Max watts to use in a 3br house?

[Macster2]

Electric use will be used against you but they probably found you through a snitch first then subpenoed your electric bill

 

[Dozja_Budo]

Do electric companies really have the right to do shit liek this. How do you know they snitched. Do the cops tell you that you were busted due to electric usage. Is that even enough to get a warrant? Does the warrant state anything about electric usage? Is someone lieng to you? Did they do a knock and talk and just say that they been monitoring electric usage... or what is the situation?

Yes they have the right to do this it is not right but they do it any way the cops look at the bills and if there over so many Kwhrs they investaget not enough to get a warrant but once they have that thay say they have witnesed "SUSPICOUS ACTIVITY" not shure if thats how the got the warent for me all I was ever told was the electric. No knock and talk just beat the door down I missed them by about 5 minets or they waited for me to leave porbaly not the case just got lucky. There is a link on here about austin energy fucking nazis!

 

[EasyBakeIndica]

There is a link on here about austin energy fucking nazis!

So you were busted by Austin Energy?

I'm only interested because it seems different areas are focusing on different ways. I read an article about a year ago where they were checking water bills in Florida. Michigan is using FLIR.

Were you paying for the electricity? That's the only way I can imagine they would get a search warrant, without supporting evidence. If you were paying, than they may have dug through you trash and found something. That's where they usually score the final evidence.

 

[Dozja_Budo]

I think FVK answered but here is one link.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=73074&highlight=email+usage

I have heard of other stories as well. I admit I hear alot more about houses on fire, or some other act that gets grows busted. BUT, I have not heard about this guy in Austin getting slammed so how many agencies will follow in his footsteps? How many power companies will tell LEO to fuck off w/o a warrant?

Basically it is a small percentage but for how long?

This is it

 

[Dozja_Budo]

So you were busted by Austin Energy?

I'm only interested because it seems different areas are focusing on different ways. I read an article about a year ago where they were checking water bills in Florida. Michigan is using FLIR.

Were you paying for the electricity? That's the only way I can imagine they would get a search warrant, without supporting evidence. If you were paying, than they may have dug through you trash and found something. That's where they usually score the final evidence.

Yes I paid the bill on time every month in full. It was an $800 bill in the summer thow. I was not stealing it. If they looked in the trash all they would find is bullshit. I never throw any thing that had to do with the grow away took it to the dump.

 

[EasyBakeIndica]

Yes I paid the bill on time every month in full. It was an $800 bill in the summer thow. I was not stealing it. If they looked in the trash all they would find is bullshit. I never throw any thing that had to do with the grow away took it to the dump.

Thanks for the response, this is very helpful. I believe you paid your bill, I know of others who have had the electricity bring LEO onto them, and they were running less than 10k.

Were there any windows covered up, extra a/c units or anything else suspicious that could have given them warrant to kick in your door? Even in the most draconian states, they normally perform knock&talks with electricity tips.

Did you have an attorney review the search warrant?

 

[Dozja_Budo]

Were there any windows covered up, extra a/c units or anything else suspicious that could have given them warrant to kick in your door? Even in the most draconian states, they normally perform knock&talks with electricity tips.

Did you have an attorney review the search warrant?

Yeah windows had the blinds in them them and a pice of plywood scerwed to the wall on the inside then cocked around them no light leaks. I used the centreal a/c unit no extra units. Nothing suspicious going on there. I did not use any air filtters but the uther grow houses on the street never did. We did not have to worry about the smell to much. So if they came up to the house they my have got a little whif not to bad thow. The attorney said its warrant is legal.

 

[EasyBakeIndica]

Sorry for the bust. Thanks for the details. K+

 

[jamaican fro]

Thanks for sharing the info dozja. sorry about that terrible luck to . that's really shitty. after reading through the forums im starting to think 6000w might be a bit overkill. probably looking at around 4200-4300w now. seems a bit more realistic and on the safe side. Last thing i want is to wind up getting screwed over because i pay my bills

 

[Dozja_Budo]

Yeah i thought they could use a good paying cust. I was worng. Use light rails they save money and cover 2 lights for the price of one. Stay safe

 

[Macster2]

Sounds like your street had a little of attention brought on it as you state there were other grows in the area and there you are with boarded up windows and no smell controls.And a high electric bill. I'd have my lawyer cover in detail discovery maybe he can find a technicality
Good luck

 

[G33k Speak]

rule of thumb is usually 1000 watts per bedroom.

i would stick around to 4000-6000watts of grow power.


I ran 9 lights in total (4800 watts) not including the 2 AC's in a 2 bedroom full basement home. never had a problem, and my bill would be between $450-$650 if i remember correctly (give or take).

what were you paying per KWH??

 

[headiez247]

for what its worth, i put up 14kwatts in a greenhouse (tomatoes). it took about 2 months for the drug task force to show up.

that is very interesting. no leaks to anyone and task force just showed up one day at your door asking about energy useage?

 

[007grow]

I currently run 10K+ just in lights and am really anxious to find another spot, since they put in the digital meter.

the digital meter upgrade is a tell tale sign that your usage is being noticed, I did some research just using google you will find that the digi meters can send data back and basically detect power theft its a trip.

 

[jamaican fro]

hmmm.. interesting info 007. So it's just power companies cracking down on energy theft?
In other words no real worries if you've got a grow running?

 

[yamaha_1fan]

the digital meter upgrade is a tell tale sign that your usage is being noticed, I did some research just using google you will find that the digi meters can send data back and basically detect power theft its a trip.

So what you are trying to say is that I am being singled out and now my usage is being monitored even closer?

 

[G33k Speak]

the digital meter upgrade is a tell tale sign that your usage is being noticed, ......

Digital meters are being phased in around the U.S. and in Canada. Some places are slated to be completely changed over by 2010.

They can monitor usage by the hour, which would in theory make it super easy to identify a grow op. Normal usage would be peaks and valleys... grow op has big 12 hour blocks of usage. Who else is pulling that kind of juice @ 2AM???

digital electric meter
jfgi