How much does it cost to run an LED bulb for 24 hours?

The cost of running an LED bulb for 24 hours depends on the wattage of the bulb, the electricity rate in your area, and how long the bulb is on. Here's how you can calculate it:

Step-by-Step Calculation:

1. Determine the Wattage of the LED Bulb: LED bulbs typically use between 5 watts to 15 watts, but let's use a common 9-watt LED bulb for this example.

2. Find the Electricity Rate: The average electricity rate in the U.S. is around $0.12 per kWh (kilowatt-hour). Rates can vary depending on your location, but you can check your energy bill to get the exact rate for your area.

3. Convert Watts to Kilowatts:

   • 1,000 watts = 1 kilowatt (kW).
   • For a 9-watt bulb, we convert it to kilowatts: $$\frac{9 \, \text{watts}}{1000} = 0.009 \, \text{kW}$$

4. Calculate the Energy Used in 24 Hours:

   • Energy used (in kWh) = Power (kW) × Time (hours).
   • For a 9-watt LED bulb running for 24 hours: $$0.009 \, \text{kW} \times 24 \, \text{hours} = 0.216 \, \text{kWh}$$

5. Calculate the Cost:

   • Cost = Energy used (kWh) × Electricity rate.
   • If your electricity rate is $0.12 per kWh: $$0.216 \, \text{kWh} \times 0.12 \, \text{USD/kWh} = 0.026 \, \text{USD}$$

Cost of Running a 9-Watt LED Bulb for 24 Hours:

• 0.026 USD, or about 2.6 cents.

Other Examples:

• 5-watt LED bulb:
  • 5 watts = 0.005 kW
  • Energy used in 24 hours = 0.005 kW × 24 hours = 0.12 kWh
  • Cost = 0.12 kWh × $0.12 = 0.0144 USD or 1.44 cents.
• 15-watt LED bulb:
  • 15 watts = 0.015 kW
  • Energy used in 24 hours = 0.015 kW × 24 hours = 0.36 kWh
  • Cost = 0.36 kWh × $0.12 = 0.0432 USD or 4.32 cents.

Conclusion:

Running an LED bulb for 24 hours is extremely cheap. Even a 15-watt LED bulb would cost only about 4.32 cents for a full day of use. The energy efficiency of LED bulbs is one of the key reasons they are much cheaper to run than traditional incandescent or fluorescent bulbs.