My first actual reading on my meter in 4 months.. Ouch!

[IFukup]

I got my first actual reading on my meter in 4 months since i transformed my 10x10 shed into a grow room. I've been so busy that i haven't been looking at my electric bill whether it was actual reading or estimate, lol. Well, my first actual was 1300 bucks since Feb 24th when i flipped the lights on! This is a pricey hobby when u got 3 tents, ac running and dehumidifier and fans going. Any tips on combating an electric bill. Would running the lights during off peak hours really make that much of a difference?

 

[Mikedin]

I got my first actual reading on my meter in 4 months since i transformed my 10x10 shed into a grow room. I've been so busy that i haven't been looking at my electric bill whether it was actual reading or estimate, lol. Well, my first actual was 1300 bucks since Feb 24th when i flipped the lights on! This is a pricey hobby when u got 3 tents, ac running and dehumidifier and fans going. Any tips on combating an electric bill. Would running the lights during off peak hours really make that much of a difference?

I do run my flower tent overnight starting at off peak hours start mainly for reduced heat added benefit if cheaper power (slightly) if my temps stay below 84 I keep the AC off and only run the dehu

I also run the veg tent starting 2 hours before lights out in the flower tent, I found timing it correctly can keep the lung room at a fairly consistent temp and RH running one tent at a time and only overlapping a few hours at the start and finish of the flower tents light cycle then the room cools overnight even with the flower tent running

 

[IFukup]

I do run my flower tent overnight starting at off peak hours start mainly for reduced heat added benefit if cheaper power (slightly) if my temps stay below 84 I keep the AC off and only run the dehu

I also run the veg tent starting 2 hours before lights out in the flower tent, I found timing it correctly can keep the lung room at a fairly consistent temp and RH running one tent at a time and only overlapping a few hours at the start and finish of the flower tents light cycle then the room cools overnight even with the flower tent running

I got two weeks left in my flower tent... I'll def try your schedule out after that. Do you think it's the ac that jacks up the bill mostly or the lights... Maybe just the combo? Almost had heart failure when i saw the bill, lol.

 

[mike88]

Are your lights LEDs?

 

[Smokey.Bones]

If you aren't on LED, I would highly recommend it. I'm off grid and can monitor my power draw closely. My lights (2xLED equivalent 600W, and one 400W) and two fans are drawing about 0.25Amps, while my dehumidifier uses double that and my AC uses triple. When I used to run HPS and Metal Halide back in the day, the power usage was ridiculous.

 

[Mikedin]

I got two weeks left in my flower tent... I'll def try your schedule out after that. Do you think it's the ac that jacks up the bill mostly or the lights... Maybe just the combo? Almost had heart failure when i saw the bill, lol.

Probably a combo of everything, I use a floor unit AC which is a power hog, and a big 4500sq ft dehu, but after reading your origional post I picked up one of these for each tent today $13 each on sale plus 20% off coupon

I’d suggest everyone wait a few days before making any Amazon purchases as prime day is 11th-12th will probably be some killer deals on grow equipment

 

[IFukup]

Are your lights LEDs?

Yes

 

[IFukup]

Probably a combo of everything, I use a floor unit AC which is a power hog, and a big 4500sq ft dehu, but after reading your origional post I picked up one of these for each tent today $13 each on sale plus 20% off coupon

I’d suggest everyone wait a few days before making any Amazon purchases as prime day is 11th-12th will probably be some killer deals on grow equipment

That's slick... I'm gonna order a couple as well. I gotta try to get the nyseg bill down best i can, lol

 

[ILgrower]

RULE NO 1 -- if you're growing personally why are you worried about the electricity, can you be smart so that the cost ratio lowers below what you achieved, I have been growing for years I never need help b/c when you ask for it everyone has their technique & you should never go by others, you have to develop your own

 

[BillyBanchan]

RULE NO 1 -- if you're growing personally why are you worried about the electricity, can you be smart so that the cost ratio lowers below what you achieved, I have been growing for years I never need help b/c when you ask for it everyone has their technique & you should never go by others, you have to develop your own

Who's rules are these?

 

[ILgrower]

Who's rules are these?

your methods, the way of how you set up your garden, you go by others will only bring problems, & you will play this blaming game, I seen it already, even seen & heard the same ole song & dance, I don't give my opinions, etc, b/c how can anyone go by what it looks like, I have seen issues that involved with the same ailments caused by 5 different issues, you're just picking a possible issue without knowing what they added, etc. since I don't know it can be a wide variety of issues resulting the same issue, I still have an issue seeing burnt leaf edges, he puts a bunch of plants on here with still the same issue drying curling & becoming brittle on the edges

 

[BillyBanchan]

your methods, the way of how you set up your garden, you go by others will only bring problems, & you will play this blaming game, I seen it already, even seen & heard the same ole song & dance, I don't give my opinions, etc, b/c how can anyone go by what it looks like, I have seen issues that involved with the same ailments caused by 5 different issues, you're just picking a possible issue without knowing what they added, etc. since I don't know it can be a wide variety of issues resulting the same issue, the issuer I still have is he puts a bunch pf plants on here with still the same issue drying curling & becoming brittle on the edges

Let me be blunt... It's all I know how to be, anyway:

That's your problem, not his!

Good day.

 

[ILgrower]

it's the truth, the sooner you see that the better you'll understand

 

[IFukup]

RULE NO 1 -- if you're growing personally why are you worried about the electricity, can you be smart so that the cost ratio lowers below what you achieved, I have been growing for years I never need help b/c when you ask for it everyone has their technique & you should never go by others, you have to develop your own

I usually take people's advice for at the very least a starting point. I'm smart enough to know that i don't know everything and could learn from those with greater knowledge. That's what this site is in part for is it now?.... To learn from others and get advice?

 

[IFukup]

If you aren't on LED, I would highly recommend it. I'm off grid and can monitor my power draw closely. My lights (2xLED equivalent 600W, and one 400W) and two fans are drawing about 0.25Amps, while my dehumidifier uses double that and my AC uses triple. When I used to run HPS and Metal Halide back in the day, the power usage was ridiculous.

I am using led, i guess i was just surprised at the cost of running such a small shed. But I'm guessing my biggest draw may be the dehumidifier and floor ac running. I've since moved drivers out of tent into lung room. And tuned down the ac by 4 degrees. I kept the lung room at 74 to keep that cycle time down for exhaust to lower temp inside tent. I'm gonna mow try to keep the overall temp around 79-80 and humidity just a bit higher.

 

[Oldchucky]

You can probably go back and look at your bills this time last year. Before the grow. If you are shelling out six or 700 bucks a month to grow weed, you better grow a lot of it to justify it. Sound like your wife? Lol! You’re probably on a tiered plan. Feeling the pain of getting up into the third and fourth tiers.

 

[BillyBanchan]

I am using led, i guess i was just surprised at the cost of running such a small shed. But I'm guessing my biggest draw may be the dehumidifier and floor ac running. I've since moved drivers out of tent into lung room. And tuned down the ac by 4 degrees. I kept the lung room at 74 to keep that cycle time down for exhaust to lower temp inside tent. I'm gonna mow try to keep the overall temp around 79-80 and humidity just a bit higher.

Definitely the AC and dehumidifier, but don't discount a lower draw item like LED lights... Running 18 to 24 hours a day gets expensive.