hey! all you electricians out there; I NEED YOUR HELP!

[Scarlet Sky]

ok, if you know me, then you know that i have had a problem with my power company. they are investigating my power consumption (which has always been high because of all my appliances) and they installed a new meter the other day.

they didnt ask me if they can do this, they hit my dog on the head with something, and supposedly are monitoring our power consumption.

can they do that? can they realy monitor my power, like how much is being used at what times and such? can they see a 400w increase for 18 or 12 hours?

i have plans to hurt these guys like they did my dog :rambo:; but, i need to know if it is safe to grow. i'll be using 600w max, with everything running, much smaller this time. 18/6 for veg, then 12/12. if they can see the power along and along, then they can see that there is 400w on a timer... i'm concerned...

please guys, let me know. this is very very important!

thanx!

Sky :abduct:

[foxysox]

If they want to pay close attention, yes, they can see spikes in power consumption.
Startup of a magnetic ballast creates a spike... if they want to be pricks and get on your case, I'm sure it wouldn't bee to hard for them to see it. I do not know if they can do it remotely or if they have to hang out and stare at your meter.
But just a 400? hm. What about an electronic ballast that doesn't have that spike, and keep a couple space heaters on a timer and say that you run them 12 hours a day, at night, to keep your ass WARM, and to fuck off?
As for the dog... WTF! You could really start a shit storm with that one.... depends how much you want to do battle... drop a line to the local humane society, lol! Get pics and documentation from your vet before the little dude has a chance to heal at all.

oh and edit, I would say to answer the final Q, no, it's not safe to grow atm. You might have to take that show on the road. Got a safe friend to watch the girls for a couple months?

[Scarlet Sky]

well, i fortunately found out about all of this a couple of weeks ago. i lost several killer strains, because i had no babysitter atm. i harvested all my plants early (rrrrrrr) and have everything out.

as far as spikes, my 400w's are magnetic; my 1000w is not. also, i have five geckos with day lights and heat lights and a heater and an ac on timers for them, very state of the art (didn't have any other ideas for the timers :D) and my power consumption is actually higher now that i'm not growing and conserving power. probably because i'm heating with a heater now, instead of using ballast and lamp heat. my 1000w heated two bedrooms, the 1500w heaters heat one...

i have pictures of my dog, she doesn't look bad, but has an enormous lump on her head, and a small scab. she's ok, shepherds are quite hardy... but i'm very very pissed about it. i've been thinking of taking a giant magnet to the meter, and letting all of my dogs run. when they come back, the dogs will rip them apart (they pack when they're all out, no stopping them)

mainly though, the power thing is not from my grow op. it's from two stoves, three refridgerators, one freezer, and several heaters and ac's (no centralized anything :()

so, if i can in any way convince them to leave us alone, i'd love to do so. any suggestions?

also, do you think a law suet is in order? violation of privacy, conspiracy, harrassment, and animal mistreatment/personal damages?


i'm realy realy realy upset about this. these bastards have fucked with the wrong girl.

thanx foxy, i realy appreciate your help :)

Sky

[stinkyattic]

i've been thinking of taking a giant magnet to the meter, and letting all of my dogs run. when they come back, the dogs will rip them apart (they pack when they're all out, no stopping them)
WTF, seriously this is the kind of thing I TEAR APART nOObs for suggesting... Physically harm the meter maintenance guys? They just work for the power company...they are doing a job and going home at 5pm to take care of their families... they get a work order in hand and go deal with it. That does not sound like the response of a mature woman.

also, do you think a law suet is in order? violation of privacy, conspiracy, harrassment, and animal mistreatment/personal damages?
Well if you let your dogs out, the lawsuit's gonna be on YOU.

Look, sometimes in life you just have to suck it up and do things within the confines of the law. Go ahead and talk to an attorney if you like. I highly recommend for any serious grower to do a little research and find a good attorney with related experience BEFORE you get raided! I keep one on speed dial. When I have questions like this, I can just call him up. It is worth every penny.

