# Let's help each other's Electric bill



## Kupunakane

This is something that effects all of us, and I think together we can come up with a lot of great ideas to help lower the electric bill for each of us. And what you might think sounds silly, and a waste of time sometimes isn't.
I would have never thought to turn off the drying cycle on the dishwasher ya know, so let's hear the brains working this one for all our sakes.
Here's one:
1. Got a dog in your home ? then turn off the porch lights, anything wrong will get the dog to barking.

smoke in peace
KingKahuuna


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## MJ20

I only use my a/c when it's time for bed.It's off all other times.I don't run it all day.


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## Brouli

hahahaahah  thats a good thread , but if you wonna grow   save money for electric bill or use cfl


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## MrPuffAlot

since the deregulation of electric companies
we as consumers are allegedly able to buy
power from different power companies.

You buy your electricity from a electric company other
than your local one, so basically you are able to shop
kilowatt prices.  But you still have to pay for distribution and
etc etc etc to your local company.

Anyways..  First thing we need to do is shop for the lowest
kilowat prices from around the country.
So if you know your Kilowat prices, POST them.

and if you are computer savy, research whos the cheapest, if you can.

I looked into it before, but figured, if it wasn't broken not to fix it.
So i kept my local company.

as for conserving.. I can't skimp on the AC, i got young kids and work
alot, last thing I want to do is come home to a sauna.


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## Brouli

0.8 cent/kW


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## SmokinMom

Something that I try to do is keep the thermostat at 79.  I cheat at times tho.  

Ceiling fans rock!  And at night I gotta have air moving around me to sleep well.


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## Kupunakane

Hey Mom,
   Your right,  I set my a/c to 72*F, and on cool nights I do without. Fans running are expensive, I didn't realize that they **** up that much. I've also shut down all my pre-warm switches. I don't need to keep my puter and tv in a state of readiness, and that was something that was pulling energy too.
  turning down your refrigerator during the cooler months helps also. Today I am going all around the house to kill energy waste. Yikes I'm turning into a conservative monster. LOL

smoke in peace123gifs026.gif
KingKahuuna


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## Bubby

We close most of the blinds in the morning, so that our a/c doesn't have to work as hard when we get home.

Also, use a boiler (if you have one), rather than boiling on the stove. It's faster, and much more efficient.

:confused2:

Oh, and use LED X-mas lights.


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## berserker

brouli said:
			
		

> 0.8 cent/kW


I am at .07/kil watt


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## woOzer

KingKahuuna said:
			
		

> Hey Mom,
> Your right,  I set my a/c to 72*F, and on cool nights I do without. Fans running are expensive, I didn't realize that they **** up that much. I've also shut down all my pre-warm switches. I don't need to keep my puter and tv in a state of readiness, and that was something that was pulling energy too.
> turning down your refrigerator during the cooler months helps also. Today I am going all around the house to kill energy waste. Yikes I'm turning into a conservative monster. LOL
> 
> smoke in peace123gifs026.gif
> KingKahuuna






72*f!?!? why so low? any and all Electic providers would recommend 78*-82*f. 72* is way too low.


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## SmokinMom

Yea, if it's at 72 you're gonna have a huge electric bill thats for sure!!!


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## Kupunakane

I suppose I could adjust it, 
      HMMmmmm if it was anything else ya know. I guess I like it when it's cold. My better half is all for me turning the a/c off. She says she has frozen long enough. I said something stupid about being an ice queen anyways, and so now I am in that small house that has a food bowl and another for water. LMAO Ahhh well it's all for a good reason right ?preview.php.jpg
smoke in peace
KingKahuuna


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## Rocker420

Man i know what you all need to do if not already. Take out all your bulbs in your house and change them with flourescents. dont run your washingmachine on electric, and dont run it during the heat of the day. for people with air conditioners, have them run early in the morning like right when you go to work, have them shut off at noon and when you leave your house close the blinds and shut the doors. Always make sure to turn lights off when you leave the room, shut off your computer befor you go to bed, unplug cellphone chargers, camera chargers while not in use. Dont use MH or HPS to veg your plants. running those things cost alot, especially running it 18 or 24 hours a day, so go out and buy some T5 fixtures, there awesome.

Whell alright, i put in my 2 cents. And trust me, my elec bill has been about $700 for the past 5 months, i finally started doing all this and i dropped it down $300.(i was very waistfull)


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## reggaeuplifts

SmokinMom said:
			
		

> Something that I try to do is keep the thermostat at 79.  I cheat at times tho.
> 
> Ceiling fans rock!  And at night I gotta have air moving around me to sleep well.



79? Thats so hot! 

But ceiling fans are prettty good


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## HGB

turn down the hot water heater  

doesn't need to give ya 3rd degree burns out of the tap

baseboard heaters dont really shut all the way off but usually can be at the breaker box :hubba: 

wash dishes by hand and hang cloths to dry on cloths line

during the day we dont turn any lights on

I bbq most every night with hard woods (live in the woods)

heat with wood in the winter if you can

peace


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## rasta

i can set thermo at 79 no problem,,,,the lady rasta leaves it on 68 all day ,,,and wonders why the bills 400 ,,,,,p,l,r


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## Mutt

Gonna make this a sticky....very good stuff here.
My 3 simple additions
1. CFL's instead of incadescents more light less wattage 
2. Anything with a heating element (dryers, dishwashers, hot water htrs (like hgb said) take up a bunch of power)
3. Keep that AC filter clean. If its old and plugged makes that system work 2X as hard to pull air.


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## Mutt

Been doing something new..
I am very forgetful about turning off lights. So I went to K-mart and found these 30 minute increment timers on sale for like 4 bucks.
I put them on some lamps that stay on most of the day...(CFL's for my indoor plants). I set them on 16/8 which is sufficient for most indoor houseplants. on a plus note...they turn off in different increments so when I'm gone...unless you been stakin my place out yer never sure if I'm gone or not  so two birds with one stone 
but I know I'm saving a fortune on my forgetfullness. thought I'd toss that in. figure if you have a lamp that stays on just toss a timer on.


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## HGB

for those that use a well for there water source can check there pressure tanks once a week to make sure the pump isn't run'n when it shouldnt be.

Also for those on wells you can install water saver products to cut back on pump use some  

:48:


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## Kupunakane

My friend is into electronics big time and we walked around the house with a clipboard and paper and pen. He pointed out that I was correct about pre-warmers. Most stereos, TV's, use a passive amount of go-go juice when they are turned off, like having a computer on standby. and those nite lights that are still plugged in and working in a whole other section of the house only they are on a photo sensitive setup,(close the door to the bathroom and it's dark in there right ? nope the little night light comes on. 
  Well we went around and added all the juice that collectively they are pulling, and I almost farted when I saw the score. I have been throwing away the equivalent of what 5 100w light bulbs would burn. Sheeesh. 
  Well I'm not paying for the execs at the electric company to have a party on me any more.light.gif
smoke in peace
KingKahuuna


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## allgrownup

unplug that piece of crap freezer in your garage thats storing hot pockets from 1983 and half a moose you'll never eat.


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## SmokinMom

allgrownup said:
			
		

> unplug that piece of crap freezer in your garage thats storing hot pockets from 1983 and half a moose you'll never eat.


 
:spit: Too funny agu, and sooo true.


