having high electric bill readings

[vangs]

hello guys, i currently am starting a grow op in MA since its legal now. Growing in general is still new to MA people. Its very rare to know someone who has a grow op going. Do you think that if i rent a commercial building and throw in 40 or 50k watts, it will be a very expensive electric bill which i don't mind but do you think using that much electricity will attract attention? again. this is legal in my state but im one of the "first" to do something like this over here, so if the electric company was to report it to the police, even thou its all legal i feel like they will destroy my crop just to be dicks and give me a really hard time about it which is why im asking if anyone has has issues like this? has anyone had police or people that work for the electrical company show up to your grow op because of the electric usage?

 

[vangs]

im debating if i should grow the way i want to which is scrog each plant in a 20gal pot under a 600w in a 4x4 net, now when you have 124 plants, thats a lot of lights, and watts, esp with the equipment needed.. but now im thinking that maybe i shouldn't use that much power so i don't raise suspicion but either way im gunna need a lot of watts for 124 plants, im assuming it will be a lot of usage whichever way i decide to grow, do you think the electric company will report high usage to the police? ANYONE with experience with high electric bills, plz chime in.... do they mind their business or will they report massive electrical usage? im thinking of renting this commercial area, its 5000sq ft, i feel like something like that is expected to use high amounts of eletcitiy right?

 

[ZONER]

As long as you don't try to steel the electricity by screwing around by by passing the meter. The electric company is in the game to make money, as long as you pay the bill their happy plus it's a commercial building . Worry about the landlord or for that matter keep it on the down low ... Friends will screw you faster than anyone because of their big bragging mouths

 

[vangs]

As long as you don't try to steel the electricity by screwing around by by passing the meter. The electric company is in the game to make money, as long as you pay the bill their happy plus it's a commercial building . Worry about the landlord or for that matter keep it on the down low ... Friends will screw you faster than anyone because of their big bragging mouths

yes i know not to tell a living soul, and yeah i guess your right, high electrical usage is expected from 5000sq ft warehouse...zoner, do the same rules apply with the electrical company on a single family house? buddy of mine said can't put more than 5 or 6 lights in a single family house cuz the electricity will be too high, is that true? Also do you think i should lie to my landlord and tell him that its for my business instead of telling him the truth? i feel like even if i tell him and show him the paperwork that its legal, i think landlords around here would get scared and turn me down right off the rip... but i feel like i should tell them that way if they need to come by half way threw week 6 and see whats going on and kick me out then i lose out on a lot of time and money so i was thinking of telling my landlord the truth. im currently trying to decide between 3 locations.

 

[ZONER]

My residential bill jumps way up in the winter months, I run 2X1000w HPS, 2X 400W and and oil filled heater for a room in my out building which is not heated. Last winter I think I was using almost 3 times more than the previous year. Again if your not stealing the electricity the power companies don't give a $hit. My property is posted and you can not just drive up my little road due to the big gate that gets locked "always" and my dogs let me know when someone or thing is lurking around. Not to mention several other deterrents around my property ...lol

 

[ZONER]

yes i know not to tell a living soul, and yeah i guess your right, high electrical usage is expected from 5000sq ft warehouse...zoner, do the same rules apply with the electrical company on a single family house? buddy of mine said can't put more than 5 or 6 lights in a single family house cuz the electricity will be too high, is that true? Also do you think i should lie to my landlord and tell him that its for my business instead of telling him the truth? i feel like even if i tell him and show him the paperwork that its legal, i think landlords around here would get scared and turn me down right off the rip... but i feel like i should tell them that way if they need to come by half way threw week 6 and see whats going on and kick me out then i lose out on a lot of time and money so i was thinking of telling my landlord the truth. im currently trying to decide between 3 locations.

Tell him your in the import export business, tell him you sell agway supplies wholesale tell whatever he wants to hear. For a commercial rental run it like a buisness.

1. Go get a state tax I.D.
2. File a D.B.A. business certificate at the county clerks office
3. OPEN A business checking account
4. Remember you don't have to show a profit for the BUISNESS and you can write off the expenses for operating the BUISNESS at tax time
5. Split the building and make the front 25 feet look like office space, desks tables etc...

This is just my 2 cents, I am quite sure there will be farmers with a whole lot more to say than I.

Your landlord just can not demand entry for shits and giggles unless there is a dire situation at hand. Oh and get a lease, if he does find out and then refuses to accept your monthly rent mail it certified mail return receipt, when he refuses the mail it comes back to you, save the envelope-where it shows refused. Now go and open a savings account and deposit the monthly rent into that account. If your served Court papers regarding him trying to evict you bring the mail and bank statement to court to show that he refused the payment and you have been putting the rent into a separate account so when he bitches you can make him look like an a hole. By the way it will take several months for the legal process and you can always harvest your grow pack up your gear and move out.
If your legal and everything is above board in regards to legally growing why worry,don't lie ... But don't just give up a ton of info for no reason dude ....

