Power consumption, Help PLEASE!

[joedirtplease]

Hi im new here, i know this gets brought up all the time but i have a power issue.

I only have (2) 600 watt, digital ballast HPS lights fairly new for flower running 12/12, and 200 watts of vegging CFL's running 18/6.

I have (1) 6" HO Can Fan to cool lamps. And another (1) 4" HO Can Fan + carbon filter combo.

During the summer i use a 14,000BTU portable A/c, during winter I use outside fresh air.

My power bill used to be $50-$80 a month, now its $300-$400, its been no less than $300 for the past 2 years (how long i've been Oping for) , and the power company was starting to question me.

Ive switched from 1000w + 400w hps's with magnetic ballasts to these (2) 600 watt digital ones. but i cant seem to get the power down and am now very concerend with them asking questions.

2 600's isnt shit at all. i cant imagine using even less than that. might as well not even grow at that point. why would my bill be so high from this? I claimed A/c's but they said its pretty much the same, winter or summer. I claim ceremac heaters to cut down on gas bill. But Im still sketched out and not sure what to do.

Most things in my house are already all efficient and CFL'ed out. like i said bill used to be Sub $100. now over triples it, near quadruples it.

1400watts (2 600's + ballasts) x 12 x 30 /1000 = 505 KW
200watts (cfls for veg) x 18 x 30 / 1000 = 110 kw
175 watt (6" light cool fan) x 13 x 30 /1000 = 70 KW
100 watt (4" carbon fan) x 24 x 30 / 1000 = 75 kw
Total without A/C is 760KW per month x a high side of say .15 a kw = $114

add that to my original say u take the high side of $80. My bill should be about $200 a month. WAY better than what it actually is because it is 50%-100% higher than that.

Why? what do i do? should i worrie?

 

[Hogdady]

Don't know where your from, but many utility providers have a sliding scale for kwh charges based on how much you exceed your baseline. Do you know if this is the case with your provider? My kwh charges average 38 cents per kwh due to the amount over baseline I am.

 

[joedirtplease]

Don't know where your from, but many utility providers have a sliding scale for kwh charges based on how much you exceed your baseline. Do you know if this is the case with your provider? My kwh charges average 38 cents per kwh due to the amount over baseline I am.

Im not sure but that would be some real bullsh*t to charge nearly 40 cents per killowatt. are they out of their mind? I know my parents electric in the neighboring city (5 miles from here) is "Initial block" is "$.097070" for up to 100KWh, then $.132700 for any usage after that.

In my estimates i used $.15 and slightly over estimated stuff and I should not be anywhere near the prices im getting charged now.

Granted yes my electric company is different and do not specify energy costs in any of the bills i get, im not sure of the exact number but would imagine it to be very similiar but definetly not more than $.15 a kwh.

I was thinking of offsetting the 2 main lamps to run 11 hours each but to overlap each other so its a 12 hour light period. But that would only shave 1.4 kwh per day which at $.15 per KWH it would be like 6 bucks cheaper... not really a big deal
Also not run my lamp exhaust fan for the first hour of lamp use. and not run my air exchanger 24-7 but rather just during the 12 hour lights on time, and maybe for 1 hour at a couple predetermined times in between, (i.e. 12 hours on, 3.3 off, 1 on, 3.3 off, 1 on, 3.3 off and back around to 12 hour on) but again these are all minimal draws, 1200 watts of hps aint sh*t. I dont know how to reduce it anymore.

Its not like i can call an electrician tech over to make sure their isnt any issues as my op is kinda too big to hide, and to intensive to take apart kill everything and put into storage. I dont think their was issues cuz my preGrow bills were $50-$80 but now range 300-400 and i have had it as high as 500 on a couple occasions

 

[Hogdady]

In my estimates i used $.15 and slightly over estimated stuff and I should not be anywhere near the prices im getting charged now.

Have you been monitoring your energy usage by reading your meter?

 

[joedirtplease]

Have you been monitoring your energy usage by reading your meter?

No havent checked meter yet, but what would that do? u mean like flip the breakers and see if it spins? or just with my normal everything running - grow etc. to check it, but again what would the latter do? I dont think they are mischarging me for 2 years straight. And if it was just their prices high they wouldnt be concerened and asking me questions cuz they would know its not hard to hit those numbers, but i dont know think thats the case. I think my actualy power and energy draw might be really that high, but how? could the ballasts be defective?

I dont know where else or who else to ask for help especially over such precious pieces of information. These types of forums are the only place i kinda feel safe, and still dont want to mention where i live.

 

[Hogdady]

No havent checked meter yet, but what would that do? u mean like flip the breakers and see if it spins?

Actually, I was asking if you keep track of how many kwh's you use in a month based on your meter reading. This would tell you if your metered usage corresponds to your usage estimates. Also this would tell you what your average kwh charge is.

 

[Weed420]

It does sound like somethings wrong. It should only cost you $60 to $70 a month for what you've got going. Doy you run flowering at night? That is usually when you get the cheapest rates.