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## qwe

Double Post~ Sorry


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## qwe

Bubby said:
			
		

> We close most of the blinds in the morning, so that our a/c doesn't have to work as hard when we get home.
> 
> Also, use a boiler (if you have one), rather than boiling on the stove. It's faster, and much more efficient.
> 
> :confused2:
> 
> Oh, and use LED X-mas lights.



iF your a handy man.. or wanna get someone to install a stove.. try usign a gas or propane stove seems to me to be alot cheaper or even use a small propane camping stove


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## Kupunakane

WoW HGB,
  I never thought of checking that one, but I got the sweet to say yes to a wood burner, I have always loved the heat from those. This has also pleased my sweet since she is my booky so to speak. She says she loves to see the savings. So I'm like back in her good graces ha-ha-ha.
smoke in peace
KingKahuuna


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## THCPezDispenser

HGB said:
			
		

> turn down the hot water heater
> doesn't need to give ya 3rd degree burns out of the tap


 
Also, you can get tankless water heaters, they heat water on demand.  The have a pricey initial investment, but claims that it will save 50% on your water heating bill.  If you think about it, most of the energy in a hotwater tank is used just to keep it hot, while you are at work, over night, on the weekends while you are away, etc.

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=943929&Ntt=943929&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=0&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber


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## allgrownup

or you could just turn the temp guage down on the hot water heater......


i do agree completely with the "tankless" hot water heaters.  Matter of fact i'm getting one in my new "green" house.  Along with an a/c that purifies the condensation for drinking, and a few other really cool gadgets.


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## Pot Belly

I've got a Rinnai tankless water heater, and I love it.  We have that and our clothes dryer is on gas as well.  We do loads and loads of laundry.  Our gas bill is $30.00 a month.

Would recommend a tankless to anyone, well worth the initial investment.


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## fleshstain

a few thing i did were:

1. changed out all bulbs to 12watt CFL's....and i mean every bulb....every bulb in our place was at least 60watters with a couple 100's....good savings there alone....
2.  we don't use our dishwasher at all....we wash our dishes by hand and use the dishwasher as a drying rack....
3.  unplug anything that's plugged in and not being used....saw on the news one night that almost everything plugged in is pulling electricity even if it's not on....stereo's and dvd players were the best examples....they have to pull electricity to keep the memory settings....
4.  my light cycle is from 7pm-7am so i don't hit any peak usage hours and avoid the higher rates....
5.  try to use the oven as little as possible....an oven set to 400 degrees is using as much electricity as a running central a/c unit....

that's about all i can think of right now....i think the biggest saver is the dishwasher....here in Texas a running dishwasher is the equivalent of a running 10,000 btu window a/c unit....


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## upinarms

What about electric Generators Honda sells than though I think the cheaper ones at least $141.00 run on gasoline which kind of sucks unless you grow in the garage but still sucks because burns up fuel . These days it's a smart Idea to be Green about certain things and well using gas in excess plus the cost just sounds kinda dumb but I do think that there has to be a better alternative generator. probably a stupid suggestion.....


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## HippyInEngland

Solar power is the way of the future


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## g-13

i changed all my bulbs to 13w cfl, i took out 22 100 w, and 13 60w light bulbs.
i unplug the washer and dryer until i use them then unplug again.
for heat i use the fire place and my bill is $100 a month.
all power tools in the garage are only plugged up when i use them.
and i have 3 fans, 1400w, 2 pumps, and co2 regulator in my grow room.


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## shuggy4105

don`t leave anything on "standby", loads of cash keeping all the electricals on ready.
energy saving light bulbs are great.
solar power is the way to go,"we" may be too late...


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## DankCloset

well my thoughts on this, the only truely way to fly off the radar on this topic is solar panels and batteries, with this setup your are not only producing all your heat, hot water, power, and not to mention the fact that any left over or if you have enough output you can sell your power back to the grid, there is absolutely no way anyone but you can determine the the ammount of energy u produce, hence no way of tracking the watts you use.


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## rockydog

Excellent post with some great ideas. I try keeping lights off, blinds closed during the day and only use the washer and dryer during low times. (not peak). Thanks a lot for all the ideas.


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## Hashassin

A pal of mine has an uncle in new hampshire  who has  a  wind turbine on his house that  fuels his  electricity for his house no sweat...and  he  sells  the  extra  back to the electric  company ..it makes him cash..while it is nearly  impossible  for most  to purchase one  due  to the  fact they are in the 50grand park...one hell of an investment...work out a  small model  that  can  fuel a  light/fans.etc = 0  and  youll be in buisness..just a  thought


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## choking_victim

I also replaced all my in-house lights with cfls, 
and run my 12/12 throughout the night so it wont be in the peek zone.
...and turn that bathroom light out when you're done...


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## pussum

Some really good tips to keep the bill down. Seal your windows in the winter time and keep your theromstat at 67. The heat will stay in your home longer and the thermo won't be running all the time thus using more electricity. Also it is always good to keep your electric equpiment that you aren't using or don't use on a regualr basis unplugged because all items that use electricity to function will syphon a small draw of power even if they are off so long as they are still plugged into the wall.


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## md.apothecary

not sure if someone mentioned this, but here is a FACT for you...

5% YES... FIVE PERCENT of your electric bill is STAND-BY electronics!

If you see a light on your electronics that is "OFF" it's really on stand-by! This still burns a LOT of electricity! Even your TV set is in "stand-by" mode. This is how they get ratings even when the TV set is not on!

A surge protector... with nothing plugged into it, STILL burns electricity! Yep, it's still drawing electricity out of your plug. 

Solution is to plug in ONLY electronic devices that will not reset memory if hard powering off. A hard power off is like unplugging it or flipping 'off' the surge protector.

You want to plug those hard powered devices into a surge protector you can turn off each night. This will actually save you money... serious money!


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## ninjashoes

When I buy a new house Im gonna seriously look at doing a full solar power conversion. 

imo in the future we will all switch over


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## dobshibby

yeah TVs left on standby also use heaps of power.if you have doggies let them sleep at the end of the bed during winter,great heat.dry clothes on the line its not that hard to walk outside and put on a few pegs.with regards to saving on the growing setup,last grow i had heaters and oscilating fans but this time im only using the light,i cut out using the heater during the dark period by filling the base of my grow area with stones,so while the light is on it heats up the stones and when its off the stones slowly release their heat back into the grow area,simple but affective,and just bend the plants stem a few times a day saves on having to use a fan,small effort big difference,peace.


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## seedeeter45

use an economic appliance rater meter thing, it allows you to check the effeciency of each appliance-


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## kasgrow

Use a solar powered fan in your grow room. The light can power the fan. 
http://www.advancedenergyonline.com/catalog/applications/Small DC & Solar Fans.htm


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## seedeeter45

or just use an entire solar setup for your house, can it be done?  I bet if people put their minds to it!:hubba:


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## marcnh

I think using a toaster oven is a huge money saver.   I also like to hang dry my clothes, but thats odvious.  I eat cold food.  Solar cooking is also awesome.  Just google or youtube SOLAR COOKING.  It's just simply amazing.  Turning off lights year round saves electric yes, but in the summer it saves heat.  When living in the southwest where it gets cool at night at hot during the day and its dry, I will open my windows at night, put a fan in them, and close them during the day to trap the cold air.  
Also I know someone that had one of those obnoxious widescreen hdtv's.  You know the ones where they cost thousands, and they sit there like zombies for a few hours a day watching crap.  Well I *walked by* one of them and a foot away I could feel the heat coming off of it.  We all know that if something gives off heat, that is wasted electricity.  Think of a light bulb, some of the energy is always wasted in heat - it requires energy to  produce heat - always remember this, my father is an electrician. good luck all!


