Hey guys i know this questions probably been asked a million times but whats the highest electric bill you’ve ever had without getting caught or raising any alarms with the electric company? and if you did catch the attention of the electric company and they called, what was your excuse? what was the highest monthly average of your electric bill during a grow op? with or without getting caught? Also, what electric company were you signed up with?
Highest Electric Bill?
- Thread starter jronnn
- Start date
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
Smart meters. Used to predict electrical use etc.Supposedly. Lights on timers are a dead giveaway. Yes, high electric bills if you have not had them before can set off bells. So does thermal imaging used by cops in cars and in the air. Don't kid yourself that some jurisdictions do not begin investigations because of juice use. My highest was over $400 one month but nobody came calling. If you are really worried just buy an old used refrigerated AC ground unit and set it up so it looks like it's working. One drive by and they see that and keep going.
qwizoking
Well-Known Member
When you start growing call the elec company. Or when yiu first move there etc
Simply inform them that you will be using alot of elec. As they may call basically to make sure nobody is stealing power or something weird.
Where i am, how much you can use is done by a grid 5-8 is where im from in austin. The avg use in your neighborhood.. many of my small traps have around a 10-1200kwh avg limit and around 14-15 they get a little ancy. But ive seen 3200kwh be the regular limit or like 120 a day, which isnt that much
As i was saying you call the elec company and tell them you will be using alot of elec. They will basically bump you up and change your rates, like if you were a business..then at that same trap its about a 2600kwh limit. Which can be raised again..This is how it works for water also, atleast in my area.
They really have no reason to ask nor do you need to tell them why your using so much elec, just that you understand you are... say you teach workshops, are sick and have humidifiers and extra ac units etc. Make some shit up if they want to know and you dont wanna be suspicious.
Two of my grow houses have smart meters. Still not a problem. Timers etc, its ok. If police are trying to bust you they may use this info against you like phone records. But texting about drugs isnt any more dangerous than growing. Unless they are already looking yiur good. And if they are already trying to bust you. Cool off, move cities..
My highest in my actual house, not even growing was $500 at ~$.10kwh. Its relative to your neighborhood. It may be different in areas known for growing like cali.
In texas, we can grow outdoors. Nobody is flying over. And indoors nobody's using thermal imaging. Why would they
Simply inform them that you will be using alot of elec. As they may call basically to make sure nobody is stealing power or something weird.
Where i am, how much you can use is done by a grid 5-8 is where im from in austin. The avg use in your neighborhood.. many of my small traps have around a 10-1200kwh avg limit and around 14-15 they get a little ancy. But ive seen 3200kwh be the regular limit or like 120 a day, which isnt that much
As i was saying you call the elec company and tell them you will be using alot of elec. They will basically bump you up and change your rates, like if you were a business..then at that same trap its about a 2600kwh limit. Which can be raised again..This is how it works for water also, atleast in my area.
They really have no reason to ask nor do you need to tell them why your using so much elec, just that you understand you are... say you teach workshops, are sick and have humidifiers and extra ac units etc. Make some shit up if they want to know and you dont wanna be suspicious.
Two of my grow houses have smart meters. Still not a problem. Timers etc, its ok. If police are trying to bust you they may use this info against you like phone records. But texting about drugs isnt any more dangerous than growing. Unless they are already looking yiur good. And if they are already trying to bust you. Cool off, move cities..
My highest in my actual house, not even growing was $500 at ~$.10kwh. Its relative to your neighborhood. It may be different in areas known for growing like cali.
In texas, we can grow outdoors. Nobody is flying over. And indoors nobody's using thermal imaging. Why would they
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Native Humboldt
Well-Known Member
My electric bill runs around $1200 a month her in Cali I have friends that run there bills around $8000 so I feel pretty good about mine. I tried to reduce the bill by switching to led fixtures but couldn't get the results out of them. I gave them to a friend and he does great. Now I'm running 10 1000s which 5 are double ended bulbs and my bill dropped 200 bucks running them at 600 watts for the first couple weeks. I feel like saving 500 a month with LEDs but loosing 10 lbs of finished flowers is a very bad decision, but that's my opinion.
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King Arthur
Well-Known Member
Yeah I know a lot of people who have some outrageous power bills, they are producing though lol. I wouldn't worry about it too much unless you can't pay the bill one month. Good idea to always have one months pay extra ready at the beginning. That way you never lapse! 
