How do you calculate mercury UV lamp energy cost?

Multiply lamp draw by energized hours for kWh, then multiply by your rate. A 16 kW system energized 8 hours uses 128 kWh, costing $17.92 per shift at $0.14/kWh.

Why do mercury UV lamps cost more to run than LEDs?

Mercury lamps draw far more wall-plug power for the same cure and can't be switched on and off instantly, so they typically run the full shift even when no part is under them. Here that's 128 kWh versus roughly 34 kWh for a comparable LED array.

What is the energy cost per part for mercury UV curing?

At 2,400 parts and $17.92 of shift energy, each part carries about $0.0075 in electricity — several times the LED figure, and that gap is the core of most retrofit business cases.

Should I switch from mercury to LED curing?

Energy is one factor. LEDs cut electricity, eliminate lamp replacements and ozone handling, and gate to part presence — but require a curable LED formulation and capital outlay. Use this shift cost as the running-cost baseline in the payback.

Do mercury lamps draw power when idle?

Yes. Because striking and cooling a lamp takes minutes, operators leave them energized through breaks and gaps, so energized hours often equal the full shift regardless of throughput.

What's a typical mercury UV lamp power draw?

Per-lamp draw commonly runs from a few kW to 16 kW or more depending on lamp length and number of heads. Enter the system's total energized draw, including ballast, for an accurate shift cost.

UV Curing calculator

Mercury UV Lamp Energy Cost Calculator

Mercury UV lamp energy cost is the electricity a medium-pressure mercury arc lamp system consumes while curing, expressed per shift and per part. Finishing and coatings engineers track it because mercury lamps draw heavy continuous power, can't be cycled on and off freely, and often run the whole shift whether parts are present or not. That standing load makes electricity a real line item — and the baseline you compare an LED upgrade against. This calculator converts lamp draw, energized hours, and your rate into shift cost, energy used, and cost per part.

What this calculator does

Cost out a mercury arc UV lamp per shift and per part - including the always-on idle period mercury lamps need between jobs.
Use it to baseline a mercury cure line before evaluating an LED retrofit, or to put energy on a job quote when mercury cure is the bottleneck.
It computes the electricity cost of running mercury UV lamps per shift, the kWh consumed, and the energy cost allocated to each cured part.

Formula used

Energy used (kWh) = lamp electrical draw × energized hours
Shift energy cost = energy used × $/kWh
Energy cost per part = shift energy cost ÷ parts cured

Inputs explained

Lamp electrical draw (energized): Total kW while the lamp is struck - same in production and idle. Mercury lamps cannot dim usefully.
Energized hours per shift: Total hours the lamp is on, including warm-up, idle between parts, and breaks. Often = full shift length.
Blended electricity rate: All-in industrial rate including demand charges allocated across kWh.
Parts cured per shift: Good cured units only - exclude scrap so per-part cost is honest.

How to use the result

Use it to cost mercury-cured jobs, set the energy baseline for an LED conversion, or audit standing power on a curing line.
It counts only the lamp's electrical draw; ballast losses, shutters, blowers, ozone abatement, and the lamp's tendency to run idle between parts mean true line cost is higher.

Current U.S. benchmarks

As of Apr 2026, industrial electricity averages 8.7 cents per kWh across the U.S. (EIA), up 5.5% from a year earlier. State averages range widely, so plants should confirm against their own tariff.

Common questions

How do you calculate mercury UV lamp energy cost? Multiply lamp draw by energized hours for kWh, then multiply by your rate. A 16 kW system energized 8 hours uses 128 kWh, costing $17.92 per shift at $0.14/kWh.
Why do mercury UV lamps cost more to run than LEDs? Mercury lamps draw far more wall-plug power for the same cure and can't be switched on and off instantly, so they typically run the full shift even when no part is under them. Here that's 128 kWh versus roughly 34 kWh for a comparable LED array.
What is the energy cost per part for mercury UV curing? At 2,400 parts and $17.92 of shift energy, each part carries about $0.0075 in electricity — several times the LED figure, and that gap is the core of most retrofit business cases.
Should I switch from mercury to LED curing? Energy is one factor. LEDs cut electricity, eliminate lamp replacements and ozone handling, and gate to part presence — but require a curable LED formulation and capital outlay. Use this shift cost as the running-cost baseline in the payback.
Do mercury lamps draw power when idle? Yes. Because striking and cooling a lamp takes minutes, operators leave them energized through breaks and gaps, so energized hours often equal the full shift regardless of throughput.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.