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## marcnh

ok just found some awesome vids on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NveshAa5qpk&NR=1

there are plenty more on solar power.


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## Kupunakane

Yo Ho friends,
   I just got my electric bill that included my solid month of growbox running full steam. With all the stuff that I went around and turned off, that included pre-warmers, chargers, computers, appliances that have clocks, and also changing the lights. My bill compared to last year at the same time is six dollars higher, that's it. My grow closet has a large oil filled heater in it, a fan, timers, and three 48" CFL fixtures each holding two 40 watt gro tubes. The lights don't draw all that much, but that heater does, and all together it does add up. So with a little work around the OL' Homestead the electric bill v/s the growbox is a wash. Ha-Ha love it.
  Now for that 400watt hps,  I will have to come up with some more shaved corners. Keeping in mind that sudden large electrical changes draws attention, just need to keep the transitions smooth.
smoke in peace
KingKahuuna


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## marcnh

It is possible to make your electric meter run backwards using solar power.  I'm no electrician, but i seen it on youtube.


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## shuggy4105

well it must be true then...


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## HVHY

In Cali you can have solar and it cuts your bill or even zeros it out if you produce enough energy however the best thing to do is just cut yourself off from Pigs, Goats and Elephants (PG&E freaking Price gougers and extortionists) but in Cali you cant do that you must be connected even if you live out in the BFE if ya know what i mean.


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## Flyinghigh

Well seems like everybody got a anwser for there elcet bill on how to cut the wattage down just so I can help.. Hehe
What more important?    
Weed or beer!
Weed or Gas!
Wedd or snacks!!
weed or freezers!  
weed or Refirg!
Weed or that prime rib!!
Weed or Stay Kool!
Sure sounds like alot of weed is being consume through there elect bill LOL But must love the weed we grow and so the cost of that grow we each have is always going to concume the elect. as those things I mention Those r a must for some and to find a way to cut down elect bill is the only thing a person can do is cut back on what we have on !! 
Gotta go back to those cave land day and just keep the lights on for the grow and refrig and put a/c in grow room and buy a POOL to stay KOOL!!


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## benamucc

If someone posted this idea and I missed it sorry for the repeat.  I was reading fast...

Depending on the size of your home, and type of heat used, forced air fan coil unit, fan motors are often a variable speed. 2 or sometimes 3 settings.  Often depending on the cuft of the space it's supposed to heat, the fan will be set on a speed that is unnecessaryily high.  It's often as easy as walking over to your thermostat, and switching the setting to low, but sometimes you have to go looking for it on the unit itself.  

Also, I know there has been alot of mention on the electricity part, but covering windows with plastic, and making sure door jamb weather seals are in tact are INCREDIBLE loss areas.  Weather seals and windows are easy to check with a candle (or with a fat doobie).  If it flickers, fix-er.

Also, chimney flus go overlooked, and will drain your house faster than you would think.  Think path of least resistance.  

One last one...after you get done cooking that killer frozen pizza for your munchies, turn off the oven, and leave it open to vent out the warm air.


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## HVHY

another way would be to replace all of the lighting in your house with LED's as LEDs require less energy, however they arnt as bright so i dont know if the energy that is required for enough LEDs to light up a house would be enough to offset the cost of regular lightbulbs or CFLs.


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## nightnurse

dry your clothes on the line. turn off dry cycle on dishwasher, or hand wash them. be religious about turning off lights, tvs, etc, while not in room or viewing. listen to ipod rather than stereo. (highly recommended)! do the majority of your cooking outside, when weather permits. heat with wood. use candles instead of lights. sit outside and smoke yur bud!


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## shuggy4105

nightnurse said:
			
		

> dry your clothes on the line. turn off dry cycle on dishwasher, or hand wash them. be religious about turning off lights, tvs, etc, while not in room or viewing. listen to ipod rather than stereo. (highly recommended)! do the majority of your cooking outside, when weather permits. heat with wood. use candles instead of lights. sit outside and smoke yur bud!


i`ve looked for the button on my girlfriend but i can`t find it,lol


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## That crazy vancouver guy

shuggy4105 said:
			
		

> i`ve looked for the button on my girlfriend but i can`t find it,lol


 
Ummmm... Shuggy.... you don't really need to be told where it is, do you? ? ?  

:rofl: :rofl:


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## lowrys girl

put the sleep timer on the tv, get a blanket instead of turning the heater all the way up.......both things i need to work on


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## shuggy4105

That crazy vancouver guy said:
			
		

> Ummmm... Shuggy.... you don't really need to be told where it is, do you? ? ?
> 
> :rofl: :rofl:


LMAO, posting without thinking again,lol.
i`ll re-phrase, i cant find the other button.....:fid: she may tell ya different though!


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## bcbud_chick

I was surprised to find out just how much a draw leaving a computer on 24/7 is. Apparently you can reduce your electric bill by 15% just by turning your computer off when you aren't using it. Thanks for all the suggestions so far, I am definitely going to be implementing some of them in my home.


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## N1XONâ¢

thanx for all the good ideas..  if i run by something ill be sure to post it.


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## Flyinghigh

Solar is what I am Looking into lately to save elect in so many ways..
I can say my elect bill this yr is alot higher then last yr and that due to I had a newer 2 bedroom trailer 14x66  brought in and took out a 1 bedroom 12x52 and I checked useage from this yr to last and year befor that I can see a Big different from then to now about $45, So should I worry about it ? Naw Let the elect company invest and they can see that there No More 1 Bedroom here and a 2 bedroom  with a shop out back..
when moven into a new (Rental) Place and u have to call the elect company to have them turn on the lights don't they ask how many bedroom ? They always ask us so I am not worry to much..

Solar Solar is the way to go..


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## sharrychrist

*Hi, This post of mine will surely updates knowledge and contain valuable information. However I would like suggestions about some specific information. If you can help me then please send me a private message. Many Thanks,*


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## lilypoll8

Hello Everyone,

This thread is very informative and I'm sure i can pick up lot of tips and save. Thanks for sharing your experiences. 

Hope to have good time here.


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## tcooper1

MrPuffAlot said:
			
		

> since the deregulation of electric companies
> we as consumers are allegedly able to buy
> power from different power companies.
> 
> You buy your electricity from a electric company other
> than your local one, so basically you are able to shop
> kilowatt prices. But you still have to pay for distribution and
> etc etc etc to your local company.
> 
> Anyways.. First thing we need to do is shop for the lowest
> kilowat prices from around the country.
> So if you know your Kilowat prices, POST them.
> 
> and if you are computer savy, research whos the cheapest, if you can.
> 
> I looked into it before, but figured, if it wasn't broken not to fix it.
> So i kept my local company.
> 
> as for conserving.. I can't skimp on the AC, i got young kids and work
> alot, last thing I want to do is come home to a sauna.


 
Were I live we only have 1 company to go though.I leave lights off (if I can)
I hang dry some of my laundy
I leave my porch light off..your right about the dog letting you know
thank you for this thread


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## Tool

The real problem is fuel prices by me its almost up to 4 dollars. You guys should look into fuel vaporizers for your car I have been for awhile and about to make a purchases. there is not much info about this but look hard sometimes there on ebay. they honestly do work why they arent in every car is the government but dont get me started. They get you 50% to 90% better fuel mileage and run around about 250$ custom made for your car . Thats one way to save some cash this summer.