Pat1341
Well-Known Member
Highest bill was 1200 so far but that was 2 months of gas and electric.... I think about 800 of it was electric so I'm still around 400 a month
So with 10 lights you average about 1200 a month? I'm looking to move out to socal my girlfriend has some health issues that the warm climate seems to help a lot so was curious what a 10 light garden would cost me out there.... here it would be about 800 just in the garden plus the house so about the same
Native Humboldt
Well-Known Member
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patrickkawi37
Well-Known Member
Your full of shit. I'm doing a few more lights than you and my electric bill is 4100
patrickkawi37
Well-Known Member
10 light garden in California is minimum 2000 a month. MINIMUM . Closer to 3k would be on the safe side
SPLFreak808
Well-Known Member
thats one hell of a cut for 500$. Have you considered running 10kw worth of CXA's?
Native Humboldt
Well-Known Member
If you would have taken the time to read my post you would have read that I run 5 of my DE 1000's on 600 watts and also have solar. I'm not sure why your bill is 4100 with 10 lights but I would guess ac is a big part of it? I do not run ac and only use a hood vent fan along with tanked co2. If your bill is 4100 for 10 lights I would pull the plug because that's $12300 for every cycle?? I would just be giving it away with that much overhead. I try to keep my costs down so I can supply several sick friends with low cost medicine. Even if my lights were costing 200 a month each to run at 1000 watts I would still be around 2000 a month half as much as yours maybe it's time to take a look at your utility load maybe you have bad ballasts????
patrickkawi37
Well-Known Member
I pay 34 cents a kw/hr... Like most people in Cali. And I use dehus, pumps , fans, I have a room that pulls weight. 3 two ton air conditioners , a few more than 10 lights. How do you run 10 lights without an ac in California? Sounds bogus. I spend more than 12k on electric per run. You would pull the plug? Well I am not you. I just pulled over 3 pounds per 1k.
Native Humboldt
Well-Known Member
I live on the coast in Humboldt 75 is a hot day. The outside air is all that's needed to cool a room. Maybe I should hire you to consult I'm lucky to get 2 per light. I would love to pull 3 that's unheard of in my circle you are the man if that's the truth..
woody333333
Well-Known Member
You guys on the coast really pay so much for electric?
Thirty four cents is tripple the price of mine
Thirty four cents is tripple the price of mine
Dr. Who
Well-Known Member
LOL.......Suckers
I run about 10K lights on and the last bill was just over 500.00 (That will change as the Central AC is now in and running and another 3K in lighting will be firing up in the next 30 days or so).
It's set up as a business account separate from the home/Farm account. I have 4 other business accounts, 2 com grows and 2 shops...Each account has a separate statement that arrives in 1 bill and has a single total at the end....I get volume use discount that way!!!
When they asked about the needs for the new building. I told them it would need a 25K transformer at the pole and it would in the end be drawing around 14 -16K 11hrs steady with reduced use the rest of the day......The reply was..."Well then. The install and line hook up are free!" - $3800 saved there!
The point being as said by someone else above.....Contact them and tell them your going to be drawing more power then normal....If asked, BS them about an in home server system that your running several websites from and had to cool with a cpl of 12K - 18K BTU Tripp Lite portable AC's or something that uses higher draw. Now their happy about getting more money and not about what it is that your doing!
If you ever plan on a separate stand alone high volume grow op......DON'T rent a house! Rent a small building that housed a little Metal/CNC shop or Tool and Die shop.....High electrical use is the norm in that type of setting! No notice is taken at all!
Doc
I run about 10K lights on and the last bill was just over 500.00 (That will change as the Central AC is now in and running and another 3K in lighting will be firing up in the next 30 days or so).
It's set up as a business account separate from the home/Farm account. I have 4 other business accounts, 2 com grows and 2 shops...Each account has a separate statement that arrives in 1 bill and has a single total at the end....I get volume use discount that way!!!
When they asked about the needs for the new building. I told them it would need a 25K transformer at the pole and it would in the end be drawing around 14 -16K 11hrs steady with reduced use the rest of the day......The reply was..."Well then. The install and line hook up are free!" - $3800 saved there!
The point being as said by someone else above.....Contact them and tell them your going to be drawing more power then normal....If asked, BS them about an in home server system that your running several websites from and had to cool with a cpl of 12K - 18K BTU Tripp Lite portable AC's or something that uses higher draw. Now their happy about getting more money and not about what it is that your doing!
If you ever plan on a separate stand alone high volume grow op......DON'T rent a house! Rent a small building that housed a little Metal/CNC shop or Tool and Die shop.....High electrical use is the norm in that type of setting! No notice is taken at all!
Doc
patrickkawi37
Well-Known Member
That's why growers falling off the map. The guy that taught me 6 years ago made money getting a pound per light. Now a days in Cali a pound per light barely gets the bills paid . You have to be smashing the numbers to be putting anything in pocket now a days
woody333333
Well-Known Member
The price must be awful
Native Humboldt
Well-Known Member
Between 1500 to 2100 for indoor here in Humboldt
Damn I get rid of them here for 4500 all day and 350 a zip.