how much power usage before becoming suspicious?

Drumfounded · Feb 23, 2015

How much power have you drawn at one time and for how long?

Really thinking about upgrading and building a larger grow but I'm concerned about the power usage. What's the most power you've drawn at once?

deadgro · Feb 23, 2015

I broke a megawatt for 2 months last summer during flower. I've downsized since then. Paid my bill no one asked any questions.

Drumfounded · Feb 23, 2015

What's a megawatt!?

Geronimo420 · Feb 23, 2015

I know someone growing in an apartment (4 1/2) he's using around 1500w having 2x600w + equipment and as grow there for over 10 years without any issues...
personally I own a big farm so it's much easier to hide a few thousand watt

Geronimo420 · Feb 23, 2015

Drumfounded said:
What's a megawatt!?

The megawatt is equal to one million watts. I think the dude is exaggerating a bit or maybe he meant a kilowatt witch is a thousand watts

Jimmyjonestoo · Feb 23, 2015

Just pay your bill and use as much power as you want.

Beezcheeze · Feb 23, 2015

I think as long as you bill isn't something like 600 dollars in a 1 bedroom apartment or small home and you pay your bill everytime on time you won't have any red flags. I run about 2200 in all for my flowering portions And 600 for my veg and I wouldn't want to use more in the town I live in for reasons

BarnBuster · Feb 23, 2015

and it depends somewhat on the "norm" of the neighborhood you're in and how closely usage/fluctuations are monitored

Beezcheeze · Feb 23, 2015

And if you have a red flag and it makes td way to the police. And they make their way from dunkin to pursuing an investigation on you for growing or what the power usage may be.. They'll search your trash, talk to your neighboors, maybe a helicopter flir flyby depending if they think it's a grow. Just my tips. Pay yo bill

deadgro · Feb 23, 2015

Geronimo420 said:
The megawatt is equal to one million watts. I think the dude is exaggerating a bit or maybe he meant a kilowatt witch is a thousand watts

Not exaggerating. A megawatt is 1,000 kW or 1,000,000W.

2,400W of HID is 2.4kW x 12hrs/day x 30 days plus AC and other household stuff.

Drumfounded · Feb 23, 2015

deadgro said:
Not exaggerating. A megawatt is 1,000 kW or 1,000,000W.

2,400W of HID is 2.4kW x 12hrs/day x 30 days plus AC and other household stuff.

So would you say two 1kw flower room and one 1kw veg room plus living and other equipment could push a megawatt?

Cpappa27 · Feb 23, 2015

My electricity bill goes up by 400% for 4 months and I pay my bill before the ink dries and I never had a question.

deadgro · Feb 23, 2015

Drumfounded said:
So would you say two 1kw flower room and one 1kw veg room plus living and other equipment could push a megawatt?

2kW x 18hrs/day x 30 days = 1,080kW or 1.08MW
+
1kW x 12hrs/day x 30 days = 360kW
=
1,440kW or 1.44MW

This is assuming all bulbs are drawing those exact numbers and on full power. Plus you'd have to add in cooling, exhaust, chillers, etc.

No one uses the term megawatts really. Energy companies charge by the kWh so that's what they say, kW.

Geronimo420 · Feb 23, 2015

deadgro said:
Not exaggerating. A megawatt is 1,000 kW or 1,000,000W.

2,400W of HID is 2.4kW x 12hrs/day x 30 days plus AC and other household stuff.

OK what you really mean is : you're using a total of 1000 kWh or kilowatt-hour over 3 month... and not 1 000 000 watt simultaneously like 1000 x 1000W lamp at once
as for megawatt dictionary say : Noun 1. megawatt - a unit of power equal to one million watts

oldtimer54 · Feb 23, 2015

If they've been made suspicious and by they I mean the law they can use your power usage to gain a search warrant or at a minimum intensify their scrutiny of you.....but as it has already been stated if you pay your bill on time and keep your nose clean and follow these 2 rules you should be fine #1 DONT TELL #2 DONT SMELL = NO JAIL. Hey the electric company is in the market to sale electricity they don't give a shit if your bill is higher than your next door neighbor all they care about is getting their money!

deadgro · Feb 23, 2015

Geronimo420 said:
OK what you really mean is : you're using a total of 1000 kWh or kilowatt-hour over 3 month... and not 1 000 000 watt simultaneously like 1000 x 1000W lamp at once
as for megawatt dictionary say : Noun 1. megawatt - a unit of power equal to one million watts

I meant exactly what I said.. I broke a megawatt(hour) on my power bill for 2 different months. No i do not run a megawatt worth of lights. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

GroErr · Feb 23, 2015

oldtimer54 said:
If they've been made suspicious and by they I mean the law they can use your power usage to gain a search warrant or at a minimum intensify their scrutiny of you.....but as it has already been stated if you pay your bill on time and keep your nose clean and follow these 2 rules you should be fine #1 DONT TELL #2 DONT SMELL = NO JAIL. Hey the electric company is in the market to sale electricity they don't give a shit if your bill is higher than your next door neighbor all they care about is getting their money!

Exactly, they sell power, you pay, everyone's happy. If you stay under say 5000w of equipment there are many ways you could be using that much power. e.g Finish your basement and rent it out, there's a couple of small grow ops right there.

RM3 · Feb 23, 2015

I have actually gotten a letter from the power co. that said I was usin 66% more than my neighbors, it went on to share things I could do to reduce my bill and save energy.

No one ever called or showed up, it was just a letter. I'm in Colorado so no worries there. But my point is yes, they know and no, they don't seem to care

GroErr · Feb 23, 2015

RM3 said:
I have actually gotten a letter from the power co. that said I was usin 66% more than my neighbors, it went on to share things I could do to reduce my bill and save energy.

No one ever called or showed up, it was just a letter. I'm in Colorado so no worries there. But my point is yes, they know and no, they don't seem to care

Of course they know, they use that data to see if they can sell you other products/services but that's it. Guess the point is that there's no conspiracy like the power companies sending your usage stats to some government agency or the cops. Cops can't just go in there asking for your usage stats unless they have a warrant. Don't give the cops a reason to obtain that warrant (keep it to yourself), pay your bill and you're good.

Metasynth · Feb 23, 2015

RM3 said:
I have actually gotten a letter from the power co. that said I was usin 66% more than my neighbors, it went on to share things I could do to reduce my bill and save energy.

No one ever called or showed up, it was just a letter. I'm in Colorado so no worries there. But my point is yes, they know and no, they don't seem to care

I got this same sorta letter in Cali, accompanied by an offer to have someone come out to my house to help to look for "energy saving possibilities"

EDIT: Didn't make me paranoid...sorta made me proud? I'm weird.

how much power usage before becoming suspicious?

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