Energy Hungry Halloween Props

Do you know what JML Electric finds scary? How much power some homeowners have coursing over their front lawns this Halloween.  Are you an enthusiastic house haunter?  One in seven Ontario residents creates a spooky display, even if it’s just a candle in a pumpkin.

Multi-color, synchronized lighting setups or laser light projectors used to illuminate an entire yard or house façade can significantly increase energy usage.

For the executive level house haunters across Ontario, JML Electric’s exterior lighting design salutes you! Cheers to your inflatable ghosts, grim reapers, and pop-up skeletons. We commend your creativity, and yet we can’t help wondering if you’ve balanced your load. Home power circuits are either 15 or 20 amps, depending on the breaker box.  Homeowners should aim to keep each circuits’ consumption under 80% of its rated capacity. For a 15 amp service, please try not to exceed 1800 Watts.

List the most Electrically Intense Halloween Props

Here are some of the most energy-hungry Halloween props that homeowners typically display on their residential properties.

Beware: Inflatable Decorations Drain Power All Day Long

Large inflatable ghosts, pumpkins, and Betelgeuse characters are popular but require a continuous power supply to stay inflated, making them significant energy consumers.  Many air compressors for inflatables are designed for low energy use, but the total energy consumed can add up if they run for extended periods, especially with larger decorations.  The ‘duty cycle’ refers to the percentage of time the compressor is running versus resting and for continuous-use inflatables, it’s crucial to select a compressor with a high-duty cycle to avoid overheating and excessive power use.  Some air compressors are more efficient at maintaining pressure. Look for ones that are designed to inflate quickly and have good pressure control, reducing the need for frequent re-inflation.

Energy Star Rated Equipment: If possible, select an air compressor that meets energy efficiency guidelines like those of Energy Star, which will help reduce both energy consumption and costs.  Ensure inflatables are properly sealed to avoid leaks, as constant air leakage can cause the compressor to run more often than necessary.

Fog Machines Cook Smoke Juice

Electric fog machine are devices which consume a lot of power making eerie mist and atmosphere, especially when deployed in conjunction with (back)lighting and fans to disperse the fog.

A fog machine typically has a robust heating element which vaporizes a water-based or oil-based fog fluid which is probably glycol or glycerin mixed with water. The heated fluid is then expelled as a dense mist or “fog.”

Fog machines come in all different wattages; their draw can be as little as 400 watts, or as high as 1800 watts.  The wattage of a fog machine doesn’t directly tell you how much fog it will generate, but it’s a good approximation: the higher the wattage,  the more fluid it consumes and the more smoke comes pouring out.

Animatronic Props, Talking Clowns

Mechanical props like moving skeletons, witches, or zombies that perform motions (e.g., turning heads, waving arms) often have motors and lights, which consume more power.  The energy consumption of animatronic Halloween displays can vary widely depending on the size, complexity, and the type of movement or lighting features they have.

Smaller animatronics and tabletop decorations are typically powered by batteries or low-wattage power adapters (10–15 watts). They may use 10 to 30 watts when running, depending on how many moving parts or lights they have. Battery-powered models tend to consume less energy overall. Medium animatronics like life-sized figures with basic motion and sound effects usually plug into a standard 120V outlet and consume between 50 to 150 watts. When powered on for several hours a night over a season (say 4 hours per night for 30 days), you could expect these to use around 6–18 kWh of electricity in total. Large or complex animatronics like dragons and whole-yard displays like graveyards which come alive can draw 500 watts or more. If used for the same 4 hours per night, over a 30-day period, energy consumption could reach between 12 and 60 kWh!

Spooky Projector Displays

Video projectors that display animated images on windows or walls, like moving shadows or creepy scenes, consume a lot of electricity.  A good projector typically uses between 50 watts for basic, portable models and up to 800 watts for advanced, high-brightness units.  Remote control AC outlets are the best way to put on live shows.

Perfect Storm 2.0 Lightning ‘Flash’ Simulator has its own breaker and 1kw capacity to flash lights.

Perfect Storm is a sound-activated device that allows haunters to flash the lights when thunder from the CD (which is supplied) crashes in the audio speakers. It makes for a great thunderstorm effect for your haunted house or Halloween party.  Consumers are encouraged to play the profferred CD with their lights plugged into the back of the Perfect Storm Box (which is itself plugged into any 15 amp. 120 volt outlet).  The total wattage of the lights cannot exceed 1000 watts of power or it will trip the breaker.

Lightning Strikes and Strobe Lights

Intense strobe lighting for a haunted house atmosphere can add up to considerable energy consumption, especially if left on for long periods. Strobes can enhance the atmosphere by creating disorienting flashes, perfect for spooky scenes.

Energy-efficient strobes produce bright flashes without generating much heat and often come with adjustable settings to control the speed and intensity of illumination. The brightest strobes use xenon gas to produce intense, bright flashes. They are more powerful than LED strobes but consume more energy.

Mini Strobe Lights are compact and portable, easy to place in tight spots for smaller setups. These units also come with adjustable flash speeds and are ideal for front lawn Halloween decorations.

Blacklight strobes combine the flashing effect with a UV blacklight, which causes white or fluorescent objects to glow in the dark. This adds an eerie, ghostly effect to certain types of decorations, such as skeletons or glowing costumes.

Outdoor Audio Systems

Audio speakers and amplifiers used for eerie sound effects or Halloween-themed music can also add to energy consumption. While the audio player itself typically only requires about 8 watts, the speakers are usually between 80 – 100 watts which is adequate for most yards / neighbourhoods. Two speakers will give stereo quality sound and this is not uncommon as audio speakers are generally sold in pairs; two 80 watts speakers total 160 watts of sound.

How hard should homeowners try to frighten children on Halloween?

As hard as possible, obviously.  But always with safety in mind. Halloween house haunters should add up the wattages of their lights, motors, audio players and video projectors, loudspeakers, and air compressors to ensure each circuit is not overloaded. Use the shortest extension cords possible, as longer cords can lead to voltage drops. Add Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protections if your exterior outlets don’t already have them. Outdoor decorations should always be plugged into GFCI-protected outlets to prevent electric shock. Use weatherproof extension cord covers to protect the plugs, and wooden blocks to keep the connectors off the wet ground.

JML Electric’s own residential electricians are experts at improving all electrical systems including interior and exterior lighting arrays.  If there’s something you’re not sure about, or have in mind to do better, please give us a call and we’ll pop over for a quick inspection, some candy, and a scare.