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## dasweasle

I would have to recomend all of the above but with a few solar panels, why waste sunshine? you could have them power your house  and if you make more than you use it can go right into the local power grid, and run your meter backwards potentaly giving you a check from the power company instead of a bill, or you could run your grow lights off solar and batteries wich would be more expencive but worth it. Imagine numerous little shed/shacks with a few solar panles around them? you could grow anywhere there is enough light(or add more panels)


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## ChatNoir

Actually, Stanley Meyer found a zero point water power cell, it works but you have to build it yourself then buy a hydrogen engine to convert hydrogen into energy, it works with water, total cost of monthly electric is just a few dollars for water to power the engine...


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## Tool

Go to you tube and type in john hutchison he is one of the smartest people that has ever lived he is big into zero point energy and gravity manipulation. you should take a look into its really cool.


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## pussum

Just a little heads up to anyone thinking about starting a grow out there. Now is a great time to start because it is extremely easy to mask the power usage in your bill. Now that central air units and air conditioners are starting to get cranked to full blast the power companies are expecting huge spikes in bills. If you were to paranoid about being discovered by growing during the winter now is a great time. 

Cut off the central air for a few hours a day, or set the timer on the unit to shut off an hour after you go to work and an hour before you come home and that should balance out the usage of your garden while still keeping your house cool while you are in it.


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## docfishwrinkle

THCPezDispenser said:
			
		

> Also, you can get tankless water heaters, they heat water on demand. The have a pricey initial investment, but claims that it will save 50% on your water heating bill. If you think about it, most of the energy in a hotwater tank is used just to keep it hot, while you are at work, over night, on the weekends while you are away, etc.http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/...Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=0&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber


these r good if ur water out of tap is constantly 50* otherwise they r not efficient.


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## parkingjoe

well if you think you have problems check this out.

lol

i had my electric meter changed a year last march and since that time have had it read by my electric company provider every 3 months yet i have yet to receive any bill.

my meter stands me at £2,400 at this moment in time.

yes i have all electric heating washing machine dryer shower hot water heater etc etc etc and also more importantly all my growing stuff.

so had a letter from untility company stating im due a new electric meter as mine is considered out of date.

holy crap im busted ill have to pay the bill as i already had a new meter fitted a year last march.

i have a few mates in the same situation so its obvious someone has messed up and not informed the relevant electricity supplier that we are on the map so to speak.

watch this space


roflmao

pkj


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## growdammit

The big thing with the whole energy thing is the technology is already here to make most homes electric company independent.  However the cost of implementing this technology in our own homes is ridiculous.  I am sure there is technology big governement (lobbyists) keeps from us.  Several wind generators + solar technology would cut the worlds dependance on fossil fuels considerably, but at what cost to those poor CEO's of big power who desperately need another yacht?....


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## [email protected]

i got a good idea on saving fuel, start walking!!!!! or carpooling instead of driving around aimlsly in no direction... also unplug all plugs that arnt being used in your house like tv plugged in on or off is wasteing electricity. also reuse your towels those are the biggest energy waster when washing cloth, ohh and run the dishwasher when its completly full.


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## halzey68

it isnt saving on electrical power, but if all fast food "drive thru's" had a "down grade" so cars could be turned off and just roll by, how much fuel would that save?


----------



## occg.hydro

Hey everyone! Tons of usefull advice in here. I'm a big supporter of solar power unfortunately I can't afford the initial investment. I mean, seriously though why depend on something that's going to run out when we can get our power from the sun! It'll be around long after we're gone and it's FREE! I spent the whole day working with my power company to find a way to lower my bill. I don't want to be obnoxious and start re-posting stuff in all different sections of the site so check out either of these two posts (and be sure to check out the grow journal )

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28890

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27192


----------



## lkbkr103

I keep my a/c at 77. I would shut it off, but already this year we've hit 112 outside. Try only running your dishwasher when it's totally full.


----------



## Smeden

Hi all

Nice threadreading here.

I was thinking about getting some solar cells 1 month back, and the longer I came the more watts I wanted.

First it was only meant to run some music + lights when we go on festivals. I was recommended a 20w solar panel, and he said a 10w maybe would cut it (for playing + lights 3-4 hours every night) This would be easy to set up, and coul be done for total 200 bucks + 12 v battry which I have.

But I found these mofo's and suddently I start thinking on creating a solar bloomroom. 

The setup - if I wanted to give it a go:
2x
http://cgi.ebay.com/Uni-Solar-PVL136-watts-Thin-Film-Solar-Panel-BC_W0QQitemZ280251172268QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item280251172268&_trkparms=72%3A552%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14.l1318
1050 bucks

4x10 bulbs = 40x1900 lumens = 76000 (sounds too good) and colour 2700 should be fine for flowering.
http://cgi.ebay.com/LOT-OF-TEN-10X-DC-12V-6W-SOLAR-PANEL-CFL-LIGHTBULB-E27_W0QQitemZ250277332162QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item250277332162&_trkparms=72%3A552%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.l1318
4x30 = 120 bucks

Controller
http://cgi.ebay.com/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230275072106
45 pound = about 100 bucks

Then add - one large car/industry 12 volt battery or 2-3 normal car batteries.

Total 1270 dollars and I would even buy 30-40 bulbs extra - just in case the setup makes more power than i thought.

Unfortunately "seen this way" I live in Denmark and well, we are not the country with most sunshine hours in the world... So hmm will be waiting a little. But would love to see someone doin it.

Been searching for hours, and none competetors at the time came in reach of the uni solars I found. When you look at watt/dollar price.

One more thing. Think you should be carefull about hunting the lower prices. Here in DK, when you want another company, you get one of the newer digital power boxes - these I was told, are much easier for the police to locate a grow by, as the times of consumption are saved in the box and sent to electricity company. So they could easily see if the highest consumption is in 12 hours cycles, and starting at the second every day...

Just my 50


----------



## Blend No. 420

All the links above are closed, but this one will give you everything you need in one place.

wholesalesolar.com

I am seriously looking into using solar as my only source of electricity in my grow room. If anyone else has done this I would appreciate any comments or tips.


----------



## JBonez

well, i just checked my space heater and that uses 750 watts! its not even big! i always have my computer on, 400w, and my 47 inch flat panel that its connected too, thats about 700w i believe, so i can do with not having them on all the time. switched all my light bulbs in the house to cfl's, they are much cheaper, 27w vice 40w! god knows that i dont need the dryer cycle on the dishwasher and when i run the dryer i set it for 70 minutes, even tho it only takes about 45 minutes to dry my clothes! so all in all, i should be able to lower my bill to even lower than what its gonna be with my 1000w mh/hps!

hope this helps guys and puts your wattage into perspective, you can always save!


----------



## lisa

A very useful thread that mainly focussed how to reduce the electric bill.


----------



## HippyInEngland

lisa said:
			
		

> A very useful thread that mainly focussed how to reduce the electric bill.


 
Thats because the title of the thread is called ....  *Let's help each other's Electric bill*


----------



## msge

Last year  i installed a programable   thermostat, In turn of the ac all day and then turn it back on so i come home to a cool house. As other have said get rid of them incandesent bulb, cfl all the way My bill drop 100 buck a month with just those 2 things


----------



## Hidesert

I added 5kw of solar, I get 350 days of blue skies. My power feeds back into the grid, running the power meter backwards during the daytime. Its called "Net Metering", I get a bill once a year. My electric went from $300 a month to about $300 a year now.


