growing first time indoor... built an aquaponics system.... its tremendous! just planted 8 clones in my grow beds, seem to be doing well.. fish are happy too!....here is my main concern.... I live in a dense city, and to make things worse, kind of the gettoh, where it is already in heavy survalance mode. I am using two HPS lights with a watt of 400 per light. The lights are on for 12hrs a day. While at the hardware store the other day, The clerk asked me what my project was... I mentioned a hydroponics system and the first thing he said to me was that I should be forwarned that the police in my area red flag houses that show an increase in watt usage. Now, Im not sure how much valitity is to the local hardware store workers warning, but it as made me paranoid. I wondered if anyone knows just how much my 800 watt lighting will affect my electricity bill at the end of the month. Do you think that an 800 watt increase over a 4 week period of time will be enough to "red flag" my house?
I doubt it would raise flags, one of my computers is 600watts alone...they usually mean like if ur runnin a couple 2000-5000watts..then yest because its a significant change..
I agree 800w isn't nearly enough to raise a flag. You need some real serious juice real quick to be suspicious. For all anyone knows you just installed a a/c
One thing any one failed to mention was....Loose lips sink ships. Be cautious, if someone ask you what you are working on, especially if your buying or moving high profile gear... like hydro tubing, grow rocks or plant ferts make something up.. better yet have something con-coked in your head.. NEVER EVER MENTION YOUR HYDRO! Its a fish tank, a turtle pond anything but a hydro system. In my area people get paid for information leading to an arrest. A vigilante store clerk could simply pass on your receipt if you used a credit card(god forbid) or get your tag number. If she tells the cops you said something was for your hydro system... I'm guessing they would only have to break a few of your rights to BUST YOUR BUT. BUT 800 W is not much. You can save that wattage by turnning down your water heater.
I saw on the news one house that was flagged but they had a huge grow setup Like one that takes up an entire house. they had tons of lights. Alot of those guys try to bypass the meter. these guys didn't. 1000 watts run for one hour is $0.08. if you were to run 1000 watts 24 hrs a day 7 days a week it will cost you $57.60
