I already stated previously I will NOT disclose my exact source of information although I hinted quiet a bit of it.
Is that clear enough for you!?
Take it for what it is, or don't.
Good way of thinking although not how they do it.
First of all keep in mind it depends on who your electricity provider is.
Although I may have listed one or the other throughout this thread that does not mean they have not changed their policy.
Specifically in Florida there is @ least one electric provider who is "in bed" with the administration in charge of pursuing growing pot.
That company is actively participating in training exercises how to recognize "unusual" power consumption.
The above is valid as of today.
Now what does this have to do with your question?
If you are running a 4kw setup you are going through anywhere between a few hundred bucks in electricity a month up to 7 or 800 dollars (assuming 1kw costs the rough average of 11 cents/hour, much higher in Cali for example).
All depending on if your hoods are vented or not, if you have an AC & how much it is running, whether you have a dehumidifier - or not.
Those are the major power users.
Every time especially an inductive electricity user turns on you will have a power spike. Whether that be your fridge, your dish washer, your water heater, your TV, your house AC etc. blah blah.
If you are running 2kw on one set of bulbs for 12 hours and switch to another set after 12 hours...you still will have a spike firing up that second set of bulbs.
That spike will be xyz high depending on the ballasts (magnetic or not) and their efficiency, the wattage of the bulbs used and a few more factors.
In other words (and I am sure you have realized that yourself by now) what ever spikes your grow is creating they will be a very minor "giveaway" for your growing operation.
Your "12 hour cycle" is being "interrupted" by PLENTY spikes throughout the day and night.
On the good side:
You have been running your set-up without getting caught hence you have been paying your bill so just keep doing the same thing Smart Meter or not.
Depending on the type of Smart Meter you are going to get it might not even be programmed to be one of those "tricked out" units causing the electricity user "letting his pants down" about his/her usage.
Not that you have much of a choice in first place.....
No no it's not just "hearsay".
These are actual facts.
However it simply has to be taken for granted what I stated.
I will not disclose certain info about where I know this stuff from potentially leading to compromising my (previous) association with that place.
To answer your actual question:
"profile suspicious consumption" - I like how you boiled it down to that phrase!
But please realize I cannot speak for an entire country or even globally regarding how it is/can be done.
Some electricity providers don't do squat, no matter how much you burn through, Smart Meter or not.
Others have full fledged investigation teams (& software) who's full time job it is to look for those "profile suspicious consumptions" which MIGHT include patterns such as "total volume, or any other patterns, hours, etc."
You just won't know UNLESS you have specific knowledge from/about YOUR specific provider which keep in mind might change @ any given time.
Like another established IC member in this thread already posted some time back:
His brother works (or worked?) for a provider who just doesn't care...as long as you pay your bill!
Now the above certainly DOES raise a red flag.
That's what happens when you steal electricity...Here is another one, this time LCEC:
Tip from LCEC leads to grow house bust
$364,000 worth of marijuana confiscated
February 4, 2009
Lehigh Acres Citizen
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Deputies investigating a report of an illegal power connection discovered $364,000 in marijuana in a "grow house" in North Fort Myers.
Lee County Sheriff's Office Deputies from Alpha District (north) received a call for service at 12181 Old Rodeo Drive. The call was placed by personnel from the Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) regarding an unauthorized connection at this location. The deputies were requested to standby while power was disconnected from the house. At the scene, deputies discovered some modifications to the property, including a large detached garage building with six brand-new air conditioners hidden in the palmetto bushes behind the building. Deputies also noted a strong odor of marijuana emanating from within the building.
Narcotics detectives were summoned to the scene to assume the investigation. Detectives wrote and executed a search warrant on the residence.
Inside the building, detectives located numerous large marijuana plants in three separate (divided) rooms. Detectives also observed several inside air conditioners, power transformers and other equipment used to cultivate marijuana. Detectives located a total of 91 large mature marijuana plants. The marijuana plants have an estimated street value of $364,000.00 dollars. This investigation is an active and ongoing case at this time.
Source: Lee County Sheriff's Office
That's what happens when you steal electricity...