----------



## schoolboy420

saw it on oprah to unplug everything your not using. cuts back majorly apparently. but id hate to be running around and unplugging and plugging stuff in. but hey im the lazy american. hahah.


----------



## Black1269

Ya this has been said i think but anything with a remote uses lots of power even when turned off all the power is thair waiting for you to push that button. If you unplug your tvs starios you will save money. Lol i dont do it but my boss has a two storey shed powerd by a small wind mill and a couple solare pannels. He had TV and everything in there LOL i will try and get a pic its priceless oh ya he lives in it lol


----------



## OZark_Mauler

I've done alot of these things so far . It's been a major bit of money involved we have over 70 bulbs in our house and outdoor security lights . Most are CFL .We saw an immediate drop in our bills .
 But,,,our Elec. Co-Op has installed new meters that not only tell our Mo. KWH usage but is also able to detect spikes and drops .So our lights are not on timers for obvious reasons . 
 I just wanted to drop this on whoever may have a Elec. Co. with this tech. for _*"Food for Thought"*_ . Folks you need to know about this tech. it could make or break you . If they can read your meter from their offices you may need to re-think your _*methods*_ for Nap Time in case they can track usage .


----------



## PencilHead

During hurricane Charlie, we ran on my generator but couldn't run the central--we bought a $100 dollar window shaker.  After the power came back up, we put the thrmo at 77 and run the shaker at night set to like 70.  My wife swears we save over a $100 a month running this little thing and the bedroom is oohh so nice at night.


----------



## PencilHead

Great thread, by the way, King. Going green with your green--how PC is that for us un-PC types?


----------



## gsxr1000

I found the uber king of all high efficient ballast while searching the web and its dirt cheap with a three year warranty, oh yeah and it's digital running both MH and HPS bulbs comes in both 400 and 1000 watts. 
if you want to give it a looksee.

coolbluetech.com/400W_digital_ballast.html


----------



## SPEARCHUCKER

We waste power like mad. Run central air 24/7. But the bills really arnt that high doing so. Did have a boost when going from a gas stove to electric.

One thing we did do though was seal up a few of the upstairs rooms. Only use 2 out of 5. So shut off the central air vents and just leave the door shut. Attached some weather stripping on the bottom. Cause when running, can feel cool air being sucked from under.

During the summer, going out to the dock. We have these solar lights we stick in the ground onside the pathway. Not sure of the wattage, but they charge up all day, and burn all night. Think I might tinker with using them for things indoors. Got like 20 of them.

Dont know if anyone else has this problem where they are. Cause I wouldnt mind partially solar powering my home. But here, you cant send power back out into the lines. Get a hefty fine. After a storm power outage, a neighbor found that out the hard way.


----------



## gsxr1000

i just found out the coolblue ballast comes in 600w as well


----------



## Substorm

I keep my electric wall heater 100% off during the winter, my grow tent is about 2 feet from my bed, I put the ballast on a couple of cinder blocks so the heat from the light and ballast keeps me warm during the night.  When I am not laying in bed I just wear a hoody sweater on cold nights or a light blanket.  Also going to start unplugging everything.  Wish I owned my own place so I could go solar!


----------



## chiefALLday

lovin this thread,  i really like those lil solor powered fans that guy posted a link too!!!  very cheap. but not sure how strong they would be if any efficiency ..


----------



## purplephazes

fridays , saturdays , sundays , i throw on the barbie uses gas have ..candle lit dinners..and buy paper plates and plastic knives + forks its easy on all power issues and ltd cleaning costs WOW no power no hot water needed


----------



## LassChance

KingKahuuna said:
			
		

> This is something that effects all of us, and I think together we can come up with a lot of great ideas to help lower the electric bill for each of us. And what you might think sounds silly, and a waste of time sometimes isn't.
> I would have never thought to turn off the drying cycle on the dishwasher ya know, so let's hear the brains working this one for all our sakes.
> Here's one:
> 1. Got a dog in your home ? then turn off the porch lights, anything wrong will get the dog to barking.
> 
> smoke in peace
> KingKahuuna



First, congratz on the weight loss.  Im an expert, having lost hundreds of pounds in my life., and gaining them back, as well.  I never got the hang od smoking dope and NOT munching out, but evidently you have and I say, YOU GO!

Ive been serious about not wasting energy too.  I lowered my bill from around 300 to 115 by not using the clothes dryer--hanging clothes may look tacky to the neighbors, but they dont pay my bills. I also unplug the TV's, computer and small applliances when not in use. Oh, also turned off the electric heat and used the propane space heater all winter. Hey, it adds up!

Lass Chance


----------



## LassChance

Im gonna TRY to use the AC as little as I can...fortunately, I live way the hell out in the boonies and can leave my door open at night. Downstairs bedroom is nice and cool with the door open.  Only problem is the occasional critter coming in.  Last summer a baby possum came right in and settled down for a nap...my dogs went nuts, woke me up...and I looked around to see what the excitement was.  There was this little possum, dead as a doornail, by the head of the bed.  At least he sure LOOKED dead....
This is what I learned:  NEVER think a possum is dead unless you see guts and blood and gore. And NEVER pick up what you think is a dead possum by the tail.  Dont do it.

Lass Chance


----------



## viper

since im new and this thread dates back to 2007 , i didnt read all --- lazy and a little stoned right now but another way to lower your electric cost is to DIY or have a buddy / electrician install a time clock on your water heater if its electric and, for you gas people , well sorry your s.o.l , you dont need to be heating that water for a certain period late at night , plus most water heaters are 30 to 50 gallons -- my double pole  double throw timer is set from 12 midnight to 4 am  and 8 am to 2 pm  , im saving money


----------



## Head_Down_Under

I've lived on solar power out in the bush for years (tho I'm back in the big smoke now, just for a while) so I've learnt to be frugal with my power use. I could go on for pages but I'll suggest a few tips I don't think have been mentioned yet:

Wrap it up!!!  The fridge: I did my city one with alfoil and cardboard. It also looks nice (less white-goodlike). Also set it to a warmer temperature, and disconnected the wiring to the butter warmer in the door.

Wrap up the hot water storage tank! This one I did by making a box around it and filling it with fibregalss insulation.

The Bath! I removed the side covers and glued sisalation to the bath all around (on the outside). And then filled the surround with bulk fibreglass insulation before replacing the cover. THis lets my bath stay hot for much longer before I have to top up with more hotwater.

Every ceiling, every wall of every room is insulated.

Compact fluro lights are great, but dont overlook LEDS. Outside christmas strings of colour LEDs look pretty, work well for verandah/garden lights, and barely consume any power.

When the weather's good I cook outside, with the sun and a homemade boxcooker. Its all here at the site uu uu uu dot solarcooking.org
this is a great site, solar cooking is a great, inexpensive DIY hobby.

When building, put your windows on the north and south walls, never the east and west

I'd go on for hours, but just these few tips can do a lot


----------



## WeedHopper

I replaced all my incandesant bulbs with CFL. Most the Incandesants were 60 watts,some were even 75,,some even 90.
 I replaced them all with 11 watt daylight CFL's which gives ya even better light. If ya replace,lets say ten 60 watters(600 watts) with ten 11 watt cfl (110 watts). Thats a savings of over 400 watts. Mine was even more. I had like 20 bulbs I replaced.
I keep my house at 73f. My electric bill is never over 230.00. I live in the South. I also collect my AC condensation(distilled water) and use it on my plants. Have been for along time. I have not had to purchase distilled water for my DWC in along time, and my girls love it.


