How to deal with really high electricity use.

[Inuit]

Hey all, my two cents....

Around here, they use it as additional info, not primary means....if you're a dumbass and told about your grow, and someone narcs you out, THEN, they contact the power to get your usage to give the numbers to the judge to help get the warrant. They say, "your usage is xtimes your neighors so you must be growing dope!"

So, around here I agree, my bill is $3-400 each month, and I've never got a call or an inquiry.....paying on time is something I need to work on though. I always do, but the last couple months have been a different story. Had to call and make a payment arrangement on the phone over a $350 bill, so yeah, that sucks having my bill in a persons hands....need to get it back to just the computer.


I

 

[nuttso]

It's not about paying your bill, It's when you bill is a lot more expensive then what a normal house should be pushing out, then you get red flagged and they will
let the police know that something is going on...
2 get rid of this problem???
Buy a generator!

I'm from europe and infact alot people told me that.

DO NOT TRUST POWER COMPANIES

From Epcor, BC Hydro, etc, they all use Digital Recording Ammeters (DRA) that easilly clamp over the Primary feeding the can (14.4KV or 7.2KV), or after the transformer has stepped down to 240V. They will place the DRA for a period of 5 to 7 days and record every flucuation in amperage, every minute taking a reading. It's simple math, if they read 2A @ 14.4KV = 28.8KW. They will send info to the police and you will be investigated. You need to be aware of the location of your service. Video surveillance and driveway alarms are your best option. If you would like to know more, send me a PM. The power companies sometimes use 2-way radios instead of cellphones, so a decent radio scanner will also help.

Best Regards

Olyver

Interesting. Thx for this post.

It's my experience the electric companies are way more concerned about people by-passing meters (not paying for electricity). People normally by-pass to eliminate high use detection. They regulary monitor neighborhoods to make sure what they are delivering to an area is being legally used and accounted for. So, for an example, they will add up the usage for 10-25 houses and see if that agrees with that they are delivering to that area. This detects if anyone is by-passing their meters. If that's the case, an investigation is started........

Correct.

About the only place I can believe that would happen would be communist China. MAYBE in the now defunct USSR, but CERTAINLY not here in the US or Canada where we still pay lip service to personal liberties and freedoms. Beleiev me, the Cops know we worry about that as much as FLIR

The Power Companies are under NO legal requirement to report ANY usage patterns, much less the tell-tale 24/7 and 12/12 patterns. The Power Company itself will not turn to the cops with that info. At least not yet here in Amerika anyway. That will not stop some broke-dick scumbag employee from noticing and turning you in, hoping for that $1000 crimebusters reward. Motel clerks do that all the time. They have all your info, and get online looking for fugitive warrants on any guests. Scum.
Now you go by-passing your meter and steal power, or rack up a large bill and don't pay it you're gonna have issues with them.
Lets put this into perspective, An over the counter "general use" (Non-Media Center or Gaming) computer will have AT LEAST a 600w power supply, with the option of getting a 750 or 800w. Who's to say you don't have 20 computers or a large server in your house? You do not have to justify WHY you have 20 computers, just tell them that you have them if you are ever asked about your spike. Tell them you run a private ISP service/Co-op for you, your friends and family, and your server draws a shitload of current. To get a warrant to prove otherwise, they'll have to have something more damning than your power bill. Remember, they still have to prove that you don't have what you say you have. If they can't, they gotta go home and pout. But if you are already on their radar, they ("they" being cops) WILL most certainly be back.

Also good post. Simple way to get out of the cop radar is to explain why u need that much power. It's true, u can have 50 computer that need at least 800 watt if u want to. There is no limit to the power u use, just have to pay for it. It is totally illegal to grow were i'm from. For sure they are gonna tell the cops about my power usage when i hit the 2000€ mark every month. But if i can explain why, per example a joinery or 30 pc's or swimmingpool or 20 terrain for reptiles or whatever, they can't get a warrant to see what's in my house.

