How much KW is 'safe' in a 3 bed house? (UK)

[~Shhh~]

Hello,

After running many searches to try and find some info on this subject I seem to have come to a dead end, most information is from over the pond and mostly applicable to US/Canadian circumstances. I appreciate that this is my 1st post, but I'm fairly oldschool :wink:

I am looking for help from those that actually/have actually run larger multi lamp rooms in the UK (3 -6kw). What I need to know is what amount of KW consumption is considered 'safe' for continuous use; over the period of say 6 months.

Any information on types of property to avoid would be very much appreciated also. Although I have done research into this for myself, others input is welcome.

Any other information applicable to running a multi lamp grow ie, (not the actual growing side as I have that covered), is also more than welcome.

Please don't post of you have'nt had experience in this area.


Thank You!

 

[GMT]

Hi mate, I know you said for me not to post here, (I dont have that experience), but I know this site pretty well, and don't know of any UKers doing that sort of grow here. Do you know if Australia uses the same kind of wiring that we do here, as I can point you to an Aus thread that you could ask someone on.

 

[Guvnor]

Hey Shhh

Like above, I dont have this kind of experience but if you worry is general power consumption-heres the deal.

All the large electrical suppliers in the uk .(seeboard,powergen etc) all are tied by the 'data prtection act' which in theory, will inhibit these companies divulging any of your personal information to higher authorites. So in now way shape or form can you be raided, busted or cavity searched as long as your bills are being paid.
If your bills are paid on time without any delays or short payments-your good to go with whatever wattage your particular property can hold.

I have e-mail the above companies and more- with all the same reply. They are all tied the protection act, one helpful rep even gave me a link to the uk.gov site explaining the data act.

If this helps in any way, Im glad. If not-my appologise.
All The Best
Guvnah

 

[~Shhh~]

Thanks guys,

GMT- was just trying to keep clutter in the thread to a minimum. I seen lots of threads were people just add information that is not pertinent to the thread. Thanks for informing me of the absence of these growers on this site. I would'nt mind having a look at the thread you refer to, although I am sure that circumstances are different in Aus. I think they run on 240v though.

Guvnor- Thanks for that, I have seen a email from a few electricity companies that state the same thing you report. I wonder if they may view a real high consumption as a potential leak in thier network and may want to investigate that. But as you say in theory they should not be informing anybody with regard to that. I believe that's pretty much on topic there.

What about having a flip-flop 6kw grow running 3kw for 12 hours before turining off, then the other 3kw for comes on for another 12 hours. I've seen some nice DIY controllers on this board to use for this application.

Any 3-6kw grow lurkers out there?

 

[GMT]

Timmy is your man on this sort of grow.
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=27610&page=1
He has another thread earlier, but links to that one are in his signature.
Hope he can help ya, although he only pops in now and again, so you may need to wait for a while for an answer.

 

[green dreamer]

hi mate. In my previous house, we got a massive 'leccy bill, and I mean massive!. We'd not long been in the property, so it was a little worrying( i had a set up, nothing major) Anyway the suppliers said we couldn't possibly use that much in a domestic situation( yeah, right ;-) ) then suspended our account, and we got it for free for the next couple of months. They said our meter must have been buggered, but 2 readers both got it wrong when they came to inspect it!
can't get the staff.....
The point being, as long as we paid,(we worked out a payment plan) we could have been running 2 or 3 kw extra no problem. All they did was ask how much we could afford to pay per month.
They didn't give a toss about high usage, and blamed equipment.
I suspected the students next door were running from our supply to their house for free. our house was empty a while before we moved in .
I would be more concerned with the heat emmissions from such a large grow, personally. Here in the U.k. the rozzer 'copters are always on the lookout for suspicious light leaks with their cameras.
The vietnamese will never learn, it appears.
shedloads of recent busts and convictions are proof of this.
BE SAFE and good luck.

 

[~Shhh~]

Thanks GMT,

that a nice set up timtim has.


green dreamer,

cheers mate, that pretty much backs up what Guvnor says above and asserts my own assumptions about them checking out meters and the like.

What where you doing about heat emmisions? I have read only a little about flir and the like but plan on reading much more :wink:

The vietnamese will never learn, it appears.

I have seen many of the reports you refer to in the media.

Thanks again for your insight.

BE SAFE and good luck.

you to bro.

 

[New Holland]

I'm in Aus. My mate is an electrician, and he says over here you can draw about 60-70 amps without drawing to much susspicion. The max a residential building can draw from the street is about 100 amps.

 

[Guest]

My god 70 amps at 240 volts,that would light a good sized underground parking garage lol!

 

[Lambuster]

When I first got started growing at home, like about 6 years ago now, I used to panic about the least little thing...

Here's an example; I started off my very first set of seedlings in an old wardrobe I wasn't using, with a bank of fluoros inside, all located in a darkened room - everything sealed off light-wise. No excessive heat signature, no ridiculous power usage. The first day I heard a chopper hovering nearby, I was so worried that I ran upstairs to switch everything off! It was the middle of summer, so there would have been NO heat signature for them to trace, but I still panicked.

Nowadays, I've had up to 3 600W HPS running in the flowering room with a couple of 250W MH's and a 400W HPS running in the other room 24/7 - the only thing that bothered me was the jump in electricity usage - it didn't bother the electric company though - no mention of why the bill had risen from say, £40 a quarter to over £300...

