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Landlord pays my electrical bill. Is a 600watt grow "safe"???

Zen Master

Cannasseur
Veteran
Fucking 25 cents a kwh? Jeebus.

I couldn't fathom paying that much. I pay a little less than 6 cents per kwh. Under a hundred bucks a month for 1kw veg and 3kw bloom.

yeah I can only dream of those rates.

and another poster on these forums thinks the cost is inflated because "ya just water plants man".

hell my 1kw costs nearly $150 a month to run. and that's just 1kw, not the veg to go along with it.
 
I

Iron_Lion

I just had a successful op in a studio apt. We had 7 42w compact flouro's and a 25w t-5 for clones going 24-7 since Dec. of last year. Not to mention the 4'' vortex,lol. We also cooked out of a microwave and had 2 guys living in the space. We worked from home so the computers and internet and everything was always on, we have 2 monitors each and all kinds of extra gadgets and gizmo's. We also are charging 2 cellphones and listing to the stereo loud :)
Remember one thing. No one except you knows what your doing. Its not a given that your bill increasing means GROWER ,lol. Be cool, be smart and you should have no problems. I mean we just BLEW up a studio in Los angeles, no one had a clue. I mean not a word, from anyone.Not a peep about the electric bill from the landlord OR the girl we subleted it from.
I am currently in a bigger better space, same deal though. Landlord pays all utilities. :)
We r going with the same veg setup, BUT adding 2 400w digital ballasts to the setup. Plus a http://www.google.com/products/cata...F-8&cid=8882273009819702384&sa=X&ei=Y8CkTcGxH
Im not worried about it cause the bill will be what 2 guys in a 2 bedroom are allowed :)
Our killowat per hour is .14 cents, give or take. might be 13.6 cents or so,lol

2 reasons why this advice is N/A, 1. you're in a med state, 2. all you cfls and fans only equal half of the wattage as this guy is asking about.
 

sso

Active member
Veteran
my landlord pays the electricity (its included in the rent)

i run a 600w hps, sometimes on 12/12 sometimes on 24, also run 400w mh sometimes and some t5´s

course im the only "good" renter in the building and ive done this from the start. been close to 3 years, so i doubt i will get bothered, even if i ran more. (even though its a 60m2 flat)

also run a computer sometimes 24/24, the computer is probably around 700w with the screen (big tube) if not more.

also have a 180l tank with 90w of t5´s running, plus i use the oven alot.

apart from that though i make sure nothing is running that shouldnt, why push my luck?

but that idea of multiple computers is not a bad one, puters run at least 500w today and thats without the screen.

but i doubt you´d get asked, as long as you pay on time, but hey, couldnt really recommend anything, dont know the dude, dont know the area.
 
Something important I forgot to mention in my original post... In the summertime we have to pay an extra $60/month if we use a window air conditioner. So I plan on sending in that extra $60 every month from now on, but not use my A/C at all.

But in the middle of the summer I'm pretty sure I am going to have to use m A/C to keep the temps in check.

Along with the 600wattHPS I will also be running a 6" exhaust fan, 6" cirulating fan, and maybe a 4" intake fan. I will not have any extra lights or fans going for clones. And I might switch out the 600watt HPS with a 400watt MH light for vegging to cut back on electricity. 400watts 24/7 for vegging, 600watts 12/12 for flowering.

Will my ballast be able to run a 400watt MH bulb too???


And to double check I walked around my apartment to check the meter and there is only 1 meter for the entire house. It was an analog meter, not digital.
 

Taxman

Member
I like to balance out my power usage so it's relatively the same during lights-off. I'm in a building with utilities included, and all the lighting they installed is mostly halogen so it's easy to compensate. In my kitchen and living room alone there are two six-bulb halogen fixtures, 12 halogen potlights, a 5-bulb incandescent fixture, cabinet lighting... altogether well over 1000W of power.

So I've got a lot of offset for my relatively small 250W HPS, 96W T5 and fans. I could probably easily get away with a 600W light in there.

Maybe this kind of approach would work for you, OP.
 
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Iron_Lion

Will my ballast be able to run a 400watt MH bulb too???

If you have an old school magnetic ballast than ABSOLUTELY NO!

If you have a new DIMMABLE digital ballast then yes it is possible, this will only work if you have a select-a-watt ballast. If you do not have a dimmable ballast NEVER install a smaller bulb than the ballast is rated for, this can lead to a fire, or melted bulb etc...
 

PoopyTeaBags

State Liscensed Care Giver/Patient, Assistant Trai
Veteran
im sure its been said but its 100% safe.. my computer that on 100% of the time is 1200w's alone...
 

Rednick

One day you will have to answer to the children of
Veteran
Check with your power company?
If this guy is legitimately renting out 'Units' then they would probably want a separate meter installed for each person.
However, if your just 'renting a room', then yeah....not going to happen.

In my state, every separate address, has its own meter.
 

DankSide

Member
Iron_Lion makes all the good points, not much more to add.

600watt is going to jump you 50-80$ on what you already use depending on your location and season.

Do you have good communication with the landlord? Will you ever expect her to come in unannounced? If you're sly you can work out a deal paying your own electric but having her take $25-$50 off your rent.

Biggest thing you're going to need to worry about is venting out that stinky air somewhere else. You better have big ideas for scent control in case the power ever goes out.
 
I

Iffy-Caradoc

You could look at the latest LED light panels. Expensive but low draw.
Good luck & fuck it, they can't hang you for it!
 
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