Three words. GET A GENERATOR. You would need a 50-60k generator to run that much juice. A generator will only reliably run at 80% of capacity. You run that much juice on the grid, your days are numbered, sorry to be a party pooper. :(

Definatly works. But loud and expensive.

BC Hydro cooperates with LEO and even trains the meter readers to watch for suspicious activity. Believing the power companies won't rat you out is insane. I've seen several cases where the meter reader provided information, it was all in the ITO for the warrant. Depending on your location maybe, but like what was mentioned earlier, TRUST NO ONE. There's been times where hydro employees have told rippers about a suspected grow.


Best Regards

Olyver

True.

I hope some people from europe can tell us something about that. How does our EUS deal with this.

BTW, the big grows (like 200x1000w) always steal power.

 

[yezmar420]

If you think the power companies and law enforcement don't work together you have another thing coming..for a grow that huge I would get a commercial space or get a generator...they got digital ballasts now that are generator friendly, only hassle will be keeping diesel around but that's really nothing..

I would rather be safe than sorry...I've been behind those bars before and it sucks, I'll do whatever it takes not get behind them again...

 

[InvisibleM]

If the cops show up at your house they certainly aren't going to ask why you are using so much electricity. They will be looking for evidence of a grow to take to a judge to get a search warrant. And they can use things that a normal person would have in their yard, like pots for plants you just planted in your back yard and of course any smell...

 

[420Gator]

is 8 1Ks 20K btus on 6-8 hours a day 2 10inch cans and all the other little goodies in a soil grow too much for 1300 sq ft house ? very little electric use outside of growing. Sure none of my neighbors would be that high, but id also bet theres a few bigger grows in the area as well.

 

[sky high]

Get legal, folks. There's no law against using shitloads of electricity....but those cultivation laws are intense in some areas...

420...i've always seen the "1K per bedroom" rule mentioned.....though it sure isn't something set in stone. 8K's in a 1300 sq ft house is huge usage, IMO..... but again, none of it matters if you are legal.....

gulp.... um..yeah....

good luck

s h

 

[Growops]

hey came across this right away . i like this site :) alot of mixed opions here . i like 8 ks in the 1300sq f :) id do it two rooms each with 4 lights . No relay usless its a good one . using two timer boards in sync so there is no spike so its like 4 lights running 24/7

 

[cheyenne]

To give you an idea of what that would cost.
30k watts = 21600 Kwh mo on a 24 hour veg cycle and then 1/2 that on a flower cycle, so 3 months grow time avg = 43200 Kwh in 3 months. at say .10 Kwh = $4320 in meter fees for 3 months. And by the time you get your delivery fee, taxes and everything else you can justifiably double that amount, so figure close to 9 grand for just the lighting for a 3 month run. thats not taking into account AC, ventilation, pumps etc. Easily pass the 10k mark per run. not that it wont pay for itself, but do you have that kind of start up money? If so i have an opportunity for you. All you guys like to think how sweet it would be to be a full time grower...its a lot of fucking work, and its expensive and its risky. there aint no way, no how your gonna pull off a 30k watt run in a house without stealing power. and then youre sure to get caught.

 

[farmerjohn]

The electric company could care less! They are all money grubbing capitalist pigs, whose only concern with green, is the color of your money. They aren't in cahoots with the local authorities, unless you're an energy cheat. So pay on time. Having a believable cover story for your usage is probably not even necessary, but it can't hurt either, because it will make you feel better.

If you still feel uncomfortable, try this ploy. Obtain the grow building & make sure it has a lockable fence around it. Use some electricity over the course of a few months, then lock the gate & grow away! The electric company will not be able to read the meter & will just estimate it for several months before they insist on reading & adjusting the bill. By then, you're sitting on 50 elbows of finished product & have removed all traces of a grow room! Meanwhile, you've obtained another place & are ready to do it all over again!

