[Pactivist]

I was gonna upgrade and add more light to my budding room, until I got my last electric bill that is. what I noticed is that since I moved, without adding any new equipment, my electric bill has doubled +. I know that this is due to the excessive rates charged by the stupid co-op that I am forced to be part of. we have no choice of electric providers or really anything else for that matter. So here is my question - How do the mid to large growers keep their electric bills down? I'm talking using 1000w or higher in a residence where people live? Any tips would be highly appreciated. peAce pacT

[mybeans420]

are you running 220? if not then converting everything to this current would help

[racketeer]

Mybeans, how would converting to 220 help? It's still going to draw the same amount of watts, just less amps.

[toofat]

You can get compact floro bulbs to replace your regular bulbs. 100 watts=27 watts. You can also get floros for outside. HD or Lowes carry them.

[racketeer]

And do like your daddy told your ass . . . "Boy why ain't choo turn dem damn lights off??!! You still in dat room?!"

[Flowerman]

Also keeping extra stuff turned off, like tv's, computers, lights off when you're not using them. And if you can, rooms that you use alot, switch the bulbs to fluorescents as already stated above. Also replacing old shit like refrigerators, will also make a big difference, even though they don't last like the old ones do. But I will say the old ones draw so much damn power, it is unreal. And keep everything on energysave that has that option. You should really be able to go up to about 2500W total without a problem if you follow the above.
>>> Also if you're not cloning, keep the lights from 18/6 or 20/4 for vegging. I know some people like to have their lights on 24 hours, and don't turn them down till flowering. By turning down the time, this will save you some as well.

[Pactivist]

I too was wondering about the 220 v thing, how does this help? You are right racketeer, gotta turn off all the shit I am not using, the kids and wife can go outside now, it's summer right? compact fluoro's are now on the agenda, good tip too fat, thanks. so is it better to try to reduce my electric usage, or to come up with some reason for using so much? what do you all do? I do not have that big of a grow, 30-40 in flower, 800w, and my usage is nuts. The rates are nuts too. Also, to add more fuel to the fire, my electric company sent me a letter asking about the excessive amount of kw my house is using compared to my neighbors, so I just told them that we were in the process of remodeling and were using lots of power tools . again thanks pacT

Thanks flowerman, you must have been posting at the same time as me, 2500 watts? wow I wish! You may be right, but I need to cut some of the other usage in my house and possibly redo all the wiring. I put my entire room on one 20 amp circuit, and I think this might be part of the problem. please help an electrically impaired hippie.

I guess that living among the Amish that my electrical usage would be high compared to them huh?

[nackeragua]

Originally Posted by toofat

You can get compact floro bulbs to replace your regular bulbs. 100 watts=27 watts. You can also get floros for outside. HD or Lowes carry them.

i would not use cfl bulbs to try bring any buds to full flower. you will be very disappointed. cfl are fine for mothers and clones but you need the more powerful spectrum of light to bring them to flower that hps give.

[blazeoneup]

Originally Posted by racketeer

Mybeans, how would converting to 220 help? It's still going to draw the same amount of watts, just less amps.

Actually its drawing the exact same amps/watts, The difference is its splitting the amps between 2 hots is all, If your running 9 amps at 110 it will split it into 4.5 amps per hot at 220 still totals 9 amps no matter what...

volts x amps equals watts, 110x9=990w 220x4.5=990w the difference between 110 and 220 is there is 2 110 lines carrying the load in 220. If it was less amps it would be less overall watts which would be cheaper but its not less amps or less watts there for its not any cheaper....

My best advice to the thread started is that, You lower your house-hold usage as much as possible as stated previously by others change your incandescent bulbs for compact floro's. I wouldnt reccomend upping your wattage seeing you've been contacted and asked about your high usage with the 800 your currently using. So just lowering the house-hold usage as much as possible will be enough to prevent you from hearing from the electric company again...

[blazeoneup]

Originally Posted by nackeragua

i would not use cfl bulbs to try bring any buds to full flower. you will be very disappointed. cfl are fine for mothers and clones but you need the more powerful spectrum of light to bring them to flower that hps give.

You mis-understood his statement. He ment change all the incandescent house-hold light bulbs for compact floro's not his HID lights. He ment house-hold bulbs like bathroom light lamps in bedroom ect...