2000 thb. Clean or not.

 

 

 

 

[lopburi3]

6 minutes ago, johng said:

Yes  surprising that you only used 123 units   

with aircon every night set at 26-27 , fan, fridge, TV, monitor, coffee machine, microwave, water heater and induction cooker. 

If he was seeing mountains for the month of February there likely was no need for much air-conditioner activity.  Cool weather would also reduce fan/fridge expense.  April will likely be a bit different.

Edited March 9, 2017 by lopburi3

[BsBs]

Funny that so many people, without even talking about Thai, do not even know why they put aircon at 25 (18 for Thai). Of course 27 or 28 is enough when it's 35 outside.