Should I use the lamp rating or the measured draw?

The measured draw whenever you can get it. Lamp ratings leave out power-supply losses, the exhaust blower and any chiller, which can add a third or more.

Why energized hours rather than curing hours?

A shuttered mercury lamp still draws full power. Lamps are left struck through breaks because restriking costs life and needs a warm-up, so energized hours beat curing hours.

How do I compare this with a UV LED array?

On cost per part, at equal dose and equal line speed. Installed kilowatts and shift cost are not comparable, because the two technologies differ in efficiency.

Is the annual figure trustworthy?

It is arithmetic on a stated convention of 250 shifts. Double it for two shifts, scale it for a seasonal plant, and replace it for continuous operation.

UV Curing calculator

Mercury UV Lamp Energy Cost Calculator: Cost per Part

Find what a mercury UV system's electricity costs per part, per shift and per year. Enter the system draw, energized hours, blended rate and parts cured per shift.

What this calculator does

Turn a mercury UV system's electrical draw and runtime into an energy cost per part and per year.

Formula used

Energy used per shift = system draw × energized hours
Shift energy cost = energy used per shift × blended rate
Energy cost per part = shift energy cost ÷ parts cured per shift
Hourly energy cost = system draw × blended rate
Annual energy cost = shift energy cost × 250 shifts

Inputs explained

UV System Electrical Draw (Energized): Total load while the lamp is struck, power supply and blower included.
Energized Hours per Shift: Hours the lamp is struck, not hours it is curing.
Blended Electricity Rate: All-in rate including demand charges and delivery.
Parts Cured per Shift: Good parts through the tunnel in that same shift.

How to use the result

Best suited to costing the energy line of a cure process, annual figure for a retrofit business case, comparing two curing systems per part.
Energy is one line of cure cost; lamps, labor, downtime and cooling sit on other pages. Ignores power-level control and standby modes, so a dimmed system will cost less. Comparisons with an LED array need equal dose and equal throughput.

Current U.S. benchmarks

As of Jul 2026, industrial electricity averages 9.8 cents per kWh across the U.S. (EIA), up 4.7% from a year earlier. State averages range widely, so plants should confirm against their own tariff.

Common questions

Should I use the lamp rating or the measured draw? The measured draw whenever you can get it. Lamp ratings leave out power-supply losses, the exhaust blower and any chiller, which can add a third or more.
Why energized hours rather than curing hours? A shuttered mercury lamp still draws full power. Lamps are left struck through breaks because restriking costs life and needs a warm-up, so energized hours beat curing hours.
How do I compare this with a UV LED array? On cost per part, at equal dose and equal line speed. Installed kilowatts and shift cost are not comparable, because the two technologies differ in efficiency.
Is the annual figure trustworthy? It is arithmetic on a stated convention of 250 shifts. Double it for two shifts, scale it for a seasonal plant, and replace it for continuous operation.

Last reviewed 2026-10-01.