 

[purpleberry]

If you have to worry about being shut down, Its not totally legal. I would get space on private property with a huge shop and do it there. Easier to keep people out.

 

[the rrock]

I bought a couple high end mig/tig and arc welders and set them in my garage,if anyone asks I run them as A side business. My PGEbill varies between $8oo 1400 a month>bottom line if you pay your bill on time you probably wont be bothered.

 

[20kwDreamer]

Does the power company (any state) have the ability to see stolen power in the 5-6kw range? I can totally understand a 20kw grow being jumped and running for a year and the power company noticing that something isn't right.

 

[cannapits]

technology these days they can track how much power is being used and where its going. as I told you before you are flirting with disaster. you are better off paying the bill for a 5 k setup.

 

[20kwDreamer]

technology these days they can track how much power is being used and where its going. as I told you before you are flirting with disaster. you are better off paying the bill for a 5 k setup.

I will heed the advice, thank you. My concern was in regards to the Smart Meters and how people say they can even read the model/brand of the type of equipment being run on the lines now. Logic states this isn't happening, I'm sure we would have heard of that. If so, in a non-med state I would assume they could use this to their advantage. 4 years ago this wasn't a concern as they had just started implementing them and I was taken out of the game. I have at certain times in the past paid for a 4kw in a 2/2 town home - $450 average sometimes more. It does seem dumb to steal power because of a worry about getting pinched for growing. I read a post by someone on here a little while ago on my searches - "I'm a farmer not a criminal." Makes sense to stay legit on all aspects.

Thanks again.

 

[cannapits]

you can get away with 5 k running at a place and it not look crazy. maybe not a one bedroom apartment but for the most part it can be done. stealing power will come back to bite you in the ass at some point.

 

[showmegreen]

Round here I run $200/month on elect. I have a Raptor 8 runnin 1000w x 2 hps and mh plus 12 4ft growlux/daylight fluorescents. The thing with the hid is that I have it at 240v thus cutting my amp load in half. Here in the illegal states they monitor more of continuous amp draw than wats. But wat I dont get is if you are "legal" then fuck'em. You want to show every expense possible for deductions and performas (for next fiscal year). If you are spending money to make money you are golden. I set myself up as a chapter F illegal enterprise which in turn grants me no deductions but sources my earnings for the future when growing becomes legal. I also work another job from which (through itemization) I get my tax credits and such. So in a sense I call bullshit on total legalities. Or why worry?

 

[toquer]

Does the power company (any state) have the ability to see stolen power in the 5-6kw range? I can totally understand a 20kw grow being jumped and running for a year and the power company noticing that something isn't right.

Yes, they do this with line temperature. If you are using a certain amount of power it increases line temp. If you use more than what is metered the line temp and usage don't match, thus they can see theft on the smallest amount.

 

[m8ty]

Yes, they do this with line temperature. If you are using a certain amount of power it increases line temp. If you use more than what is metered the line temp and usage don't match, thus they can see theft on the smallest amount.

Huh! Good intel right there.

 

[cannapits]

every place I ran a show at the first thing I did was turn the ac all the way down and turn on every light. any and everything that could draw power Id use. get that bill high from the get go so it looked like the norm. most my shows I only ran equipment. didnt live there at all so no tv's or using hot water heater etc. depends on where I was at but in north florida I was running 7k in lights with 2 acs and never once got bill higher than 250 a month. and I was crushing it.

 

[BatBico]

Guys I want to ask you where I can find a timer to turn the light on and off (12-12 hours, 18-6 hours) What kind of store? TNX

 

[LittleDabbie]

Guys I want to ask you where I can find a timer to turn the light on and off (12-12 hours, 18-6 hours) What kind of store? TNX

Home-depot.. Lowes..Menards..Wal-mart..Ace Hardware.... I think you get the idea ;)

 

[Smokey503ski]

Pick any local hardware store and get a simple timer. Pretty much all stores carry them.
Unless you want to run 240v then go to your local Grow Shop and buy a light controller. Do not buy a light controller with the built in timer. If the timer gives up the ghost, no power to your lights.
Buy a light controller with external timer.

 

[cannapits]

Home-depot.. Lowes..Menards..Wal-mart..Ace Hardware.... I think you get the idea ;)

Ive used timers from lowes for years but word of advice. check the timer often. Ive seen them start to melt where the plug in after time and that is a big safety issue. I use them for no more than 6 months and buy a new one.