How much to charge for use of electricity Options

[Bobbsy]

I know I'm not in the UK any more, but are you allowed to resell electricity at a profit? In many jurisdictions its illegal to on-sell electricity at a profit, to stop landlords ripping off tenants...

It's not allowed in a domestic situation but the rules are less clear cut for commercial users. However, in the past, when we've rented space to other companies we've either gone the route of separate meters or else just made a "service charge" to include electricity amongst other things.

Bob

[Jivemaster]

Consumer and trade regulations can be very different. Before you decide on a price simply ring a generator hire company (movie based!) like Lee electric or Samuelson, and find the cost of generator hire, and fuel supply. Hopefully the 630a quoted in the OP is a max possible draw assuming that everything is running.

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

Added:

Do be sure that your spare air con supply is three phase 5 wire not 4 wire. Presumably you have considered that the fuses in an aircon supply may well be "motor start" types, and satisfied yourself of the existance of an appropriate protection regime.

[Dmills]

Also depending on the nature of the protective conductor arrangements you may have issues with gong across an equipotential zone boundary, something to liaise with the production electricians about.

Regards, Dan.

[adam2]

I know I'm not in the UK any more, but are you allowed to resell electricity at a profit? In many jurisdictions its illegal to on-sell electricity at a profit, to stop landlords ripping off tenants...

AFAIK this only applies to residential use, I believe that you can charge what you want if it is not residential/d0m3stic.

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

The supply to the A/C chiller at roof level is three wire and earth, without neutral and therefore unsuitable for most other applications.

The supply will however be obtained from an electrical room in the basement, here the three phase AND NEUTRAL supply from a 630 amp circuit breaker is conected to a busbar chamber, into which the two parraled 3 core cables to the chiller are connected.
A full size neutral is available in the busbar chamber, but is not utilised by the chiller.

There are two identical supplies, but it is only proposed to use one for film lighting.
Each supply is protected by 800 amp fuses in the supply companies substation, and by the 630 amp breaker in the consumers installation.
The maximum permitted load on either supply is 630 amps, but the total on the two supplies must not exceed about 900 amps, lest penalities be inccured.
Each chiller has a normal full load current of about 420 amps.

Earthing is TN-S (proper earthing ! not fake PME earth) And can therefore be exported.

[halfpint]

I have no experience of film so can only give a theatre venues perspective.
I work in a venue and our new management charge every show, be it a one man and a mic or a full blown musical, £50 per day for power consumption. Sounds reasonable but when companies are touring a small show and have already paid thousands to hire the venue, it doesn't always go down well.

[lightsource]

I have no experience of film so can only give a theatre venues perspective.
I work in a venue and our new management charge every show, be it a one man and a mic or a full blown musical, £50 per day for power consumption. Sounds reasonable but when companies are touring a small show and have already paid thousands to hire the venue, it doesn't always go down well.

One of the major issues with film, is that the generators have to be far enough away from the set so they are inaudible.

Working out how far a generator needs to be from a set is difficult, but noise is the major factor.

That can create it's own production nightmares. Voltage drop and cable diameter / length issues can easilly come into play.

This post has been edited by lightsource: 18 Aug 2010, 12:31 AM

[dbuckley]

One of the major issues with film, is that the generators have to be far enough away from the set so they are inaudible.

Whereas film is far from my field of experience, I have leaned on a 150KW film genset (ok, a truck) that I couldn't hear running with my head in the cooling slots. To any reasonable definition of the word, the thing was silent.

[The Yellow Trans...]

Check out section 44 Electricity Act 1989 or Google ,Resale of electricity act

[madorangepanda]

Check out section 44 Electricity Act 1989 or Google ,Resale of electricity act

Only applies in domestic situations as explained earlier in the thread.

[lightsource]

One of the major issues with film, is that the generators have to be far enough away from the set so they are inaudible.

Whereas film is far from my field of experience, I have leaned on a 150KW film genset (ok, a truck) that I couldn't hear running with my head in the cooling slots. To any reasonable definition of the word, the thing was silent.

Someone must have had a realistic budget

[Bobbsy]

I've only been involved in about 3 feature films (and only peripherally then) but my experience matches dbuckley's in terms of the amazingly silent generators in use. On several occasions I've stood right next to them and not known they were running.

As for budget, even "low budget" films seem to be able to spend money in quantities that people in the theatre can only dream of.

Bob