You came under investigation after you applied for aid, is that correct? You asked them for something and in doing so drew attention to yourself. The smoother this all goes, the better... just argue with them that you have the right to keep pet reptiles if you like, that's it. The dog issue, call the humane society or whatever and find out how to lodge a formal complaint, because THAT needs to be done, but beyond that, one of the biggest rules of growing is :

DON'T MAKE WAVES.

[Scarlet Sky]

WTF, seriously this is the kind of thing I TEAR APART nOObs for suggesting... Physically harm the meter maintenance guys?

i live in a small town type of area. the meter guy is the same guy who's been coming for three and a half years. my yard is completely fenced in, and i have a total of twenty warning signs up. they've been up since we first moved in. there is a note on the gate for people to ring the bell, but do not enter the gate.

this guy that's been coming around was busted kicking my dog after we first moved in. why? because she was barking at him. she was on a lead, and he walked all the way through the yard to kick her. after that, the power company sent out another meter guy to install a remote meter that they can scan from the drive way.

this guy is still the one who checks the meter. i can only assume that his sorry ass is the one who hit my dog on the head.


That does not sound like the response of a mature woman.

i know. i'm mostly venting; and i'm going through emotional hell right now (just went back on friggin antidep's) so please see through the bs, and understand that i don't realy mean it.


You came under investigation after you applied for aid, is that correct? You asked them for something and in doing so drew attention to yourself.

yep. i didn't know that they would put in a spy meter though... i have the lizards' lights on 16/8, and the heat and ac on 12/12. i'm hoping (not realy :p) that they do raid me, as the house is clean. then they can look like fools... but, i'm still trying to find out if they actualy can see the power from a different location. the meter doesnt' look any different from the last one, and there are no phone lines coming out of it, no antenna...what i'm wondering is if they just replaced the meter incase the other was faulty. they told me they thought i had a bad meter...

but still, the ass didn't have to hit my dog. my brother was home, and would have called her in if the guy had just rang the damn bell.

once again. forgive my morbid sense of humor, and understand that i'm as responsible now as i always have been, i'm just taking pills instead of smoking med. makes for a different 'tude at times....

thanx stinky, i have filed a complaint, they said they would investigate it. probably call the power company and ask about it. (small hick town; humane society is the cruelest of all around here)

i also plan on talking to the meter guy personally. i'm going to inform him that i'm installing a surveilance camera because someone came into my yard and attacked my dog. if he hears anything...:p

electricians, please tell me if there is a radio meter or something that they can spy on me with; searches are leading me in the wrong direction...:(

[stinkyattic]

As a matter of fact modern meters, if I am not mistaken, are readable electronically.

I have not seen the meter reader get out of the truck in YEARS. Gas meter either. I believe there is a transmitter in the new ones that they just have to drive around and get in the range of signals of the meters they want to check up on.

Allowing a raid is not an entirely bad idea (well my attorney would say otherwise!) lol, believe me, when I bailed, I was thinking to myself, lol, come and get me, Big Brother!

You gotta do what you gotta do.

Surveillance camera?
That would sketch them out even more... someone applying for utilities aid and then turning around and spending all that dough on a security system? I priced them out...it's not pretty.

[hayze21]

Hey Scarlet I understand ur frustation with a holes not minding there bussiness I will try to find out on my end on how accurate those digital meters are babes........:)

[Scarlet Sky]

lol, i have a cam, have had it for years (not sure if it still works...) but, lol, that's more bs. you gotta love my humor girl ;)

i know what you're talking about with the remote meters; that's what they put in here when the first incident happened (prior to that, we were still dino-tech). that way, the guy didn't even have to come in the yard, he just needed to pull in the drive. so i'm wondering if this new meter is a new kind, that can send a signal directly to the power company, or if it merely a replacement of what was there before. if it's the same, i realy have nothing to worry about; my grow uses less power than not having one (weird, i know...) and i'm paying the bill no prob now. and, i don't see us having a problem paying it in the future, as it's getting warmer now, and the tourist season is about to begin. i'll be working more than i can stand in a couple of weeks.

heh, you gotta admit though, the cam would probably make the meter guy shit a brick. he and i don't get along anyway, but his girlfriend and i do...;)

oh, and this may be a minor coincidence, or a major force of evil or something, but.... his name is.....

jeff :wtf:

[Dnutz]

me being an electrician and all...yes they can monitor your power consumption if they really want to take it that far. and with a remote meter...i wouldnt start an op...deffintely not now since you filed the complaint about your dog (which by the way is fucked up!). i would say wait for a while until everything settles because power companies are vigilant and will stop at nothing if you want to make waves with them...but usually all they care about is getting their money. if you pay your bill on time and dont cause any problems for a while, it shouldnt be a problem...especially after they see all the machines that you are running along with your gecko habitat. best advice...dont make waves like stinky said and let them do their thing until it calms down...

