ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION

[buddymag00]

as high electricity consumption is one of the biggest deterants for the larger grow, i would like to hear how people are getting around this problem (other than tapping the mains as leaks can be detected) what is the most wattage one could use without standing out on the grid?

 

[jojajico]

i have seen numbers like for each bedroom in an apartment 1000 watts. so if youve got a 3 bedroom apartment u should be able to run 3K watts of light and all your other stuff. im not sure for a house and im sure some people will tell you you can run far more juice than that but thats the numbers i go by.

 

[buddymag00]

ok sounds a little unrealistic 1000w per room but im sure there are residents with very high legal consumption. i presume this is what your figures are based on ?

 

[jojajico]

1000 watts is low balling it. thats like super safe ive posted the same thing on other forums and everyone tells me you can get way more lights in. and then you see people on here with 8K grows some how i dont think they have 8 bedrooms.

the figures came from hightimes or something like that cant remember but it was an article on grow security i do remember that.

 

[Guest]

FUEP

 

[Berry_Coughin']

we were burning two six hundred hps... two four hundred mh... and two dual 4ft 40 watt flouros... + the power the ballasts eat... plus an 8" 250watt canfan/filter... after all the minor things added in we were right around 3k for a 3 bedroom loft... plus we had hot water and dishwasher and stove/oven surround sound... ps2 computer tv.... highest electric bill was right around $200 bucks a month, and that was at 4 cents a kilowatt hour...... no heads turned..... I even had cops out in the hallway busting parties in my building standing right outside my door while we were putting bud in the air and they were totally clueless.......... JUST DON'T TELL ANYONE WHY YOU NEED ALL THAT POWER AND NO-ONE WILL SUSPECT A THING..... but don't drag it out either..... i don't know if a 10k watt grow would fly in a studio apartment ...lol

 

[buddymag00]

thanks for replies makes sense that a good bill paying customer would get respect rather than hassle. figure for safety is much higher than i would have thought.! may be time for a little expansion as space is not an issue for me.

 

[karl420]

thank you for these useful information guy ic board rock!

~staysafe
~karl

 

[Guest]

FUEP

 

[Elevator Man]

This is partly why I grow at night - if the guy comes to read the meter, there's never anything significant happening. I have three computers too, and at least two are on in the daytime, so again, if he does see it spinning, it will be down to that.

Also you can subscribe to an economy package where the juice is rated cheaper at night - although it's a lot more expensive during the day. Wasn't worth me signing up to that, as I need to use the computers a lot too - but my computer desk alone uses 1kw when everything's on - got a Dell Dual Xeon workstation with a 400W supply (hefty!), 21-inch monitor, plus all the extras - then a 'normal' PC, again with a 19-inch monitor, etc, etc...

So with around 1500W on my various grows too, I'm probably pushing around 3KW at peak - it can get quite pricey, but as mentioned above, if you pay up, the electricity companies are usually really happy. They're selling their product in large quantities, after all...

 

[Guest]

FUEP

 

[jojajico]

it takes u six hours to water you r plants jesus christ man your grow must be crazy. got any pics?

 

[Guest]

FUEP

 

[Guest]

Take showers elsewhere, wash clothes at the laundry mat,(or change appliances to natural gas), you can also lower the temp on you water heater, change all bulbs in your house to cfl's, get a digital thermostat for your a/c unit, wash dishes by hand, ect....
youd be surprised how much of a difference these things can do .....

 

[Guest]

FUEP

 

[Nape]

highest electric bill was right around $200 bucks a month, and that was at 4 cents a kilowatt hour...... no heads turned.....

I wish,

Here in cali, my basline allowance of 350 KW hours per month is .13 per kwh. At 1400+ kwh it is .39 per kwh.

 

[pugnacious]

someone convert that...

 

[hazeywonder]

alot,

i hear you nape i pay about 500-600 a month for 3400 watts plus the "house" usage. its the base line that kills you its next to nothing then it gets expensive.

hazey

 

[Pops]

I use 5000 KWH per month, but I tell the electric company that I have 22 Mexicans living in my house!

 

[simpleword]

I wish,

Here in cali, my basline allowance of 350 KW hours per month is .13 per kwh. At 1400+ kwh it is .39 per kwh.

Damn!!! I live in California and my power is .05 per kwh, then again I don't have PG&E. Thank god for Pacific Power.