It costs $82,000 to light the christmas tree lights at one house in Delaware in December!

Originally posted by Alxandro
This is what I would do.

You mean you'd do the one on the right?

I'll bet his electric bill is a lot lower!

reply to post by Arbitrageur


You betcha.
Yes, the one on the right, but only because I don't have time to decorate.

1 million 5 watt bulbs is... 5 million watts / 120 volts = 41,666.666 amps.
Considering NEC limits most residential service to 200 amps, I seriously doubt he's running off the grid. I'm almost willing to bet there's at a decent, probably 60-80 KVA genset hanging around. A Generac 80KVA at 80% power consumes about 4.5 gallons diesel per hour, which with 4 hours daily usage at a cost of $4 per gallon tally's up to about $72 per day; about $2,160 for 30 days. Using LED's could easily reduce this by 1/4 or more.
A quick search turns up about 1500-2000 for a 30 day rental on a 80KVA genset.

So we're now what, around $3000-5000 total.

Originally posted by abecedarian
1 million 5 watt bulbs is... 5 million watts / 120 volts = 41,666.666 amps.

I thought almost nobody used 5 watt bulbs anymore, nobody uses them around where I live.

The pictures don't have enough resolution to tell what kind of lights they're using but as far as I can tell, many are NOT 5W bulbs.

Good analysis with the generator though.

If those are all mini-bulbs and/or LEDs, I expect he could run it from a 200 amp service. I don't believe they're all 5 watt bulbs.

reply to post by Arbitrageur


I find it amazing that the cost has dropped from over 80K in the OP to 10K a few posts down and then 5K in my post.

I also find it amazing that people complain about what other people want to do with their own money.

Oh come on, these are most likely cheap LED's.

For all of you being disgusted about the "cost" who cares? It is a supply and demand system. this person demands some electricity for his hobby, which happens to be a bit zealous in the christmas decoration category. What is the difference in this and aquariums that run all year with metal halids? or heaters in pools running through the winter? or YOU leaving the lights on in YOUR house when not in use?

Crying over energy use that "starves others" give me a damn break alraedy, people in 3rd world countries are starving mainly because of the politicians and landowners above them, forces into a cycle and refusing to break tradition or religions to increase their living capabilities past women butchering, child molesting, uneducated and ignorant psychopaths. Not somebodies christmas spirit and (yes in my opinion wasteful and silly) wants/needs to display this due to whatever their motives are.

Get off the soap box.