Amazing invention idea for balasts and high watt lights

compguy

Active Member
So I was thinkin how people with 400 watt grow lights and stuff worry sometimes about the electric consumption and the pattern it leaves with the power company. Well my idea would fix that. there would be a large battery associated with it with different settings. You could set it it pull power at random intervals like a fridge or cable box depending on how many watts ur light is.

I think this is an amazing idea which would help a lot of people out what do you guys think?
 

razoredge

Well-Known Member
400 watt aint going to look like shit to a power company.. think about all the people that run there hot tub, a hot tub needs a 50 amp breaker and pulls a heavy load.. do you think the power company cares about that
 

doitinthewoods

Well-Known Member
a 400 doesn't use that much power honestly. So the battery would suplement when you weren't drawing power? You would probably have to have a digital ballast for that because there would be sudden surges, and the digi ballast would probably regulate it more easily than a magnetic. I'm not electrician, but it seems like a cool idea, but more for somebody who has several 1000w of light.
 

compguy

Active Member
na just one battery...its so there is a constant draw for 24 hrs straight and not 18/6 for those paranoid about a power company seeing the grow pattern
 

IAm5toned

Well-Known Member
it wont work.
fundamental rule of electricity:
power in = power out

like someone else mentioned, you still have to charge the battery. and since it takes a helluva lot longer to charge a battery than tu run on eflat, you can see the problem here.
the power you use is billed in increments of watts
a watt does not change regardless of voltage or amperage or any other factor
if you use 400w an hour to run your light of a battery you get billed for the 400w the battery charger puts back in the battery, regardless.
it would actually cost more and use more electricity than using the light by itself, because the battery charger will get hot... this also consumes wattage that you get billed for.
its one of those ideas that sound good on paper but in reality.....fail
 

JimmyPot

Well-Known Member
The idea is good now take off with it I demand you!Create my son!Today is the first day of the rest of your life!!!!
 

burlingo

Well-Known Member
:)

the idea's there....

just doesn't seem worthwhile. like people have said.... the consumption of a 400w isn't going to be suspicious to a power company, especially if you pay your bills on time.
 

DJBoxhouse

Well-Known Member
Listen, power fluctuation is absolutely no problem. If you're running an indoor op for 100's of plants, fine but I bet any money you aren't.

Unless you have reason, and viable reason to believe that the police are watching you, and I promise you if they ARE you have more things to worry about then how much power you're consuming, but if they ARE than they're not going to give two shits about electricity. Big screen tv, multiple computers, giant freezer and a fridge, alarm clocks, satellites, furnace, heating <- if it isn't gas all take up electricity.

A big screen television while turned off consumes more electricity keeping its capacitor running than running a 4-8 plant system. The power company is a business, they like money, why would they care? You bought a television, you're running servers in your home, you like to order cows by the half and keep them in small industrial freezers, w/e the shtick is unless they have reason for suspicion, you won't look suspicious.

Remember, the key to not getting caught growing is to look like and or seem like you aren't growing at all, so if your power consumption isn't outside of even the most stretched out norm, what's the worry?
Don't believe me? forget for a second the amount of power, don't believe when it's off it consumes? use your remote control.

Theres batteries in your remote, if your televisions off, how is the electricity from the remote getting the signal to the tv? Thats right. It's always on unless you unplug the bitch. It's definitely the way to do it I won't deny it, but 1. it's been thought of and 2. again, unless you're doing something more grand then a personal grow, all you have to really worry about is warrants. Or at least worry about anything that would force the police to facilitate one.
 

blackson

Member
The power company has no idea when you use the power that you use! All they know is how much you use because it is recorded on the meter.
 

cowboylogic

Well-Known Member
If you do not have an digital power meter then its difficult for them to get a peak pattern aways. And just one 400, thats not shit. 2000 is not even that big of a deal.
 

Sneezy

Well-Known Member
why not just rig up some solar panels to that "battery set up" so that they wouldnt ever have to know you were growning. and when the lights arent on it would push the power back on the grid so in fact the electric company would pay you...

Edit you could also implement a small wind turbine so that you are "making power" round the clock
 

d.s.m.

Well-Known Member
Along with your batteries, you'd need a charger, and an inverter to convert the stored DC into 110 AC.

Unless you're gonna charge this set up with solar panels, you're going to be drawing more AC through your meter than you would by just running your lights.
 

MacGuyver4.2.0

Well-Known Member
So glad i have SOLAR power and all my lights run for FREE. ;)
Seriously though, trying to use a battery backup or even bank of batteries isn't going to be very cost effective. The only cost savings you *might* see is if you were to charge your batteries at night (while peak demand is lower and Kwh rate is less) and then run your lights during the day. Problem with that is...do you know what kind of draw a 1000 watt HPS light produces? Even a 400 watter would run down a battery bank in no time. That's why I opted to have a 5.46kW Solar grid put in. My lights crank all day...for FREE. Only draw I have at night is the fans and pumps and they have a smaller footprint than any hottub or pool ever would. :)
 
Top