electricity bill killing me

My most recent electricity bill was $690 :eek: broken down like this:
Baseline Usage 240.70000 Kwh @ $0.11531
101-130% of Baseline 72.21000 Kwh @ $0.13109
131-200% of Baseline 168.49000 Kwh @ $0.25974
201-300% of Baseline 240.70000 Kwh @ $0.37866
Over 300% of Baseline 1,045.90000 Kwh @ $0.44098
I am running one 1000w MH to veg 16 plants; 3 600w HPS to flower 32 plants; 2 6" inline fans in the veg room (intake -- it gets hot in there, and exhaust), 2 6" inline fans in flowering room (pulling air through 3 air-cooled hoods, exhaust fan), one 4" inline fan (intake), and two circulating fans (one in veg, one in flowering room). Pleeeease give me ideas on how I can cut or make changes without sacrificing quality!

Ah, you too are on the socialist tiered system. Here in CO, it's all about the water instead of power, but it works just the same. If you have some dough saved up, you might consider getting solar panels. I've been eyeing a set up with a 1800W battery & solar panel, which costs about $1600. I'm not selling them or anything, but it seems like a solid system. Should be able to power one light easily off the set up. The big drawback though is that typically solar panels have about a four year payoff on investment. But if you have the moolah and are just trying to keep power usage down, a few of those units can sure help. I've put the link below for you to check out. You can have this wired into your domestic panel, and it'll feed electricity to your power panel as it's generated from the solar panel. Or you could just plug in the light directly to it.

Solar Generator - Amazing Solar Generator Is Like Having A Secret Power Plant Hidden In Your Home.

Growing outdoors or unplugging some of your equipment is likely the only noticible change you can bring-about without spending big bucks on alternatives. (wind or solar power)

Have you thought about a power amp? (or perhaps it was pre-amp...not sure) Have heard of their use for years, but never really looked into it, myself.

I grow with 400 watters, and quality isn't an issue. :jointsmile:

I have to say with the amount you are growing If any isnt for personal use your friends will 'help' ahem you pay the electric bill surely..

Alot of plants need alot of light, and alot of lights need alot of power which means alot of cash.
I suppose you could do a mate or two a favour and grow some on his behalf and for doing that work out some kind of split of the bills.
That way you technically arent selling anything.

Or there is an alternative if its possible for you, why not buy a generator, that way you can powwer all your lights from it, but as its just 1 unit you bills would go down by roughly 30-40% (drawbacks is the size and the cost, and the noise)

Good luck anyway dude

man,my rates are nowhere near those! unplug some of the toys or just bite it?

your bill auctually sounds about right,this is an expensive gig,the only thing i could say is maybe try to eliminate some of your fans,using a pasive intake exhaust from the room through the lights and out of the building whal fresh air is naturally drawn into the room.........some one sed use a generator trust me not a good idea, your going to be spending more in fuel than your power bill and you need 2 or 3 generators because most will fry if you try to use them for continues runs,unless you buy something huge made to power up buildings in case of power failure,wich run about 80-380 grand.

oh i forgot one thing that might help, call pg&e and ask them to install a smart meter,tell them that you use a lot more power at night maybe to power a pool and thats the only time you run your airconditioning they will come out and replace your old meter with a smart meter

you could consider replacing the 1000w with some t5 flouros for veg. then you dont have to run an inline fan to cool that light down. i replaced a 400w with 2 t5 lamps and i noticed my electric bill lowered

I know the Energy Company in my area offers Packages for heavy users. Give them a call and see what they offer. I think the package they offered was a discounted rate if i used 80% of my power during offpeak times. Lemme know how it goes. thx

Would electric generators cost more?

Hi i just had a look at some generators on ebay and initially the cost for them is high but your bill would go down so if youre going keep growing over time you will save far more than the generator costs (i mean they even sell 'LPG' fuelled generators)
So for generators your choice is:-
1-ELECTRIC
2-LPG
3-PETROL
4-SOLAR (THOUSANDS)

aLSO TAKE A LOOK at some more 'efficient' fans if you can cos some fans cost a fortune to run, compare output wattage on a few compared to yours.

Good luck dude, and post some pics when you get it sorted.

with the amount your growing, come harvest day, or a few months later after the cure and that bill will be paid.
I would not sweat it. you could do some crazy wiring and make your meter run backwards. thats kind of a joke, but I have seen it done. you risk big trouble.
seriously after the cure, with that kind of set up things will be paid for. I freaked out to my first time seeing my electric bill. now it does not bother me, cause after that cure my friends are happy.
the 1000 for t5's is a good idea.
even two 400 would be better than a 1000.
smoke a joint and be patient, harvest day you will be so happy.
I wish i had that kind a light.
don't mess with your meter that really was a joke.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cptcannabis

Ah, you too are on the socialist tiered system. Here in CO, it's all about the water instead of power, but it works just the same. If you have some dough saved up, you might consider getting solar panels. I've been eyeing a set up with a 1800W battery & solar panel, which costs about $1600. I'm not selling them or anything, but it seems like a solid system. Should be able to power one light easily off the set up. The big drawback though is that typically solar panels have about a four year payoff on investment. But if you have the moolah and are just trying to keep power usage down, a few of those units can sure help. I've put the link below for you to check out. You can have this wired into your domestic panel, and it'll feed electricity to your power panel as it's generated from the solar panel. Or you could just plug in the light directly to it.

Solar Generator - Amazing Solar Generator Is Like Having A Secret Power Plant Hidden In Your Home.

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here is an interesting article
The Alex Jones "Solar Backup Generator" ripoff! | Trado

as a fulltime RVer, and longtime grower, let me assure you, that solar power is NOT a growing option :wtf: ... if you're wealthy enough, to buy that much solar power, it will be cheaper, to just buy your herb from another grower ... :smokin: