Questions about Electricity Use

Hi, I'm wanting to have a Vegetative and Flowering sides to my closet, so that I can harvest more often. Unfortunately, I live in a small apartment, and I don't know if a MH and HPS are on at the same time if that's alot to compare to like a big screen TV. Anyone know what a apartment usually pulls and if having 2 of those on w/ fans and what not would be suspicious? (Oh and please don't tell me to just pay my bills

Well the most important question is what wattage lights you using...
If you are using 2 small lights, 250 watts on 24/7 for veg and another 250 on 12/7 for flowering the total power useage would be equivilant to having a computer on 18 hours a day.... so not too bad...

If you using 400, 600 or 1000 watt its pretty much like running 2 computers 24/7 and I seriously wouldnt recommend splitting your grow space in a 1 man place if this is the case simply because thought you probably wouldnt be caught the bills would increase...
Hope I've been of help..
Panda

Related electricity question: I've been thinking of setting up a small grow (for basil of course). I'd be using CFL's and keeping it small, so I don't think electricity should be a problem. Probably about 5 40 watt cfl's (200 watts) and two muffin fans for about an additional 5 watts. On for 18 hours a day that's around 3.7 kilowatt hours. That's not terribly much, but I'd like to have them on at night and off during the day to help deal with temperatures. Do you think the schedule, even with such low power, would raise red flags with the electric company?

no, not at all

TheSky said:

Hi, I'm wanting to have a Vegetative and Flowering sides to my closet, so that I can harvest more often. Unfortunately, I live in a small apartment, and I don't know if a MH and HPS are on at the same time if that's alot to compare to like a big screen TV. Anyone know what a apartment usually pulls and if having 2 of those on w/ fans and what not would be suspicious? (Oh and please don't tell me to just pay my bills

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Here is a list of what other appliances do. You could run the MH and HPS on opposite schedules too to even things out.

Appliance Usage List

cyborgasm said:

Related electricity question: I've been thinking of setting up a small grow (for basil of course). I'd be using CFL's and keeping it small, so I don't think electricity should be a problem. Probably about 5 40 watt cfl's (200 watts) and two muffin fans for about an additional 5 watts. On for 18 hours a day that's around 3.7 kilowatt hours. That's not terribly much, but I'd like to have them on at night and off during the day to help deal with temperatures. Do you think the schedule, even with such low power, would raise red flags with the electric company?

Click to expand...

You have absolutely nothing to worry about regarding electricity usage. Nothing. NOTHING. NOTHING!!!!!

Ask again when you are using around 4000W-5000W

use this for your vegg it cost a little but it works good/ the t5 on this page is not that much and it cost little to run and you might not need a 4 ft you could get a short 2ft T5 Fluorescent & HID Grow Lights for Plants from ACF Greenhouses

Right now I'm using a 40 watt CFL and a 30 watt CFL, on my seedlings. When they get bigger I will probably switch to a 400 watt HPS. The way I figure, it's like leaving 5 different lights on throughout the night. I just hope it doesn't end up costing an extra $50 / month or something.

Holy shit. Thank you guys. I will definetly be setting up a vegetative and flowering room now. Thank you for all the info. The charts helped greatly, ROFL a dehumidifier can be more money than my 400w MH light!!

weedyoo said:

use this for your vegg it cost a little but it works good/ the t5 on this page is not that much and it cost little to run and you might not need a 4 ft you could get a short 2ft T5 Fluorescent & HID Grow Lights for Plants from ACF Greenhouses

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Actually, those prices are a bit high. Include shipping, and they're way out of range. My local hydroponics shop beats the pricing on T5's -- $289.00 for an 8 tube 4' fixture. HID's are cheaper also. It might surprise you, price check your local hydro shops, and for HID bulbs, check electrical parts supply for 400w and 1000w HID bulbs. Most dont carry the 600watts tho. Buying from an electrical supply house is way cheap.

For me to operate one 432w T5 8 tube fixture 18x6, at my local kw/hour rate costs about twenty bucks a month. A less during flowering at 12/12...Brussels