Power Consumption / Light Cost

Niko Bellick

Well-Known Member
I am having trouble using the spread sheet you provided (im pc retarded) can anyone tell me how much of an increase running my 1000 watt hid would cost me? i pay 0.9 kwh. thank you!
 

KakKakKax

Member
Everyone touts the energy saving power of LED's, but does it compare?

There aren't many side by side comparisons out there so I did one between 3 LED panels and tested using PAR. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4I3bkkfBFE

This compares the strength of the Grow Panel Pro 300, Apache Tech 120 and the UFO 90 LED light arrays. The strength of the light in a plant's usable range is measured in PAR and tested at one foot using a quantum meter, which is explained here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosyn...
 

djdestroyer

Member
I asked this in another thread but I think I should have asked here:

Is calculating your total energy consumption as simple as adding up all the watts per hour, converting it to kilowatts, then multiplying by your energy rate?

For example and hypothetically speaking, if you had 12 - 400 watt lights, plus about 2200 watts in other equipment (7000 watts total) running 24 hours a day, you would be at 7000 watts per hour or 7 kilowatts per hour, correct? An average rate of energy is 7 cents per kilowatt hour, multiplied by the 7 kilowatt hours, equals 49 cents an hour... 49 cents an hour multiplied by 24 hours in a day, and 30 days in a month, equals $352.80 for the month. Is this correct?
 

lotsOweed

Active Member
I asked this in another thread but I think I should have asked here:

Is calculating your total energy consumption as simple as adding up all the watts per hour, converting it to kilowatts, then multiplying by your energy rate?

For example and hypothetically speaking, if you had 12 - 400 watt lights, plus about 2200 watts in other equipment (7000 watts total) running 24 hours a day, you would be at 7000 watts per hour or 7 kilowatts per hour, correct? An average rate of energy is 7 cents per kilowatt hour, multiplied by the 7 kilowatt hours, equals 49 cents an hour... 49 cents an hour multiplied by 24 hours in a day, and 30 days in a month, equals $352.80 for the month. Is this correct?
Yes its that easy and yes thats correct
 

djdestroyer

Member
So what raises the 'red flag'? Someone mentioned above that only a commercial grow or stealing electricity will do it... but what constitutes a commercial grow? Does anyone have hard facts/information? (Links to warrants, cases, articles, etc.)
 

hornedfrog2000

Well-Known Member
IMO commercial would be like 10,000+ watts worth of lights. Even then it totally depends on the size of your house. If you have a 4,000 square foot house you could probably get away with running 10,000 watts. A house that big is going to have a massive AC, Heat, Water, multiple friges, tvs, all sorts of shit.


I don't think they can get a warrant just because you use a lot of electricity.
 
if im living in cali & i get a 600W HPS system what will chances of me getting a power outage or breaking happening??? also, im not too good with this whole electricity thing but when i start doing 12/12 with a 600W about how much $$$ a month will i be looking at???
 

DocGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
Okay I read a few pages. What I need to know are the peak hours where you can save a little bit of $. They charge a lower kwh rate on the off peak hours I believe it is. This also changes with season I believe. Can anyone tell me these times for summer and winter.
 

RawBudzski

Well-Known Member
Hey Pimp, You HAVE to add in.. the FAN. :) at LEAST 40. REALITY 60. i run 2x 600s. fan, air pump and such. im at 200+ more on my bill
if im living in cali & i get a 600W HPS system what will chances of me getting a power outage or breaking happening??? also, im not too good with this whole electricity thing but when i start doing 12/12 with a 600W about how much $$$ a month will i be looking at???
 

RawBudzski

Well-Known Member
depends on where you live. where I am here in cali I is a flat rate. all day and night
Okay I read a few pages. What I need to know are the peak hours where you can save a little bit of $. They charge a lower kwh rate on the off peak hours I believe it is. This also changes with season I believe. Can anyone tell me these times for summer and winter.
 

Stalwart

Well-Known Member
I suggest using a clip on ammeter to check everything. The bulbs will become more inefficient drawing more power this will indicate when to replace bulbs and those numbers you might collect around the house become real distinguishing the difference in keeping things at different levels of operation. The clip-on ammeter takes the mystery out of electricity draw.
 

chazbolin

Well-Known Member
here's an inexpensive way of testing the actual connected load of whatever you have plugged in and it's measured in kw so you can easily compare it to what you should be paying the utility.
http://www.allegromedical.com/gift-ideas-c573/kill-a-watt-electricity-usage-monitor-kilowatt-hour-meter-p502910.html?engine=froogle&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=feed&CS_003=9164468&CS_010=ff8080810ea9fb31010eaac05049022f&gdftrk=gdfV21244_a_7c477_a_7c2937_a_7c502910



I suggest using a clip on ammeter to check everything. The bulbs will become more inefficient drawing more power this will indicate when to replace bulbs and those numbers you might collect around the house become real distinguishing the difference in keeping things at different levels of operation. The clip-on ammeter takes the mystery out of electricity draw.
 

Michael J

Member
Just started a grow, so called the elect. CO. and told them I was going to start working out of my shop that has its own meter, can you save me any money?? Yes they replied, asked me a few questions and then sujested a plan, where I use it most from 10pm to 6am and save 6 too 8 cents a killawatt or something, but they have to use a special meter that lets them know what hours the watts are being used and such. hoping to save alot. MJ
 

adamic

Member
what brand of LED light did you buy? I bought four of the Kessils and every one of them has burnt up lamps within 4 months. I'm back to HID for now but looking for a better lower cost to operate alternative.
your post is fantastic.[FONT=&quot]The advent of LED grow lights for indoor plants has changed the way we garden[/FONT]
 

Serapis

Well-Known Member
That is what tax payers are for ;)

The yellow type you get on most streets and roads. I know they are sodium or something so that they are low-power consumption, and that they have light sensors to switch themselves on and off... but still must cost a bit to run just one streetlamp.
 
Top