electricity use monitored?

hellbent1971

hellbent1971

New Member
Hello, am starting a closet grow, I just ordered an hps 400w switchable ballast that runs metal halide and hps. I was thinking of going 12/12 from seed in soil.
I am concerned that maybe the electric bill might be a lot higher and that the hydro company would notice the 12/12 cycle.
Any thoughts? Am I already too paranoid?
Thank you,
Hellbent1971
 
B

budfever

Active Member
Your just paranoid, they aren't looking that close to your usage.
Even if they were and asked just tell them you got a fish tank with big bright lights.
Like a reef tank, mine has 2 250w MH over it plus all the pumps......
 
jkahndb0

jkahndb0

Well-Known Member
Dude one 400watt light isn't going to throw up any red flags....

Plus as long as you pay your bills on time the power companies don't care... Except where the LEO monitor energy consumption...
 
Pcinla

Pcinla

Well-Known Member
Yeah, a 400 watt light shouldn't set off any alarms. If you continue to have any anxiety about the project, you might consider the 12-1 lighting schedule. (https://www.facebook.com/DanielBoughen/posts/102860063188799) There are some people who will give it the thumb's down saying it reduces yields, but I use it and I'm happy with the results. The schedule reduces veg lighting by five hours a day and flowering lighting by two hours. Obviously it lowers your power bill somewhat, but it also helps mitigate heat issues -- especially at this time of the year. It's good that you're thinking of such things in advance. Odour control is just as important. Even the low smell strains produce some odour.
 
Dibbsey

Dibbsey

Well-Known Member
lol they do monitor usage and would be able to tell that its on for only 12 hours a day if they monitored yours. but they wont monitor your usage unless your already being watched or if you have a very large amount of electricity being used for only 12 hrs or 18. They only warn the cops when its a very big change in usage at certain times. your fine tho its only 1 light :P
 
stvitusdance

stvitusdance

Well-Known Member
agreed! don't worry about it. i run a 1000 watt light (or two 400s, etc) and lots of fans and have been doing it for a long time. you'll be fine. the power company just wants their money. and as mentioned above, people have aquariums with high watt HID bulbs. i've heard orchid growers use them too.
 
TN Jedeye

TN Jedeye

Member
No one's going to look at your electrical consumption unless they're already suspicious that you might be up to something. Even then, a single 400w light isn't enough cause any problems. Just keep your nose clean, your head down, and pay your bill on time.
 
bwest

bwest

Well-Known Member
These posts kill me. If the police are investigating you, they can go to the electric companies and check your usage records. But unless you have an abnormally large spike in usage, the power company doesn't say shit. It would take a lot of 400 watters for it to register. My electric bill is 3 to 4 times as much as the previous people that lived here and in 4 years no one has said shit. If they do ask I will just show them my garage. Welders, plasma cutter, chop saw, work lights, power tools. all that shit uses way more power than a grow light. My electric is 350 - 400 a month, and i guarantee you, the grow lights are hardly a blip on the meter. Also have a family that doesn't know how to use light switches. Can be one person home, but lights on in all the rooms. look around your house, how many lights on? And unless they are CFL's, those are 75 to 100 watts each, some go 60. Sorry about the rambling, but the point is 400 watts is nothing.
 
brotes grandes

brotes grandes

Active Member
You will be fine mate. I know plenty of people using 600-100w setups whilst in the house multiple plasma screen tvs going ,pc's and house lights blaring and have been for years with no "suspicious" activity from cops or elecy companies. As stated always keep your bills payed as soon as you get em,make sure you eliminate any smells when you get em and keep tight lips about your grow and you will be golden hopefully for many years to come :)
 
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new2420grow

Active Member
One of the things I love about living in the sticks...they can't monitor by the hour here. It's still the old fashioned spinning wheel meter, nothing digital and they still come out once per month and write the numbers from the little dials down on a form. But, like was said earlier, you'd have to already be on the radar and be having some huge spikes for it to raise a flag. Especially in this time of year, it's going to look like you're running more a/c to keep cool.
 
hellbent1971

hellbent1971

New Member
Thank you everyone for all the good info! I appreciate the timely feedback! Great forum and Great support!
All the best!!
 
