How much electricity do permanent lights use?

Do permanent lights use much electricity?

Usually not much, because they're LEDs. But the honest answer depends on four numbers: how many watts your system draws, how many hours a night it runs, how many nights, and what you pay per kilowatt-hour.

Manufacturers describe their power use in different ways. JellyFish's homepage (opens in a new tab), checked October 21, 2026, says its lights use “less than one watt per light.” A per-light figure is a start, but your total also depends on how many lights you have, brightness, color and the controller. The formula below gets you a real number.

How do you calculate what permanent lights cost to run?

The math is one line:

1. 1WattsHow much power the system draws while on. See below for where to find it.
2. 2Hours per nightHow long your schedule keeps the lights on. A dusk-to-midnight schedule in winter is longer than the same schedule in summer.
3. 3NightsEvery night for everyday lighting, or just the nights you use them for holidays and events.
4. 4Divide by 1,000This turns watt-hours into kilowatt-hours (kWh), the unit on your electric bill.
5. 5Your rateWhat you pay per kWh, from your bill.

Plug your own numbers into the calculator below.

What does a worked example look like?

Say a system draws 60 watts, runs 6 hours a night, for 30 nights, and electricity costs $0.40 per kWh.

1. 60 watts × 6 hours = 360 watt-hours per night
2. 360 × 30 nights = 10,800 watt-hours
3. 10,800 ÷ 1,000 = 10.8 kWh
4. 10.8 kWh × $0.40 = $4.32 for the month

Run the same example every night for a year (365 nights) and it's 131.4 kWh, or $52.56 at that example rate. Your numbers will be different, so use your own watts and your own rate.

Where do you find the watts?

• The power supply or controller label. Most list an output or input rating in watts, or volts and amps (volts × amps = watts).
• The spec sheet or manual. Look for “rated power,” “power consumption” or watts per light or per foot.
• A plug-in electricity usage meter. If the system plugs into an outlet, an inexpensive meter between the plug and the outlet shows the actual draw.

Where do you find your electricity rate?

Your electric bill. For most homes in Fresno and Clovis that's PG&E. Look for the price per kWh on the electric charges page, or divide the electric charges by the kWh used for a rough average.

• Rates depend on your plan. PG&E offers time-of-use plans, a tiered plan and others. See PG&E's rate plans page (opens in a new tab).
• Time-of-use matters for evening lights. On time-of-use plans, electricity costs more during peak hours. Evening lighting can fall in those hours, so check your plan's peak window.
• Tiers matter too. On a tiered plan, each extra kWh can cost more once your usage passes a baseline amount.
• Rates change. Re-check your bill once in a while rather than relying on a number you saw years ago.

If a different utility serves your home, the same formula works with its rate.

What makes the number go up or down?

• Length of the run. More lights, more watts.
• Brightness. Dimming the lights lowers the draw.
• Color. On many color-changing lights, bright white mixes several color channels at once, so it can draw more than a single color.
• Hours on. A schedule that shuts off at bedtime uses far less than dusk-to-dawn.
• Standby power. Controllers stay connected to Wi-Fi when the lights are off. It's small, but it runs around the clock.

How can you keep the running cost down?

• Set a schedule that turns lights off at bedtime instead of dawn
• Use a softer brightness for everyday warm white and save full brightness for holidays and events
• Light only the faces of the house people actually see
• On a time-of-use plan, know your peak hours and set your schedule with them in mind

Want to know the watts for the system you're considering? Ask when you request a quote and we'll point you to the label and spec sheet.