5500 watts safe in 3 bedroom house?

Corso312

Well-Known Member
That's pretty horrible advice if you ask me.

Maybe 1 1000W, but 4 with 2 more 600s? That's 5.2kw per hour. That's a fuckton for a 3 bedroom house. That's closing in on a small warehouse's usage.

You can do what you want, but that much will make you a blip on the radar for sure.




Lol ^ total bullshit




I used to run 8 k watters with 12" exhaust fan and half a dozen circulating fans in a 3bedroom house in my basement.. I lived in it too in an illegal state... But I had 2 have a buddy put in a sub panel in and run some conduit n add a dozen receptacles... I grew there for 2 years before moving to a legal state.
 

Michael Huntherz

Well-Known Member
Lol ^ total bullshit




I used to run 8 k watters with 12" exhaust fan and half a dozen circulating fans in a 3bedroom house in my basement.. I lived in it too in an illegal state... But I had 2 have a buddy put in a sub panel in and run some conduit n add a dozen receptacles... I grew there for 2 years before moving to a legal state.
I agree that 5500W isn't a warehouse worth of usage, but I'm also sure you agree having a sub-panel in that residence of yours was a necessity for electrical load reasons.
 

Corso312

Well-Known Member
For sure.. Wouldn't waste my time without a sub panel or breakers will be popping every time you use a microwave or vaccum cleaner. But the electric company is like every other greedy corporation ..just pay em n they are happy.
 

Michael Huntherz

Well-Known Member
For sure.. Wouldn't waste my time without a sub panel or breakers will be popping every time you use a microwave or vaccum cleaner. But the electric company is like every other greedy corporation ..just pay em n they are happy.
Agreed. The real gangsters on this planet are in the energy, finance, and global freight (war?) games.
 

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
I agree that 5500W isn't a warehouse worth of usage, but I'm also sure you agree having a sub-panel in that residence of yours was a necessity for electrical load reasons.
Don't need a sub panel if there are open spaces and its. 200 amp service. And if going with 230 lights then easy peasy but if you know a sparky have them look at what you have, better safe than sorry. I ran a sub for my area only because I ran out of soace
 

Corso312

Well-Known Member
Yeah..we probably could have done it with my regular 200 by adding a bunch of breakers but I wanted a hot tap n it paid off for a year and then had it pulled out n paid those greedy bastards.
 

Igotthe6

Well-Known Member
If it's a separate structure it most likely has a sub.I know If I would have built it there would at least be the wire to add a new circuit already there.
 

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
If it's a separate structure it most likely has a sub.I know If I would have built it there would at least be the wire to add a new circuit already there.
Ya that would be nice lol, I had to run a #6 direct burial to my sub panel in the shed (still not done :() but soon lol. My #8 ext cord seems to be working :o
 

ryan1918

Well-Known Member
they don't care how much power your using and they are not going to report you as they would lose money
 

NebulousPLM

Well-Known Member
We run 3600w in a garage just fine.
I'm sure 5k in an entire house will be fine also.

The key for us is to stagger your cycles so there's only 2500w (in lights, at least) going at a time.
If you're constantly running 2.5K, there won't be any fluctuation in power usage, which could be a factor they'd consider if they looked at you on paper.
The risk is in how much your state really gives a fuck about growers. Because, at 5K, you'll definitely be on the radar. What else could you possibly be doing that wouldn't be growing pot at that point? If you think of an idea, try to make it look like you're doing THAT from the outside of the house.
 

NebulousPLM

Well-Known Member
Honestly now that I think about it, we may breach 5K at time, when factoring in (2) 1500W Heaters (Though they only kick on for like an hour at a time).. Heaters are on constantly regulating temps, while one cycle is 1600W and the other is 2K

Again - keep risk in mind. I live in a state where some officers even know I grow, and they said that in their eyes, it's as illegal as growing tobacco. (which, oddly, is illegal)
 

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
We run 3600w in a garage just fine.
I'm sure 5k in an entire house will be fine also.

The key for us is to stagger your cycles so there's only 2500w (in lights, at least) going at a time.
If you're constantly running 2.5K, there won't be any fluctuation in power usage, which could be a factor they'd consider if they looked at you on paper.
The risk is in how much your state really gives a fuck about growers. Because, at 5K, you'll definitely be on the radar. What else could you possibly be doing that wouldn't be growing pot at that point? If you think of an idea, try to make it look like you're doing THAT from the outside of the house.
5000 watts in it self is not huge depending on location but yup it's the schedule that sticks out. Here they monitor usage in real time (smart meters) so it's pretty easy to see the pattern lol. I can go online to my account and watch the lights power up and down. I was watching it last year and saw that around 1:00 pm it would spike for an hour at peak rate (7:00-7:00), I asked my partner what she was doing, turns out it was dryer lol.
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
200 amp service for 6kW? What are you guys, electrical workers union contractors?

One thouie pulls less than 5A@240V, so his whole op can go on the 30A rated dryer plug that's in every home in America AND stay under the 80% rule. Damn, learn some wiring or don't comment.

'Magic board' Google it.
 

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
The reason I mentioned the 200 amp service is room for more circuits not the draw in the system. Typically when I go into a house to install HVAC equipment we are hard pressed to find a space for a double pole breaker in a 100 amp. With a 200 amp panel there are more available circuits to draw from. Besides, pretty sure here the code calls for a 200 amp panel on all new residential. Just thought I'd clarify that tty. lol. Like I said 5kw is fuck all here, in the winter, turning on my furnace (we try not too lol) draws 20 kw alone.
 
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