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
Yes!
1) Keep it to a small personal grow. Police just aren't interested in we who just grow for ourselves. It's a waste of time and resources to bother with us. And it's an embarrassing news story. So keep it to 2 to 4 plants and 1 light.
2) With 2 to 4 plants, you need no more than a single 250W HPS bulb/ballast. You could go even smaller on the electricity footprint if you use CFL's, but I've read they don't produce the same yield. It's a tradeoff you have to consider.
3) Start your seeds under a CFL or a single fluoro and go 18/6 with that light until you're ready to flower. They don't need as much light at the start. Keep veg down to a couple weeks.
4) Pick a strain that has a short flowering time. Oh and most importantly...
5) Tell no one. Your biggest threat is snitches.
Are you on smart metering yet? That could make a difference. But seriously, people worry too much about electricity usage. Unless you're starting a commercial operation, then all bets are off.