 

[Beasters X Haze]

Should be all good, my buddy in another legal state in the midwest put 30k in his basement, 100% legal.. always made sure all numbers are perfect, had to put in a 400 amp panel. This is right in a normal neighborhood. The MMJ grow dude that worked for the city came by and checked it out, said everything was looking fine, carry on..

 

[CanadianClassic]

30,000 watts lol in a house??? rent a piece of warehouse space or something having that much is risky and especially where you live is a NO NO!

 

[cemchris]

I dont know. the Arugment of 12/12 only proves that you have something on 12/12. Just like FLIR only proves you have lights. Nothing to prove you have weed plants in your room. Thats how it works in America hence the warrant for FLIR. Just like Iniut said these are all secondary casues to high traffic, smell, or getting narced out and so on. Stealing power is a real good way to get the Electric company to come a knockin.

What you need to understand is there is always another side of the story. You never hear the other side. Like charity auctions on seed sites for people who are selling pounds of dope in the mail and get busted by the feds. You dont hear the selling pounds of dope through the mail part. Just the "I got busted" part. Just an example.

 

[John Smith Esq.]

thank god for these forums where we can get our egos stroked with relative anonymity.

lol :D

 

[kmk4eva]

pay the bill on time and you wont here from the power company

 

[thetreegrowerrr]

FOR NON-LEGAL STATES

Ok I have been raided before...they need 3 things to get a warrant signed from the judge to enter your home your power bill is one of them! Number 2 is the smell I don't care if you have 7000 carbon filters they always say they smell it! 3 would be a list of the following:
Selling it to somebody who gets caught selling your weed and does a controlled buy (wears a wire)
Trash
neighbors(anonymous tip)
telling someone even a family member
stealing power(theft of services)
paying your bill on time everytime months ahead will get you raided still. if its over 500.00 may take a year like it did me mine was 750-1100 on occasion! 8k

LEGAL STATES

Pay your bill no matter how high it is on time everytime! Dont piss them off!
Have a valid MJ Card
Dont go over plant count
Have a growing Collective license with a sick ass corporate attorney and dont go over 99 fully budding plants or its federal and 5 years in prison!
if you are wanting to do 30k either do a 30k flip flop 15k on for 12 hours and 15k off for 12 hours in a house...or simple get a warehouse much easier!
But if your asking a question like this you are not ready bro!
if your scarred to go to jail you need a different hobbbie man..not to be harsh!
take it easy

 

[gobbly]

I have read that in some areas leo offers rewards to utility companies who inform them about abnormal usage. I would tend to think this is credible, but would be very location dependent. I seriously doubt there are formal programs for this. Utilities as companies are out to bust the people stealing power, and the odds of informing on someone who isn't breaking the law is to great for them to risk their customers trust. They for sure will cooperate with the police to the extent that most companies would.

the best idea I have heard is to call the power company, tell them you are starting an internet business and are having a number of servers installed, as well as a slew of workstations. That your consultant said it would need X amount of juice, and you wanted to see if there was anything they needed to do before you could power everything up. Most utilities will make a note of it so you might not throw up red flags as readily, and if there is something you need to do on their end (upgrade equip, etc), they can tell you what you need. They'd probably even do the electrical work you need for a fee.

 

[lollipopman]

there was a bust in my town, a tip, then power bill compared to surrounding houses, and of course the smell.. bam got a warrant.. game over

 

[stickyicky]

I go w/ the low household income discount and save a bundle every month w/ my elec.

4200w (lamps), 2 1/10 chillers, 2- in-line fans cooling lights, exhaust fan, ac, air pumps and a bunch more little things. My bill on average is $350. Got to use ALL resources available.

 

[Growops]

ya 500 worth of hydro aint much in some places , depends on what you pay per KWH. i dont think utility companies care how much you use . with high wattage id run flip flop . 30ks is insane . 10k in a house sounds more realistic

 

[Growops]

whats the best way to go about paying a high bill ? id assume most use their banks . but if you do it eletronicly, i.e internet banking , phone ect . does a teller still process it ?