----------



## metalholic

caribbean_smoker_20 said:
			
		

> I only use my a/c when it's time for bed.It's off all other times.I don't run it all day.


If you keep turning your Ac on everyday you spend more electric thats a surcharge. If you actually leave your ac on on a set temp leave it on all day you will save like 20 bucks a month then turning it on everyday. FACT


----------



## dfkeddy

where I live the rates are cheaper at night.


----------



## AcesUp

MA, he's got a butter warmer. LOL


----------



## OGKushman

put EVERYTHING on timers and photo cells. 

end of thread


----------



## Rolling Thunder

Rocker420 said:
			
		

> Dont use MH or HPS to veg your plants. running those things cost alot, especially running it 18 or 24 hours a day, so go out and buy ...


 EDITLED 300w Serena Broad Band Grow Light[/COLOR][/URL]. It's "80% more energy efficient than Metal Halide or HPS lamps."


----------



## Flyinghigh

Get rid of the O'lady if she can't help cut cost..!:hubba: 
When it comes to the electric bill all she can say is, It Not My fault the Bill is UP.!!  I can just Slap her silly..


----------



## Mr Greenjeans

I'm looking to buy an LED lighting system for the energy savings and to avoid attracting attention from authorities from using too much power. So what's the best LED light to buy. Looking for something that would have a similar output to a 400W Sodium.  I'm interested in a quality lamp that will perform the best.  I've heard that LED with different colors don't work as well cause certain parts of the plant won't get an even distribution of the needed frequencies, leading to disfigured, stunted growth. If you mounted the LED on a moving mount, wouldn't that distribute the light enough for the plant to benefit from getting a more or less even distribution of the different color lights?  

Thanks,

S. Hebert


----------



## greenfoxx

Now We didn't pick threw every page on this suject, but one thing that helps for us and is a noticable diffrence in your electric bill, is using Power vamp.  Its a surge protector you plug your tv into the main controller plug, and the rest into the controlled plugs.  When your tv goes off, all the little red lights go out, vcr, dvd, sterio, cable box, ps3, xbox, so forth.  also works for growing.  The protector is only 25 to 30 bucks, but will save you hundreds a year.  We started using them three years ago when we opened our enviromentally green biz, and they have been nothing short of god sent on the pocket book.  Hope this helps.

GreenFoxx's


----------



## oneplantwonder

whnever u leave turn off ur fans they will reduce temp. in like 5 minutes in the room the second they turn on so save electricity that way


----------



## tastyness

Where I live if you use too much electricity they come to your door to inspect.  They give 24 hours and then do the "safety inspection" so keeping kwh down is a major concern.  So far they've mostly bothered innocent people with indoor pools, saunas etc.  

Thanks for all the tips.  I'm going to check out the Power Vamp.  When I was in NZ they had a meter you can attach and keep a constant tally of how much electricity you have used (you input the cost in your area) this was at the B&B I stayed at. 
I just saw them at Home Depot recently about 89.00-.  Good to keep tabs on the bills and the danger.


----------



## zem

great thread! i've been reading through every page great info! power usage is a MAOR issue for me, one way i use to cut power down in my growroom is by running my HPS only 12/12 this is why i chose to do SOG style many small plants i basically keep moms under fluros total 108watts and some 30more watts for cloner, i take my clones from cloner and put them straigh into 12/12, i feed them when theyr still in the cloner to keep them green for some time so they grow roots and i use the right strains that dont stretch. i use insulation to keep things warm. this method saves me a great deal on the HPS which suck the most power and i save 12 hours/day becuz i dont veg with it


----------



## nouvellechef

This thread is old, but good. Since it popped back to top and fam is still asleep, I will chime in. I was terrified when I 1st got started as to how much my electric was gonna jump. House is 2k sq ft, all electric. In set wall heaters in each room on thermostat. Typically before I started we ran about $315 a month in power in the winter months. Obv we are in Jan now. I pay 8cents kilowatt for first however many then 10cents after that. So how did I run 6k watts and all the other misc electrical plus entire home and keep my bill under $360 max(our Dec bill). Woodstoves. I ordered 2 Napolean brand new inserts, 4 cords of wood and two chimney kits. Took a few hours to install both. One runs 24/7 and the other as needed. Yeah it cost some coin, but I would rather spend it on a woodstove than an attorney from Walla Walla Pen here in WA. My two cents.


----------



## spacecruiser427

KingKahuuna said:
			
		

> This is something that effects all of us, and I think together we can come up with a lot of great ideas to help lower the electric bill for each of us. And what you might think sounds silly, and a waste of time sometimes isn't.
> I would have never thought to turn off the drying cycle on the dishwasher ya know, so let's hear the brains working this one for all our sakes.
> Here's one:
> 1. Got a dog in your home ? then turn off the porch lights, anything wrong will get the dog to barking.
> 
> smoke in peace
> KingKahuuna


electric companies generally charge more during the day when people use electricity the most.  You could probably find out the prices per time of day but i'm guessing that they would go down right after the time that most people go to bed so that could be when you turn your lights on.  If you aren't a commerical grower and just do it for a personal supply my idea would be to put seedlings or clones straight to 12/12 and do it during the night.  I've also thought of using solar powered fans for the ventilation system.  The fans would get their energy straight from the lights but i have yet to try it


----------



## bi0phreak420

use CFLs they are way cheaper to run and the doo just as good as the HPS and MH...IMO..lol:angrywife:


----------



## WeedHopper

bi0phreak420 said:
			
		

> use CFLs they are way cheaper to run and the doo just as good as the HPS and MH...IMO..lol:angrywife:


 
Not for Flowering they dont.
T5s for Vegg and HPS for flower.
Change all your household bulbs to CFL's and you can save quite a bit. I changed all my 60 to 100 watt Incandesants to 11 watt CFLs and my bill dropped pretty good.


----------



## Hick

bi0phreak420 said:
			
		

> use CFLs they are way cheaper to run and the doo just as good as the HPS and MH...IMO..lol:angrywife:




when actually compared, cfls are both more expensive to purchase AND consume more watts/energy to produce equal light than hid's..


----------



## Jericho

Start using gas kettle, If you have a electric hob use a gas one or bbq more often, Dont use microwave as much, Change bulbs to cfls, Have a slightly colder shower or bath. 

There are better ways to save some cash, Lights in a grow room is not something you want to go cheap on.


----------



## bi0phreak420

Hey hopper you might wanna check out the grow journals cause CFLs work great for flowering i have  used them numerous times!!!lol:holysheep:


----------



## bi0phreak420

Hick said:
			
		

> when actually compared, cfls are both more expensive to purchase AND consume more watts/energy to produce equal light than hid's..



I totally disagree cfls are way more efficent than hid's and hps ...IMO...


----------



## nova564t

Oh, now you did it THGs gonna be all over this!! I use CFLs and get good results but facts is facts and Hick stated the facts.


----------



## Jericho

If you did the maths you would know they are not more efficient. Its not an opinion its a fact. 

600w of CFls would put out roughly 52k lumens were a 600w HPS would put out 90k lumens. 

This is one example hXXp://www.1000bulbs.com/product/1573/FC200-FEIIB200W.html You would need 9 of these to match a 600w HPS in lumens. At 50 quid each i think its cheaper to buy a HPS with a cool tube for 150 quid instead. 