[Dnutz]

and by fucked up, i meant that the asshole meter reader shouldnt have hit your dog! that could be animal cruelty...but if there is no evidence then its not really worth it...

[Tokudai]

Meter Reader? When I phone in my payment/cc I have to go outside and write down the number and then actually punch it in over the phone, wait a few secs, and it calculates my bill and tells me what to pay...One more benefit of living in the sticks I guess. I'd be pissed about the dog being hurt, but the digital meter is pretty standard fare nowadays, but I don't think it has the ability to monitor when and what loads are requested - I guess it could be electronically transmitted, but since I have to read my own for them - so methinks not.

[Scarlet Sky]

hi dnutz, thanx for the reply; what do you mean about not starting an op with a remote meter? we've had one for over three years, and have had no probs. like stinky said, on their monthly go round, they don't get out of the truck, they just write down the number, and drive away...

and... i filed a complaint against the individual, and told them his occupation. i'm hoping the go after him, as he is the one that has the issues.

edit, tok, i think you're right... it just seems too sci fi. i know a little about electricity, and i know that unless they are mapping me 24/7, they can't see what's going on. even then, it would be in ten second intervals...

but, if they can, how is it done? like i said, there is no phone line, and the nearest station supplies about a fifteen mile radius, so they can't pick me out there...

[puddlecruzier]

they use a spotting scope to read the meters so they dont have to get out of there truck it saves time and money. sounds like they installed a digital meter. with that they can monitor your power it also lets them know when your power is being used not just how much you are using.
in my area the power copany offers it to people who wish to save money by using most there electricity at off peak hours.

i would call your electric company and file a complaint you do not have to put up with that.( your dog being attacked that is.)

i would put a lock on your gate

[Scarlet Sky]

new day, time for a bump. i need a deffinite on the power monitoring; i don't think they can do that, but i need to know for sure. the meter looks just like the old remote meter...

[stinkyattic]

Actually there are a couple guys on the boards who work/have worked for the power company but I suspect the initial outburst alienated them... re: pack dogs idea... oops...

It CAN be done. Whether they are going to put resources into actually doing it is a different story.

Anyway call your attorney.

[Bree1978]

Maybe if you think they are in fact monitoring it, you could just turn everything that you can when you lights had normally been on! Then they won't think anything different! Ha ha, I'm obviously joking! I would seriously call a lawyer if you can afford it.

:jointsmile: Bree


We miss you around here! I understand about the meds though, I would hate to have to go back to them! I'm praying for you!

[PharmaCan]

new day, time for a bump. i need a deffinite on the power monitoring; i don't think they can do that, but i need to know for sure. the meter looks just like the old remote meter...

Sky - This story is kind of incomplete. Apparently you filed some kind of complaint with the power company about whether or not your power bill was accurate. Is this correct?

If the above is correct, then the power company has specialized monitering meters they can install that record specific data about your energy consumption, allowing them to analyze the data and determine if there is a problem. (Anyway, this is what the power company sez. Hell, for all I know it may all be a ploy to pretend like they care about your complaint.)

If you made a complaint about the accuracy of your bill, call the power company and ask them what they are doing about investigating your complaint. Ask them if they have changed the meter. Ask them if they have installed some kind of monitoring meter.

Many power companies offer an "energy audit" where they will come out and inspect your house and tell you ways to save energy. If your power company offers this, get them come out. Since your house is now completely clean, let them have a good look around and see how you are using the energy - your timers and such.