CoreyATX420

CoreyATX420

Well-Known Member
bwest said:
These posts kill me. If the police are investigating you, they can go to the electric companies and check your usage records. But unless you have an abnormally large spike in usage, the power company doesn't say shit. It would take a lot of 400 watters for it to register. My electric bill is 3 to 4 times as much as the previous people that lived here and in 4 years no one has said shit. If they do ask I will just show them my garage. Welders, plasma cutter, chop saw, work lights, power tools. all that shit uses way more power than a grow light. My electric is 350 - 400 a month, and i guarantee you, the grow lights are hardly a blip on the meter. Also have a family that doesn't know how to use light switches. Can be one person home, but lights on in all the rooms. look around your house, how many lights on? And unless they are CFL's, those are 75 to 100 watts each, some go 60. Sorry about the rambling, but the point is 400 watts is nothing.
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no lie man . last bust of grow house in town was 30,000 watts of flowering , 30000, that doesn't even account fans, and everything else for running that . and they did this for years , guess how they got busted? grew a bad bad , and dumbasses tossed it out in a trashbag right off of airport grounds. land maintenance crew found it , and not even that could lead them to him. but the piece of mail with his NAME and ADDRESS could. people you realllly have to be slipping and stupid to get raided for growing . $ trails and lack of common sense are thebiggest things I notice. just live your life like anyone else the way it is supposed to be and youll go unnoticed forever. bottom line .
 
Mr.Vega

Mr.Vega

Well-Known Member
I thought abt this one day when I saw the meter man wlk in my bk yrd to chk the meter...when he left I went out to see what he saw...my dial spinning wildly...oh no I thought....between the dank smell from the driveway and the out of control dial im had for sure....but then I started thinking a little more...hell man even w growin weed my bills like $200 a month...thats nothing...the company I wrk for pays like $30, 000 a month power bill...my mom n dads bill is like $400 (bigger house)...the electric company sees so many crazy bills they dont pay attn to that shit...they come to work do their job n go home...they could give a fk...im sure if the cops thought u were growin n wanted to investigate power usage would b easy to obtain so doesnt matter...if they want ya theyll get ya just dont give em a reason to come lookin
 
Sand4x105

Sand4x105

Well-Known Member
And anyway, the "Power Companies" are in the business to sell you as much power as you want and need, they like to make money, so they sell you more power with a smile on their faces...
 
Sand4x105

Sand4x105

Well-Known Member
new2420grow said:
It's still the old fashioned spinning wheel meter, nothing digital and they still come out once per month and write the numbers from the little dials down on a form. .
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Well, you saw how long he was there when he "read" it.... Now your bill will have the next read date... [don't try this trick to lowering your bill]----> see the 'lead' meter lock? cut it, turn your main off at your house, and now pull meter out, and put back in upside down... it will run backwards... run it backwards for one week, then next Sunday morn, you wake, and turn it back over... Now the next time he reads it, you will be billed for 1/2 your regular usage... Always pull out meter with power off.... Good Luck!
 
BWG707

BWG707

Well-Known Member
Sand4x105 said:
And anyway, the "Power Companies" are in the business to sell you as much power as you want and need, they like to make money, so they sell you more power with a smile on their faces...
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All the indoor growers I know in CA tell me just always pay your bill on time, they love making that extra money. Many of my friends work for PGE and they tell me the same thing. It's a tough economy and even utility companies could use some extra profit.
 
CoreyATX420

CoreyATX420

Well-Known Member
Sand4x105 said:
Well, you saw how long he was there when he "read" it.... Now your bill will have the next read date... [don't try this trick to lowering your bill]----> see the 'lead' meter lock? cut it, turn your main off at your house, and now pull meter out, and put back in upside down... it will run backwards... run it backwards for one week, then next Sunday morn, you wake, and turn it back over... Now the next time he reads it, you will be billed for 1/2 your regular usage... Always pull out meter with power off.... Good Luck!
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depends where you are but were all smartmetered now. so this doesn't work anymore ;(
 
Walter9999

Walter9999

Well-Known Member
Sand4x105 said:
Well, you saw how long he was there when he "read" it.... Now your bill will have the next read date... [don't try this trick to lowering your bill]----> see the 'lead' meter lock? cut it, turn your main off at your house, and now pull meter out, and put back in upside down... it will run backwards... run it backwards for one week, then next Sunday morn, you wake, and turn it back over... Now the next time he reads it, you will be billed for 1/2 your regular usage... Always pull out meter with power off.... Good Luck!
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Telling people to rip off the power company is very poor advise in my opinion...you're probably breaking the law growing weed and you're setting yourself up to get busted for stealing power...DO NOT HEED THIS ADVISE
Whatever power bill you have, pay it on time nothing more nothing less....g/l
 
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