If you compare bud grown under cfl to bud under HID you will notice a significant difference in size and density. I've seen the difference between the same strain grown side by side. By the weight of the bud there was at least a 25% difference. I will see if i can get some pics if my mate still has them. 

Im not saying you can't grow amazing bud with CFLs because you can but you cannot compare it to HID,


----------



## bi0phreak420

SHE CAN BE ALL OVER WHATEVER SHE WANTS IM JUST SAYIN ..NOT SURE WHERE YOUR GETTING YOUR PRICES BUT CFL'S ARE CHEAP:joint:


----------



## Jericho

Check the website i added in previous post. That's a place allot mention for getting cheap bulbs. I added some more info.

THG is the one that changed my mind on them and made me realise the difference. If you do a little reading on them and HID and compare the 2 side by side then you will see the difference.


----------



## WeedHopper

bi0phreak420 said:
			
		

> Hey hopper you might wanna check out the grow journals cause CFLs work great for flowering i have used them numerous times!!!lol:holysheep:


 
I have grown from Seed to Flower with Floras, BiOphreak,(ask HG and others on here,,they have seen my T5 grows),and believe me,, I know that you can get decent Buds with Floras,,BUTTTT,,,HPS puts out more LUMs per watt then Floras,,so running HPS is cheaper when it comes to Lums per Watt,,, with better results and dencer Buds,,which is what ya want in the end.:hubba:
I love T5s,,but untill they can put out the same Lums as an HPS per Watt,,I will Flower with HPS. I always Vegg with T5s and CFLs down in the canopy.


----------



## Hick

bi0phreak420 said:
			
		

> SHE CAN BE ALL OVER WHATEVER SHE WANTS IM JUST SAYIN ..NOT SURE WHERE YOUR GETTING YOUR PRICES BUT CFL'S ARE CHEAP:joint:



23 watt cfls(100 watt eq) 1600 lumnen $3.06 hXXp://www.1000bulbs.com/product/1582/FC23-FEIISB27K.html
400 watt hps 50,000 lumen $100 (uncludes bulb, ballast, and hood)  hXXp://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=400+watt+hps&oe    =utf-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=5613548153741699833&sa=X&ei=LKNpTYm5O431gAec   vZTLCg&ved=0CEsQ8wIwAg&output=nojs

SOOO.. in order to achieve equal lighting/lumens from the cfls that the  single hps supplies. You would require 31 of those $3.06 bulbs. 31x3=$96  and you haven't yet bought fixtures, cords, splitters, ect.

*In addition*, 31 bulbs X 23 watts =*713 watts* of energy consumed.

My Daddy use to say it, "jumping over dollars to pick up dimes"


----------



## WeedHopper

:yeahthat:


----------



## dman1234

its not a matter of opinion, its fact, cfl's simply are not as efficient.

there are a ton of ppl out there using CFL to save money on power bills and in fact spending more.

there are reasons to choose cfl but if its to cut the power bill your wasting your time.


----------



## Doxie

I really want to use these and I was wondering how much of a watt I would need for the growing cycle, and then the flowering cycle. 

I am going to grow hydroponically inside. 
Any tips appreciated!


----------



## Hick

Doxie said:
			
		

> I really want to use these and I was wondering how much of a watt I would need for the growing cycle, and then the flowering cycle.
> 
> I am going to grow hydroponically inside.
> Any tips appreciated!



you need a "minimum" of 3k lumen per sq ft for vegging and 5k lumens p/sq. ft. "minimum" for flowering... Watts are relatively irrelevant


----------



## nuttybong0

I didn't read everything so far but did anyone mention the fact that electricity costs sometimes half as much during non peak hours(night time). In my city it drops by 6c kwh after 10pm and then jumps back to normal at 5:59am, 17c kwh. So my light turn on at 10:05pm actually since I found out about this, the ac, dryer, dishwasher all hi powered appliances aren't used during the day especially the  dryer. 
Btw Hps/cfl.... no comparison. We've all seen decent grows using cfls but just imagine if those poor souls used an hid for flowering.


----------



## The Hemp Goddess

Doxie said:
			
		

> I really want to use these and I was wondering how much of a watt I would need for the growing cycle, and then the flowering cycle.
> 
> I am going to grow hydroponically inside.
> Any tips appreciated!



Why?  Why would you "really want to use these" when they cost about twice as much in electricity as HPS (every single month)?


----------



## rp12bar

KingKahuuna said:
			
		

> This is something that effects all of us, and I think together we can come up with a lot of great ideas to help lower the electric bill for each of us. And what you might think sounds silly, and a waste of time sometimes isn't.
> I would have never thought to turn off the drying cycle on the dishwasher ya know, so let's hear the brains working this one for all our sakes.
> Here's one:
> 1. Got a dog in your home ? then turn off the porch lights, anything wrong will get the dog to barking.
> 
> smoke in peace
> KingKahuuna


 
I run no lights or anything else in my house I even take cold showers. no dishwasher no washer dryer nothing, cept a little tv and the computer.
I just started growing and Im terrified of my first bill. I wil let you know when I get it.


----------



## The Hemp Goddess

When you get your power bill, just remember what it costs to buy the stuff.  this makes the power bill way more palatable.


----------



## solargrowtube

Has anyone thought about using or tried the new solar grow tubes from I'm a Spammer. Its an indoor skylight solar grow tube designed just for growing plants.  No electricity use and no worry about heat. Yum....more Spam  Brand new just on the market.  Sweet!


----------



## orangesunshine

no live links solartube---what's the difference in the tube design for light and the one for growing indoors


----------



## dirt and more

I don't know if this is addressed here or another thread. Operate your mn and hps on with 220v or multivoltage ballasts instead of 120v saves a bunch of $$$$. Easy to run wiring then need heavier duty 220v timers too. Should be easy to find on ebay or other sources.


----------



## nouvellechef

dirt and more said:
			
		

> I don't know if this is addressed here or another thread. Operate your mn and hps on with 220v or multivoltage ballasts instead of 120v saves a bunch of $$$$. Easy to run wiring then need heavier duty 220v timers too. Should be easy to find on ebay or other sources.



Because killowatt hours are cheaper at 220 than 110???


----------



## bubba902

Lol its an easier load to handle hahahhah


----------



## pcduck

nouvellechef said:
			
		

> Because killowatt hours are cheaper at 220 than 110???




:laugh: they are them same here. :laugh:


----------



## dirt and more

Duh REALLY??? I know the reason. Maybe I thought the point of this thread was to help each other save $$$. 220v vs 110v saves 1/2 usage of kilowatts. Might help somebody stay a little safer too


----------



## bubba902

I dint see the need in running 220, my 60in plasma is 425w lol


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## orangesunshine

dirt and more said:
			
		

> I don't know if this is addressed here or another thread. Operate your mn and hps on with 220v or multivoltage ballasts instead of 120v saves a bunch of $$$$. Easy to run wiring then need heavier duty 220v timers too. Should be easy to find on ebay or other sources.




  this makes no sense


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## dirt and more

ever heard of ohm's law?? LOL
ya buy em books and send em to school and what do they do? They tear the pages out!!! LOL


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## orangesunshine

no---never heard of ohm's law---and no i don't read too good neither do i believe all i read---please explain how ohm's law translates into 1000w ballast and bulb burning less kw when run on 110 wire than 1000w ballast and bulb burning on a 220 wire---or is it that a---1000w ballast and bulb burns less kw on 220 wire than on 110 wire---very confused  :stoned: 

A 1000 W (1 kW) appliance running for one hour will use 1 kWh (one killowatt hour) of energy. This is true whether it is running on 240 V or 120 V (V = volt). 