[Scarlet Sky]

pharma, what happened was, i had a several week period of no work. we went to an organization that helps with the bill when they are about to shut the power off. they helped, but wondered about the amount (over 300$ a month for three years, lots of appliances and such...) and thought we may have a leak or bad meter. they replaced the meter, but have not been in the house.

i've heard nothing else from them, we are paying the bill regularly, there seems to be no issue...

maybe i'll just grow four tomatoe plants in dwc, and see if i get raided :p can't see as how they could argue about my growing hobby with over a hundred rose bushes and a 1/8 acre veggie garden ;)

stinky, i sent you an email.

bree, sorry for being awol... i'll eventually get back in the swing :p

[stinkyattic]

Got the email.

An attorney could be pricy. Mine doesn't charge me for advice as I already used him when I was being charged with a couple felonies last year- ironically they had never happened (police were a little creative in writing up the report after coming to my house and finding me bleeding and unconscious on the lawn) and the alleged 'victim' testified to that- I HATE HATE HATE violence and it was such a punch in the guts to answer those charges.

He quoted me $2000 for all the stuff leading up to a trial and then more if I had to go to trial, but it was very simple and I only ended up paying $1500. He is very inexpensive by most standards. And as for the outcome... sucking it up and accepting probation... I wasn't thrilled, of course, but I didn't need them investigating me any more.

It was a major sacrifice I had to make to avoid making waves, see? It's a tough game and you have to be tougher. Just part of the game. You really do have to give up certain rights and protections if you have a big skeleton like this in your closet.

That doesn't mean caving to the little gangsta attitude I see so often on the site, that of taking the law into your own hands. I actually had a couple offers to 'deal with' my nemesis the gangsta way... but that's not how I roll.

Growing cannabis without a permit means accepting certain hardships. If you are sincere in your belief that cannabis cultivation is worthwhile as its own reward, you have to ask yourself how much sacrifice you are willing to make to continue doing it.

Most attorneys will give you a first phone call as a freebie just to see if you have a case or not.

This is going to be tough, but if you can find an attorney who deals with growers, you are golden... Mine represents growers and dealers; I found this out AFTER I had hired him, and I have him on retainer for the future and he of course scolds me not to get too big for my britches and grow too many plants for personal use. hahaha glad he's got a sense of humour about it.

In your case I can honestly say that as much as you are justifiably upset over the dog, there's only so much you want to stir the shit, and filing a complaint with the humane society is as far as you can take it without REALLY pissing off the utility... at this point you are so high visibility that the situation pretty much precludes future growing at your location.

The suggestion of a voluntary energy audit is a very sound one. Remember, when you are both breaking the law and asking for help, you just have no choice but to suck that shit up with a STRAW.

If you even suspect a raid, NO HYDRO INDOOR SHIT. NONE. No tomatoes, no peppers, nada. This advice is courtesy of my own attorney: You don't want to be thought CAPABLE of growing so much as a Boston fern in your house if there is suspicion of cultivation.

Hindsight 20/20, but I would have done everything in my power to avoid asking for aid. Shit, my bills are close to $2500 a month and I work my ass off and literally eat black beans and rice all winter to have enough cash to even keep the gas company off my back. Last winter I was working 3 jobs totalling 85 hours a week, at the lab, bartending, and cooking line at a TexMEx place. I'm fully eligible for heating fuel assistance but I will NEVER NEVER ask because they are so likely to audit your energy consumption.

If you rent, it may be time to get the hell outta Dodge. I'll tell ya, I'm playing with fire growing so much as a single prize mother in a comprimised location. I'm prepping my house for sale at the earliest opportunity. I pretty much assume I have to leave the state.

Be tough, be ethical, deal with your problems with restraint. Revenge is an outdated concept from the times of duels...

Just my few cents on the subject.

[Scarlet Sky]

i do see what you mean about the hydro; though i hope they don't think too much of the tropical plants in the lizard cages...:D

i understand that i'm high profile right now, but i don't have anything to hide at the moment.... looks like i was right in my assumption; i'm going to have to wait until we move. oh well.....i've lived without it before, i can do it again ;)

hopefully we'll be able to move by the end of the summer. or, the bill will pass, and i can get a script :p

[puddlecruzier]

if they are monitoring your power they would have put a digital meter on there not just the one with dials and a little thing spinning i a circle

[Scarlet Sky]

they must be monitoring then; the meter (previous and current) are digital. lol, what a headline!

"...breaking news. a woman was raided today, and found with five exotic reptiles in a high tech setup. it was obvious to police that this woman was growing and breeding reptiles to be sold at street value. officer john dowe has his remarks on the topic... 'yes lily, good to be here today. we were given a lead to this bust by the local power company. the woman has so many reptiles that she can't even afford the power, and was recieving aide. it's amazing what people think they can get away with. the world can rest a little easier with one more herp dealer shut down...'

"when questioned, the suspect had nothing to say, other than how upset she was that her dog was mistreated through the raiding process.

"in other news..."

:p

[bongerstonerd00d]

<thud>

Think about it folks, power companies have 100's of thousands to millions of customers (depends on area), and how MANY power company employees do you EVER see around ????......lol

For them to snoop around and get checking power usage YOU "popped up" because YOU are being a pain in their ass, not the other way around. This is 2007, people have jacuzzi's, plasma TV's, multiple computers, water beds, central HVAC systems, what the fuck ever that use SHITLOADS of power.

Not all of us are Al Gore followers (thank god) and are worried about our "carbon footprint" or whatever it is he rants about. Hell, my wife has no idea what the "off" side of a light switch is used for, and if she does, it must be against her religion to use it or something. Using "too much or excessive amounts" of power is ummmm, well, how much is "too much"?

That said, I am not saying that if you decide to run 12 1000 watters on a 18/6 schedule that you are not going to get someones attention. What I am simply saying is that you have to be using some ridiculous amount of power to raise someones brow.

To keep under their radar all you need to do is keep the bill paid ON TIME, EVERYTIME. Period, thats it. If you pay by debit to checking you are an account number that deposits money into their account once a month.

Your name does not make "Past Due Reports", "Complaint Lists", etc. I dont know of ANY business that fucks with paying customers.

As far as the dog, well, shit happens. And if you read the paperwork you originally signed when they provided power to you I am betting my ass that you MUST allow them reasonable access to THEIR meter. Reasonable access being the meter reader doesnt need to worry about gettin his balls chewed off by someones dawg.

Call a lawyer. I bet he tells you to get the dawg tied up and not let it be biting the meter reader or they will see YOU in court. The power companies attorney's would much sooner sue you for everything you have plus 250K while leaving you homeless than they would to have their workers comp insurance pay an employee because YOUR dog bit them.

SS you started this, and you know that. Now you just need to wait til the dust settles is all. There is not a conspiracy to "get you" because you are using more power than someone else. YOU gave them reason to start snooping around, didnt you?? Had you been paying your bill ontime they would never have had any reason to even look your way.

I almost fainted the day you posted that you asked for assistance to pay juice bill while you had a grow op going on. That took a set of nuts the size of Alaska, made out of titanium none the less. Not to mention being stupid.

If it gets to the point of them watching your usage, then you are already fucked. Someone has done ratted your ass out and at this point they are compiling evidence to make their case. "They" being the law.




Remember, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.......


Keepin it green,
b0nger

[Scarlet Sky]

lol, bonger, you are a trip.

i have checked the laws and policies about dogs, and i'm in the right with a fenced yard and signs and an external door bell. the also have my number to call me if they need to get in the yard. when we first moved in, we made this arangement with the power company. so the suit would not be on me. i've been through it before when someone was stealing stuff from my garage. my dog attacked them, the tried to sue, and have the dog quarantined. dog has had all shots, and is on record, and he did not have legal ground to stand on, as my property is posted, and warns of dogs.

as for the aid. i don't live alone, and unfortunately, we aren't always on the same page; i found out about the aid after they had already gone through with it. i proceeded to dismantle then (bonger, i think you remember that...) and cleaned everything out. now i'm anxious to see the outcome (i'm rather impatient :p)

thanx for the input!

[Dnutz]

your probably good then. like somone said up there ^^ they read it through a scope type deal. but if its the old analog meter they have to come to your property. and like bonger said, they have millions of customers...i guess its really up to you if you want to start up the op again. but if it was me...i would be super cautious!

