Saginaw, MI
Question. How much energy does a game of pinball use? When I play LOTR, and it's a 15 minute game, am I using $.20 worth of energy? I realize it varies from location to location and game to game... thoughts?
(Topic ID: 191581)
My thought is that if you have/want to count the cents it takes to play a game of pinball, then you don't need a pinball machine.
Other idea would be to go on a pinball bender and play 24/7 for a full month. With all other electrical usage remaining constant, see how much your bill goes up. 
Kitchener, ON
I think the only real way that you could figure this out would be with a plug in tester like the kill-a-watt
https://www.amazon.ca/P3-International-P4460-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B000RGF29Q
https://www.amazon.ca/Display-Energy-Voltage-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B00E945SJG
If we just do some rough math on a machine that draws 5 amps, that's 0.6kw/h, so if your cost per kw/h is $0.15, then the cost to run a machine for 1 hour is $0.09.
That's some really early morning math, so it may vary slightly.
Quoted from Wolfmarsh:If we just do some rough math on a machine that draws 5 amps, that's 0.6kw/h, so if your cost per kw/h is $0.15, then the cost to run a machine for 1 hour is $0.09.
Out of curiosity, I was able to check my local electric supplier website and they show hourly breakdown of my usage. I was able to review when people were playing pinball and all my machines were on, and yeah, I'd peg it at about $1 an hour for the whole shebang, at the rates I pay.
Quoted from Wolfmarsh:If we just do some rough math on a machine that draws 5 amps, that's 0.6kw/h, so if your cost per kw/h is $0.15, then the cost to run a machine for 1 hour is $0.09.
That's some really early morning math, so it may vary slightly.
Thnx wolf!!! That's the answer that I was looking for! I wasn't looking for an "if you have to ask you can't afford it" answer.
4 months later
Quoted from edwinpblue:Thnx wolf!!! That's the answer that I was looking for! I wasn't looking for an "if you have to ask you can't afford it" answer.
The point of such an answer is that it is minuscule. Your question implied you were concerned about it, but if purely an intellectual excercise then I get wanting an empirical answer.
I had a used a power recorder to monitor the current used while playing various games. See here:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/power-monitoring-on-various-pinball-machines
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