how much is too much electricity?

[dopet4h2c0]

just wonderin how much is too much and what can go under the radar... say 1 1000 hps for flower and 1 250 mh for veg and 1 125 watt fan is that too much in a 4 bedroom house? and what is considered a high electric bill? $100 a month $200 $300? in the midwest thanks

[Vancefish]

I think this all depends on many factors.

I've run a 1000w MH over my fish tank for years, PLUS I run a 500w MV bulb over my iguanas(UV). I live in a 14x80 foot moble home and my Excel energy bill averages $75 in the summer and $280 in the winter. I've never had any issues.

SO, I'd guess it has more to do with suddan changes to your usage then how much you use. I know my aunt had a gas leak in her yard a few years back. It was outside so she didn't smell it. When the bill came it was huge! SO huge they sent out a technician to ask about it. They ended up fixing the leak and just charged her for the previous months average.

Point is, if you use WAY more then you ever have and have no explaination why, then you could have an issue.

I'd suggest calling the power company to ask them how much extra it would cost if you were to buy a MH lighted REEF fish tank running a 1000w MH. They will generate a number for you. this "cost quote" will not only tell you what to expect on your bill, but will also give them a recorded call asking about the usage for a fish tank :D.

I never did this, because it WAS on a fish tank. Now that MMJ is legal here(Medical use) I won't tell them anything this time either. However doing this might take any questions they may have in the future and toss them, thinking you bought a fish tank. :thumbsup:

Good luck

[drudown11]

I really think you dont need to worry. Thats like 1375 watts, and thats not ton 24 hours a day.

I have a 1300 watt power supply for my computer thats on 24/7, and a 1500 watt heatter in my room right now. thats almost 3000 watts and the cops arent gunna bust me for my heater and computer.

Dont worry man.

[killerweed420]

Mine doubled when I started growing. Power company just sent out a tech to see if my meter was faulty.

[drudown11]

I just dont get it. In a world run by the mighty $$$ why would the power company get some of their biggest customers Busted? If you had a company and you had one customer who gave you 4 times the business than a usual customer, wouldnt you treat them a little better?

[redtails]

They usually only get suspicious. However they WILL bust you if you try to steal power so keep it all legit and pay the bill.

[Rubberbubbler]

no more than 1000 w per room in your home should not raise suspicion. Also tell the electric company you use a electric hot water tank and stove you will get a credit for this even if you don't use electric hot water tanks or stove. A electric hot water tank is like 4,000 watts.

[dopet4h2c0]

thanks for the info all.....just tryin to be careful and the heater is it on 12 hours everyday or just for a few....and doesnt the power company know if you have a gas stove of a electric because the house when you buy it says what the appliances are so i would think they know but im just being careful you know.....thank you all again any more info would be greatly appreaited

[Surfnbird]

theres no such thing...

[Italiano715]

Dude, if you want to know the approximate cost of running all that. Get your electric bill and check the kilowatt hours used and divide it into your electric bill cost. That will give you the cost of each kilowatt hour.

Ok, now that you have that number (mine was .14 cents) write it down so you can remember it. Now take the bulb wattage and multiply it by the hours of operation you will be using it. So you a 250 for veg multiplied by how ever many hours you run it DIVIDED by 1000. That number will give you how many kilowatt hours it will be (Example: a 400 watt lamp running for 18 hours will use 7.2 kilowatt-hours).

Now take the cost of each kilowatt hour and multiply it with the kilowatt hours used and that will be the cost of running that light for those many hours a day.

So for a run down, I have a 430W HPS running at 18hrs a day. So 430 x 18hrs/1000 gave me 7.7 kilowatt-hours....Now take that 7.7 and I multplied that with my cost of each kilowatt-hour (which, for me was .14 cent). That then gave me 1.08. So it cost me $1.08 a day to run that 430HPS on 18hrs a day. So 1.08 x's 30 days in a month and that gives me a little over $32 extra for that set up.

Do you get it? If not I'll be glad to do the numbers for ya if you can figure out the cost of each kilowatt hour on your electric bill! :D

[Rubberbubbler]

Italiano is dead on. Figure out your numbers and you will see its not that much. Good luck I hope you figure everything out so you can enjoy growing.

@ surfnbird their is such a thing but It may not be something every utility company dose mine dose. Sorry I did not stop to think that its not the same every were.


Who's to say you are not running a space heater or 2 in the cooler months of course. a space heater is around 700 - 1500 Watts a peace. Their are to many reasons why you could be using Moore power than your nabers. Like having a new baby or a friend or family member moved in or anything. They cant just assume you are using the electricity for illegal activity unless you are using so much that you can power your nabers house to.