what's your electric bill/ how many watts do you use/do you worry about it?

[schuylaar]

how about household bill used to be 1600$ a month.. with 5000w in lights.. .. but we had 6 people living there.. everyone had big tvs.. xbox360s or ps3s.. laptops desktops.. washer dryer electric heat.. electric everything.. id say the grow itself was only 600$ . but doing laundry for 6-8 people depending on if people had there girlfriends there or not..

so for anyone thinking im just going to start a nice big grow and make tons of cash.. lol.. it doesnt work like that.. say u setup a 20 light setup.. with minimal equipment and flip flops instead of 20 ballasts.. u pay 1400$ for ballasts 2800$ on hoods.. 1000$ on bulbs 1500-2000$ on fans and filters.. another 7-10 grand on soil . nutes.. wood to build rooms.. pandafilm or reflectix.. reservoirs and watering systems.. environmental controllers timers flipflops and such.. for 10 ballasts .. 20 lights on flip flops.. making a 20,000w just for 2 flower rooms.. then another 2 grand for veg rooms and cloning shit..

for a investment.. it ends up being like 20-30 grand.. for a OK setup.. with 20 lights.. if setup properly and run the right strains.. u can end up with 20-30 pounds PER room.. 2 rooms. so 40-60 pounds every 3 months..

but if u havent done this before.. and or have a grower who hasnt grown a big setup before.. u end up only yielding say.. 10 pounds per room.. and of subpar buds.. so instead of making a decent amount of money.. your first few harvests pay for your equipment.. and electric bills. then u can start making money.. but if u put all your savings into growing.. and then have bugs.. a fire.. or hermis.. or get robbed.. or busted... u can lose EVERYTHING overnight. and then your fucked..

this is why.. alot of people will tell you.. if you want to grow big.. work your way up to it.. start with 1-2 lights.. and build yourself up to 20 lights.. so by the time.. u have spent that 30 grand on a setup.. u wont have such a huge amount of work and a huge risk trying to make it work.. you will have already learned how to grow.. dialed in the strains your working with . and ontop of that.. you will be pulling in good yields with the lights you have.. and found the way you like to grow that gets you best yield.. and found what nutes you like and at wat strength.. like theres ALOT MORE TO GROWING then just dropping a bunch of cash on equipment and a place to grow.. and then just putting some seeds or clones in pots.. and watching your MONEY GROW..

ALOT MORE WORK.. for a 20 light setup.. it turns into 50-80 hour work weeks.. and usually u try to either do perpetual so u dont need to trim soo much at 1 time.. and then u have ur turn over rate at every 5 weeks you harvest 1 room.. and fill up the room also.. basicly while your shit is drying.. u need to be filling your room back up. the more time its empty.. the less bud u produce each year.. so the work isnt as easy as everyone makes it out to be.. to produce a product that competes with Cali buds.. and Colorado grown nugs.. u need skills. luck or a great MENTOR.

smart advice......*****thread

 

[gorillagrower0840]

In other words your brother is right if you use that many 1000 watt lights you guys will be arrested 15 minutes after you turn them on. .

Is that sarcasm?

 

[lumbo]

We've had digital smart meters where I'm at for awhile (years). I know a couple of people that do larger types of grows than I'd ever want to do - no doors kicked in yet that I know about as a result of the meters.

Don't confuse simple digital meters that send data once a day with the new "smart" meters which send almost real time usage data. If you do indeed have true smart meter you can go online and actually watch the graphs change when appliances turn off and on, lights etc. Any regular use of the same duration and same time each day will stand out like a sore thumb. Many people confuse the simple digital meters with the privacy invading "smart" meters.

 

[SableZen]

Don't confuse simple digital meters that send data once a day with the new "smart" meters which send almost real time usage data. If you do indeed have true smart meter you can go online and actually watch the graphs change when appliances turn off and on, lights etc. Any regular use of the same duration and same time each day will stand out like a sore thumb. Many people confuse the simple digital meters with the privacy invading "smart" meters.

Yeah I can log into my account and check current kWh usage and all that - it's definitely not just a once a day update. I can also tell the real-time kWh usage by counting the number of flashes on part of the digital display on the meter itself (and doing the math) - there is also an IR bulb on the front that flashes according to real-time usage as well I noticed. One normally wouldn't see or notice it without some sort of IR viewing capability like from a camera or goggles. We also have peak and off-peak rates and what-not - it sends usage according to time so you can be billed appropriately. I'm pretty sure it's a smart meter but I could be mistaken.

 

[lumbo]

Wow, you are definately right, it is a smart meter. I guess they are more prolific than I thought. Appologize for questioning your post. Best wishes.

 

[kinddiesel]

guys 3 homes here. one is average 700 winter other 1500 in the winter ! other 1100 winter summer add 300 to each house . I also help out some patients gave them free equipment and plants so on . I get big thanks free dinner place to stay hide out if needed if the wife is looking for me joke .and so on . they pull 9 ounces every 8 weeks off of 75 dollars extra a month . two t5 450 watt lights . no ac needed . or dehumidifier. what can you do ? the bill is the bill. also that gas bill for the co2 generators is average 65 a month house . .................................................................................................................................................................... all info is related to ghost chilly peppers