Script to compare lightbulb costs

lightbulb-comparison.py

# Author: Brandon Foster
# Date: 20150826
# Purpose:
#   - automate the comparisons between lightbulbs

# INC stands for Incandescent
# LED stands for Light-emitting diode
# CFL stands for Compact Fluorescents

class LightBulb:
    def __init__(self):
        self.cost = 0
        self.watts = 0
        self.longevity = 0
        self.hoursUsed = 0
        self.replacements = 0

led = LightBulb()
led.cost = 8
led.watts = 8
led.longevity = 50000

inc = LightBulb()
inc.cost = 1
inc.watts = 60
inc.longevity = 1200

cfl = LightBulb()
cfl.cost = 6
cfl.watts = 15
cfl.longevity = 8000

HOURS_USED_PER_YEAR = 1142
COST_PER_KILOWATT_HOURS = 0.08826 # in dollars

def calcTotalCost(bulb, years):
    totalCost = 0
    # what it costs to run the bulb for however many years
    maintenanceCost = (bulb.watts * (COST_PER_KILOWATT_HOURS / 1000)) * (HOURS_USED_PER_YEAR * years)
    totalCost += maintenanceCost
    totalCost += bulb.cost
    bulb.hoursUsed += (HOURS_USED_PER_YEAR * years)
    def replaceBulbs(bulb, totalCost):
        if bulb.hoursUsed >= bulb.longevity:
            bulb.replacements += 1
            bulb.hoursUsed -= bulb.longevity
            totalCost += bulb.cost
            replaceBulbs(bulb, totalCost)
        else:
            pass
    replaceBulbs(bulb, totalCost)

    return totalCost

YEARS_TO_CHECK = 10
YEARS_CHECKED = 0
while YEARS_CHECKED < YEARS_TO_CHECK:
    YEARS_CHECKED += 1
    print
    print
    print '$' + str(calcTotalCost(led, YEARS_CHECKED)) + ' to operate LED for ' + str(YEARS_CHECKED) + ' years, requiring ' + str(led.replacements) + ' replacements.'
    print '$' + str(calcTotalCost(inc, YEARS_CHECKED)) + ' to operate INC for ' + str(YEARS_CHECKED) + ' years, requiring ' + str(inc.replacements) + ' replacements.'
    print '$' + str(calcTotalCost(cfl, YEARS_CHECKED)) + ' to operate CFL for ' + str(YEARS_CHECKED) + ' years, requiring ' + str(cfl.replacements) + ' replacements.'