 

[joedirtplease]

It does sound like somethings wrong. It should only cost you $60 to $70 a month for what you've got going. Doy you run flowering at night? That is usually when you get the cheapest rates.

i used to, not right now because i am sketched that they can see when the power is being used and most of it will be like midnight and 3 am 5 am kinda thing would look sketchy too. why would a place use ton of electric at a dead time, and little during normal hours.

 

[Weed420]

I think I would look to find another place. Your bill shouldn't be that high.

 

[Hogdady]

i used to, not right now because i am sketched that they can see when the power is being used and most of it will be like midnight and 3 am 5 am kinda thing would look sketchy too. why would a place use ton of electric at a dead time, and little during normal hours.

You obviously have an analog meter based on your statement about seeing if the dials spin. An analog meter requires a meter reader to to read the meter monthly and report the reading to the energy provider. If this the case with your meter, they cannot know your high energy usage periods, only the cumulative total of kwh's used during your billing period. As I have already mentioned, you need to determine what your usage is (read the meter) to see if it is accurate and and what your average kwh cost is. Once you have done that, we can start looking at where the energy is going. Ball's in your court....

 

[stonehousemm]

One of the best things to tell them is you keep a lot of reptiles. Each reptile can use at least 2, 250 watt ceramic heating bulbs. For people with digital meters, reptiles require a temperature drop at night so that takes care of that too.

 

[joedirtplease]

You obviously have an analog meter based on your statement about seeing if the dials spin. An analog meter requires a meter reader to to read the meter monthly and report the reading to the energy provider. If this the case with your meter, they cannot know your high energy usage periods, only the cumulative total of kwh's used during your billing period. As I have already mentioned, you need to determine what your usage is (read the meter) to see if it is accurate and and what your average kwh cost is. Once you have done that, we can start looking at where the energy is going. Ball's in your court....

good call, i will def keep at eye on it, that digital meter sounds kinda scary. like it could know too much, its too hard doing what we do now adays, safely. Gotta look out for everytrhing, smell, sound noises, light leaks, energy bill, thermal whether legal or not its a great tool for them, sniff dogs, f*kn christ where will it end? oh yea water bills have been reported to be hydro related, high water bills, which i kinda have too, yet it totally unrelated. hell even your trash removal aint safe

i will watch it for a motnh and see what happens , match it up with my bill

 

[joedirtplease]

hey good idea too, maybe 2 eguanas and a dehumifier. i mean shit its only 1200 watt +100 fan + 150 fan +200 veg light +200 maybe for ballasts. but basically it just the 1200watt lights. could they really bust me over something just slightly over a 1kw lamp? i mean they questioned me... im freakin out guys, almost wanna abondon project and run high electric for the year or what not with nothing to hide. almost purposefully look for reasons to have a cop or 2 , maybe some electric dudes over. so in the future i can resume and feel safe.

 

[stonehousemm]

I can't believe you were questioned at all over power usage. That's fucking crazy. Fuck the power company, they should mind their own business. You don't have to explain yourself to them over what you're running. Do not let anyone inside under any circumstances. I just started growing since I got out of the reptile thing over the last few years but at one point I was running around 4000 watts and no one ever questioned anything.

 

[Hogdady]

i will watch it for a motnh and see what happens , match it up with my bill

You don't have to wait a month if your weekly routine is stable. Just check it after a week and you will have a real good idea......

 

[boxpipe]

My power bill used to be $50-$80 a month, now its $300-$400, its been no less than $300 for the past 2 years (how long i've been Oping for) , and the power company was starting to question me.

How did they contact you (phone? mail?) and what exactly did they say?

 

[Retired One]

I can't believe you were questioned at all over power usage. That's fucking crazy. Fuck the power company, they should mind their own business. You don't have to explain yourself to them over what you're running. Do not let anyone inside under any circumstances. I just started growing since I got out of the reptile thing over the last few years but at one point I was running around 4000 watts and no one ever questioned anything.

Not the best idea there, Brother. The power company monitors usage for all consumers, and when power bills double (or more) red flags go up. So they call or send someone out to look it over and you tell them to fuck off. Next step is they will report high usage to the local authorities, along with your profane refusal to allow them to check things out, and some detective ends up standing in front of a judge, who can't wait to sign that search warrant...good luck telling them to fuck off.

 

[Hogdady]

Not the best idea there, Brother. The power company monitors usage for all consumers, and when power bills double (or more) red flags go up. So they call or send someone out to look it over and you tell them to fuck off. Next step is they will report high usage to the local authorities, along with your profane refusal to allow them to check things out, and some detective ends up standing in front of a judge, who can't wait to sign that search warrant...good luck telling them to fuck off.

In this business there are certain people u don't wanna piss off. This would be one of them.....:icon_roll

 

[Weed420]

Not to make people too paranoid.lol But some police agencies have finder fees for meter readers if they see anything that might be drug related. So just be careful. Keep the place clean and really watch the smell.

 

[KanyeSux]

Hey noob here...totally paranoid about the police. I've heard different things about lights, that digital ballasts might help conserve energy, but then others say that's not right.

Before I spend a ton of money, any ideas on how to keep the bills low right from the start?

Thx