[4x5]

they probably put an electronic meter on so they dont have to send a person to your place to read it, which probably means they are scared to death of your dog, you should raise a stink about the dog hitting and make sure they don't bother you again.

[bongerstonerd00d]

4x5.......ummm, if you are growing the LAST thing you do is make waves with ANYONE. That includes but not limited to power company, animal control, law enforcement, property inspectors, or any other mutherfucker that may even have a remote chance of causing you grief. If you believe any differently, then you are mistaken.

SS knows WHY she had/has the juice peeps poking around her place. It happened without her knowing. She just needs to chill for a while and let the shit settle back to the bottom, not keep stirring it. May even require her relocating, but I am sure she will make the appropriate decision when time comes.

If the dog healed and is not uncontrollably licking his ass or dry humping her leg 24/7, I'd say fuck it and keep my mouth shut. You need to realize that all those meter reader/inspector type peeps cross paths many times a month. Piss one off, you piss them all off. Then you are fucked.

Meter Guy runs into Animal Control guy at local lunch joint in town and says "You know that bitch that lives on 121212 Somplace Lane with that psycho fucking dog.......it tried to chew my right testicle off the other day. If you are in the area how about taking a look around"............Well fuck...........Now you not only got power peep up yer ass, animal control now has a throbbing hardon for you..............just fucking beautiful.....It can "snowball" on you quickly, very quickly.

SS was venting in her first few posts. Its no biggie. She knows the whats/why of her situation. She had to make some changes, and she did. She be all chilled now and standin by to stand by..............


Forever green,
b0nger:D :D :D

:apachecopter:

Under the radar........not center screen

[Scarlet Sky]

bonger, you're right on the mark this time;

i had planned on not being able to grow, this thread has more than confirmed my belief. but....

there's nothing saying i can't veg a few out doors for a few months and bring them in for flower when it's all clear :p that's the nice thing about country living; plenty of places for outdoor grows. ;)

[BlueBear]

Hey sis I'm still lerking, and will touch on this a little later.
Hope you hang in there.
Adieu

[Scarlet Sky]

hi bear! :D i feel special now :p

[BlueBear]

So what is today's prognoses on the situation? Last I read you were just going to do some Gorilla out door farming. With all of the stuff I had in mind to say, this is probably a sound plan for the mean time.
Bottom line though, I know that it is no fun to have to get put on the radar and how it can mess with your emotions, family and every other aspect in your life so I just hope you can ride it out and be patient and soak up the info and advice everyone has passed on to you. Like stinky said for the most part, when you are in the mix you don't want to go making waves or you might get drowned. Just enjoy life and all you have learned over this last year and the blessings you do have. Forgiveness is a beautiful thing and wisdom is a nice thing to grow.
Bear hugs from Blue, Adieu

[Scarlet Sky]

hi bear! you're so missed around here, it's not even funny!

i don't know what i'm going to do atm... i don't expect a raid, i don't see why they would feel justified in doing so... i'm very low profile.

but, these pills suck, and street pot sux, and and and and. rrr, so frustrating.

basically, i have two options, both a gamble, one big with big rewards, one smaller, with smaller rewards...

i can do a few dwc buckets and veg them for a long time with 24 hours of flouro light, flower in two and a half or three months when i know everything is cool, or, i can grow some in various locations in pots, and bring them in for flower later. i have a loooooong time to wait for an outdoor harvest, and would realy not like to wait that long.

and, i'm also hoping for a much greater yeild with hydro. i have seen others pull a lb per plant, if i could do half that, i'd only need to have two plants going perpetually to sustain my needs. anything more would be surplus.

but then again, this isn't realy the time to be thinking of stocking up.

rrr, gotta love it. we're planting the garden tomorrow. and then i may take a hundred or so rose cuttings.

[stinkyattic]

Forgiveness is a beautiful thing and wisdom is a nice thing to grow.


Why I love the Bear, in a nutshell.

[Tomthehippie]

Hi Scarlet! This might help a bit! :)

http://boards.cannabis.com/indoor-growing/102514-faq-how-save-electricity-whilst-growing-just-lower-your-power-bill.html