An appliance with a POWER consumption rating of 1000 W (that is, 1 kW), when run for an hour, consumes 1 kWh of ENERGY. 

The same energy is used whether we use 110 or 220 V voltage. If it were different, we could save energy by switching. We do not. It is that with 110 V, the appliance would draw twice the current that it would from a 220 V supply line. The product of V (voltage) x I (current) is P (power), which is the energy an appliance needs to run on per second, remains the same. 

the quotes listed above are plagiarized from "newton" and it's writers listed  here

Ali Khounsary, Ph.D.
Advanced Photon Source
Argonne National Laboratory 

Richard Barrans, Ph.D., M.Ed.
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Wyoming 

Best, **** Plano, Professor of Physics emeritus, Rutgers University

think i'll be keeping my 110 wiring---thanks


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## Hick

dirt and more said:
			
		

> Duh REALLY??? I know the reason. Maybe I thought the point of this thread was to help each other save $$$. 220v vs 110v saves 1/2 usage of kilowatts. Might help somebody stay a little safer too



Simply "not" so.... 1000 watts is 1000 watts, whether it's coming from a 440 volt source or 110...  



> This is a common misunderstanding about how electricity works and how the power  companies charge you for it. *The point often noted for the money saving argument  is that the amperage is half as much when running grow lights on 220 volts instead  of 110 volts. This is true but the utility company doesnt charge you for amperage,  they charge you for wattage. They bill you in kilowatt-hour units. A kilowatt-hour  is 1000 watts of usage for one hour or approximately equals a 1000 watt light running  for one hour.* Theres a nice formula for this: Wattage / Voltage = Amperage. If  we plug in the numbers for a 1000 watt sodium grow light, you can see that although  the voltage and amperage can change, the wattage always stays the same.
> 1000 Sodium Grow Light
> On 110 Volts: 1100W / 110V = 10A - On 220 Volts: 1100W / 220V = 5A
> Note that a 1000 watt sodium ballast draws 1100 watts.
> Right about now is when I get the question "well why do they make stuff to run  on 220 volts then?" Usually large machines and appliances that draw lots of power  run on 220 volts (or more) mainly because of the size wire you would need to use  to run them on 110 volts would be very large. The gauge and length of the wire will  determine the maximum amperage it will handle before it melts! On a 220 volt circuit,  the load is split between two 110 volt wires. This allows you to run smaller wire.  This brings us to the "probably" part of the answer. There is another factor, its  the voltage drop or the voltage lost when the power travels down the wire. The lower  the resistance on the wire, the less the voltage drop. If you are running one or  two lights in a typical home with the breaker box a short distance away, the efficiency  lost due to voltage drop may not be significant enough to justify rewiring your  grow room for 220 volts.


hxxp://www.hydroponics.net/learn/is-220-volts-more-efficient.asp


> .......
> The reason behind using a 220 volt circuit verses the 110 is the wire  size needed to carry the amount of current used. It comes down to the  cost of wiring and that is it.
> In the equation below the 220 volt/10 amp unit would only use 14 gauge  wire. The 110 unit would have to use a larger gauge wire to perform the  same function with 12 gauge wire.
> The larger the gauge number, the smaller the wire, thus less the cost.
> Sorry to say there is no cost difference to operate a 110 A/C to a 220  unit. Unlike the statement made below, it will take you forever to see  the cost difference in your electric bill as you will be using the same  amount of power for both.....


hxxp://wiki.answers.com/Q/Does_a_220_volt_Air_Conditioner_cost_less_to_operate_than_a_110_volt_with_the_same_btu%27s


 that said.... the "efficiency" of 220 wiring would "probably" result in a VERY minute savings, over an extended period.


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## Jericho

Haha. I don't know what they charge where you live mate but through the whole of europe if you receive power on a 110v or 240v you get the charged the same per KWH. No difference what so every when it comes down to pricing.


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## Classic

dirt and more said:
			
		

> Duh REALLY??? I know the reason. Maybe I thought the point of this thread was to help each other save $$$. 220v vs 110v saves 1/2 usage of kilowatts. Might help somebody stay a little safer too


No, this is a common misconception.  The power used is the product of Volts times the Amps.  It is true that you have half the amps at 220 but you have twice the volts.  When you multiply it out, the power consumption is the same at 220 as it is at 110.

If you don't believe this, you need to study Ohm's Law a little more.


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## Hushpuppy

certain appliances and electronic components do run more efficiently on 240v than on 120v and therefore will be a little more cost efficient but not half the cost. I doubt very seriously that the light ballasts would be that much more efficient on 240v that it would make a dollar's worth of difference.

Electric motors are one of the electric components that is more efficient when run with higher voltage, but that is really only the motors that are used for powering mechanical devices that draw heavily on the motor. Solid state components are not more efficient on higher voltage. In fact, if you are using digital components, they require less voltage as higher voltage and current is damaging to solid state components, and only in recent years have they made transisters that can handle high amounts of current effectively. JMHO and 25years experience as an electronics technician.


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## dirt and more

Thanks to u all for correcting me and my misconception. Only cuts amps in half. Got it. I'm pretty big, but not too big to admit when I am wrong.

Another thought. Maybe not cost saving. If your water heater is electric and cooking stove for that matter. Convert to gas. Use that additional electricity for something more productive or so you're lower key.


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## Jericho

Wow. It's refreshing to see someone admit when they are wrong. A genuine welcome to mp mate.


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## Hick

dirt and more said:
			
		

> Thanks to u all for correcting me and my misconception. Only cuts amps in half. Got it. I'm pretty big, but not too big to admit when I am wrong.
> 
> Another thought. Maybe not cost saving. If your water heater is electric and cooking stove for that matter. Convert to gas. Use that additional electricity for something more productive or so you're lower key.



Perfectly understandable dirt'... I know some electricians that couldn't start your truck..

Lets convert the hottub too...


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## dirt and more

Thank for the pic Hick. Those folks standing around watching don't appear to be cannibals.  A good laugh


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## gorickyourself

Use led lights ,they. Cost 30 to 40 Alice but they are good!!!


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## hashcraze956

Indisputedly, LED Lights rules the Game ! Just try it once and you will feel the difference it makes to your savings !

SPAM REMOVED


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## DankHobbyist

Call electric company and ask for rate analysis.  I told the guy I was going to use approximately x kwh from 8 to 8 overnight because I hit new equipment.  He told me I could stay on the care program as long as I didn't go over 3x baseline for my area.  Said it doesn't matter.  They don't give a **** I asked another representative about growing and care program.  They said it don't matter baseline is only thing.  So IM allowed something like 2400 kwh month before I need to get off care program.  

But the point ris you can call em and tell em your using 18kwh a night with new stuff and want to know if you could switch to time of day tiers from monthly amount tiers.  So now my cheapest rates are at night.  Also tent will help keep House warm.


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## AluminumMonster

Something that saved me money was switching to renewable energy. I switched from our main power supply company, who uses nuclear energy, to a company that produces electricity with wind farms. I saw a $40 dollar a month decrease in my bill. I also don't feel guilty for using more than my share anymore.


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## Michael94

Electric bill has always been the problem.


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