If they ever did contact me to find out why the usage has increased, all I'd need to say is that I have a couple of PC's that run 24/7 in my "recording studio" (they're pulling about 500W each), and that all the equipment needs to be kept cool, so I have ventilation running as well...

Now I wouldn't say I'd become any less cautious, or take more risks with my grows, but it doesn't leave me paralysed with fear everytime I see a police car drive past or a helicopter fly overhead!

The other option is to simply switch to a different electricity provider if you're concerned that alarm bells will start ringing at the power company's head office. If you set up a new account with a different provider, then the "new" increased usage is going to be totally fresh to the new company, and they will just assume that this is what you normally consume.

In short, so long as you take care of the symptoms of high lighting usage, such as light leaks (a big no-no) and heat signatures (taken care of with proper cooling and ventilation), you shouldn't have any issues with being detected.

Oh, and don't tell anyone!!!! I had to move house due to security being compromised by a former "friend" - now, I don't grow on a really big scale like some of the folks on here do, but I like to have enough to provide for me and my own, whilst paying a few electric bills at the same time, but it would be enough for the authorities to give me a hard time, so I run a very tight ship now. I don't even post as often as I used to!!

Keep it clean and keep it green!

 

[New Holland]

SKELETOR: I'm currently planning a 12 Kw grow

 

[Guest]

Thats a biggie,about 54A at 240V

 

[New Holland]

Yeah, I consider it to be a huge grow. I figure that if I'm gonna do a 5Kw grow, I might as well jump in the deep end and do a 12Kw grow. I've consulted a close friend who's a electrical engineer.

He's told me with my current wiring from the street I can safley draw 100 amps without drawing attention from anyone. We're going to run 2 x 32 amp lines to the grow room (4mm cable) to a sub panel with all the appropriate breakers, timers etc. That still leaves me with a little over 30 amps for the rest of my house which is plenty.

 

[Pablo]

I went there once . Problem is heat . I had 12 600w per room , 2 rooms . 1 up 1 down . Seprate 45 amp to each room . Building this was a hard hard job. And ventilation , omfg , i lost many nights sleep and became a jack of all building trades . Ventilation was the pain , i used those large acoustic fans 4,000m3 job . When i first turned it on the mylar ripped off the wall , ha ha . I was in a residential area too. Not good at all. Lasted 9 months on full production , with all problems associated with growing but 10 fold. Buckets of nematodes for mite infestation. Never again unless it was a sealed enviroment with co2 , de-humidifier and A/C . Thats the only way to go large and not draw too much attention . Even then the co2 bottles need bringing in and that is a commando job . Go smaller first . split 1 room and do 1/2 and 1/2 , 4 weeks apart.Vent into 2nd room and add co2 and vent back in. Still shit loads of work but your get better return than full room at a time . Worked better for me as i had to do everything as partners were absent and useless with it . Good luck and remember many a solid ship has been sunk by loose lips. Tell no one.

 

[~Shhh~]

thanks! for all the answers in my absence.
i have been away for a while but this project is now iminent and i would like as much advice as possible to keep safe

my situation now is i have to start with 2.4-3kw with the hope of adding more light later. i think this is ok from what i have read here and what you guys are saying.

i am looking at some aircooled lights to help with heat signature, i also seen some stuffcalled foylon that is supposed to block heat signatures as well, it's only in the US from what i have read and i am not too sure if it really works or not.

there is something in the UK called c3-anti detection foil that supposedly blocks heat signatures anybody have any info on it? ie. does it work

will be back later!

 

[Pablo]

ADF(anti detection film) is the dogs nuts but pigs in the sky looking for grows is partly a myth to worry us growers. They will check out your place if they have been told it's there , maybe , but i don't think so really. Paranoia stops some from growing entirely . If you think this is giving you peace of mind then go for it , it's about £4.50 meter.
If the old bill think you got a big grow on they'd be round asap with loads of heavies not paying expensive fuel and running costs on deploying the helicopter . Loose lips , very heavy unexplained electric use or loss in your part of the street, non-filtering of odors , or walking in the front door with piles of grow equipment on show will arouse the bastards apart from that and a few others i cannot remember at the moment , you'll be fine. Good insulation, kingspan is great for building room in a room type set up.

hope this helps.

 

[~Shhh~]

high pablo

i guess that it is peace of mind when it comes to the thermal image blocking films. i did see a story on the news where police where using the handheld thermal imaging cameras to rome around streets in areas were growing was considered rife. i also believe these were used in the 2 week operation against growers that was put into operation not to long ago. it's these stories that give me the jitters, cost a fair bit for peace of mind at £4.50 no?!

hear you about loose lips seems this is the most prevelant form of discovery apart from sheer chance or murphy's law. i also agree with your information regarding grow equipment, pity i don't have a garage... smaller supplies are easily hid but things like CO2 bottles are a different ballgame. i did see small CO2 bottles.

i really want to go the sealed room route but money does not permit this for the time being. for now i'll be using aircooled lights and fans to transfer the air it's getting cold in the nights and get the ADF as a precaution if my measly budget permits it!

this grow will save me a shedload as i am a heavy heavy toker, so i guess all costs will be regained through not having to buy anymore weed. which will be a happy day for me that's for sure!

i seem to be ranting now, i am smoking some shitty weed i bought... it really aint doing shit so i am off to bed. hopefully these bad weed moments will soon become a distant memory.

thanks pablo your help & experience is welcomed.