Hydraulics and industrial maintenance
Air compressor unloaded energy cost
Separate measured loaded and unloaded compressor energy and operating cost.
Your inputs
Complete the fields for your selected method. Zero means intentionally zero, not unknown. Currency selection labels amounts; it does not convert exchange rates.
How this calculation works
energy=loaded measured kW*loaded hours+unloaded measured kW*unloaded hours; cost=energy*tariff. Metered alternative: energy = loaded kWh + unloaded kWh; cost = energy × price.
Use measured real electrical input kW, not volts × amps or shaft power. Hours describe time at that measured input. All rates are user supplied; no tariff lookup. An integrated kWh reading must not have duty cycle applied again. Loaded and unloaded hours are nonoverlapping segments.
What information do I need?
Use records for the same job, equipment or accounting period. Only the fields for your selected entry method are required. An unknown amount is not zero.
Input definitions and where to find them
- How do you know the energy use?: Choose the information you actually have. Only the selected method is required.
- Measured loaded real input (kW): Measured real electrical input while loaded, not motor shaft rating. Used with: Measured input power and operating schedule.
- Loaded hours in period (hours): Actual time from logs/calendar/statement, or an explicitly labeled future schedule. Keep the period in loaded hours in period consistent with all matching costs/outputs. Used with: Measured input power and operating schedule.
- Measured unloaded real input (kW): Measured real electrical input while unloaded; not assumed zero. Used with: Measured input power and operating schedule.
- Unloaded hours in period (hours): Actual time from logs/calendar/statement, or an explicitly labeled future schedule. Keep the period in unloaded hours in period consistent with all matching costs/outputs. Used with: Measured input power and operating schedule.
- Electricity price per kWh (selected currency): Matching energy/volumetric tariff or bill component for electricity price per kwh, excluding fixed charges or other charges not modeled.
- Metered energy attributed to loaded operation (kWh): Use an isolated record or clearly labeled estimate matching this field and period. Do not substitute an unrelated whole-site total. Used with: Metered or separately estimated kWh.
- Metered energy attributed to unloaded operation (kWh): Use an isolated record or clearly labeled estimate matching this field and period. Do not substitute an unrelated whole-site total. Used with: Metered or separately estimated kWh.
Use the Where to find this value controls beside the inputs for available work-it-out helpers. Estimates remain your assumptions; a helper does not verify the source figures.
Worked example
Example amounts use US dollars (USD).
Example answer: Total period energy is 25,000.00 kWh for the illustrative inputs below.
Example inputs
- How do you know the energy use?: Measured input power and operating schedule
- Measured loaded real input: 20.00 kW
- Loaded hours in period: 1,000.00 hours
- Measured unloaded real input: 5.00 kW
- Unloaded hours in period: 1,000.00 hours
- Electricity price per kWh: $0.15
- Total period energy
- 25,000.00 kWh
- Unloaded electricity cost
- $750.00
- Total electricity cost
- $3,750.00
These illustrative values are not recommended rates or industry averages. Replace every example input with your own figures.
Use the result well
Separate measured loaded and unloaded compressor energy and operating cost.
Keep inputs on the same scope and time basis. Calculations retain precision internally; displayed values generally round to two decimal places, with extra precision for very small values and whole-unit rounding where required. Economic comparisons describe your supplied assumptions and do not guarantee future results.
This tool provides business arithmetic. It does not approve engineering designs, establish legal or tax treatment, select equipment or certify safe operating conditions.