# HPS light



## threetracks (Jan 8, 2010)

I got a 400 watt HPS light it seems to be using a lot of electric how much should this light use on 12 /12 schedule I up to 400 watts in about 15 days does this seem right?


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 8, 2010)

threetracks said:
			
		

> I got a 400 watt HPS light it seems to be using a lot of electric how much should this light use on 12 /12 schedule I up to 400 watts in about 15 days does this seem right?



You need to rephrase this--I do not know what you are asking.  This:  "...I up to 400 watts in about 15 days..."  does not make any sense.  

A 400W HID will actually use over 400W.  Let's use 430W--12 hours a day is 5160W or 5.16KW per day.  In a 30 day month, this is 154.8 KW.  Now go to your power bill and see how much you are charged per KW.  Multiply this times 154.8 and that will tell you approx how much it costs to run your light per month.  Fans, pumps, etc. can add to your electricity bill also.  Most 400W lights cost between $20-30 a month to run.


----------



## LEFTHAND (Jan 8, 2010)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> You need to rephrase this--I do not know what you are asking. This: "...I up to 400 watts in about 15 days..." does not make any sense.
> 
> A 400W HID will actually use over 400W. Let's use 430W--12 hours a day is 5160W or 5.16KW per day. In a 30 day month, this is 154.8 KW. Now go to your power bill and see how much you are charged per KW. Multiply this times 154.8 and that will tell you approx how much it costs to run your light per month. Fans, pumps, etc. can add to your electricity bill also. Most 400W lights cost between $20-30 a month to run.


 
*It cost me 32-35$ a month for my (light-fans(4"&6")and 1water pump,70wHps and 2 cpu fans..)... first harvest here i got 6 oz dried and a 1/4.. not bad..*
*LH*


----------



## Alistair (Jan 9, 2010)

My bill is about $25.00 a month.  But once I start up the hid, the bill doubles.  Now, if I add the ac, the bill more than quadruples, the highest being about $117.00.


----------



## LEFTHAND (Jan 9, 2010)

Alistair Young said:
			
		

> My bill is about $25.00 a month. But once I start up the hid, the bill doubles. Now, if I add the ac, the bill more than quadruples, the highest being about $117.00.


 
*is that just your grow room power or whole house as well .. when i was running  the westlink ballast my power bill was 117-120.. now that im running a limetek it seems to be at 95$ thats grow and house..*
*LH*


----------



## DonJones (Jan 9, 2010)

God, what I wouldn't give for your power bills!  My total electricity is running over $280/month when the grow operation is in full swing -- that is with 2 16" oscillating fans running 24/7, 1 6" ventilation fan running 24/7, 5 or 6 400 HIDs running 12/12, 1 or 2 400 HIDs along with a 2 tube 24" T-5 fixture and a 20" box fan all running 18/6 plus the rest of the house.

One advantage though is the gas bill is way way down since I recirculate the grow room air back into the rest of the house.

Great smoking and happy 2010.


----------



## threetracks (Jan 9, 2010)

Sorry for the confusion I realized what i did after i posted it. It should have read kilowatt hours not watts. Its used about 540 kilowatts in about 19 days its just my grow room bill it is separate from the house. the meter was read 12/21/2009 and it was 3026 now its setting at 3566 which is 540 kilowatt hours to date . Does this seem high? I bought the light used it is a 400 watt hydro farm light and ballast together. This is my first grow been reading a lot here and there is a lot of good information to be had here. But was wondering about the power consumption of the light.


----------



## BOSTON BAKED BEAN (Jan 9, 2010)

lol  my bull last month  under 29 bucks the delivery  of the electricity cost  more than what i use..... not anymore i can not wait to see the next bill by the ill have 400w MH and Hsp running for flower an 22000 lummens of cfls  but  still cheeper and safer than trying to cop a bag in the city....  be safe all BBB


----------



## Growdude (Jan 9, 2010)

threetracks said:
			
		

> Sorry for the confusion I realized what i did after i posted it. It should have read kilowatt hours not watts. Its used about 540 kilowatts in about 19 days its just my grow room bill it is separate from the house. the meter was read 12/21/2009 and it was 3026 now its setting at 3566 which is 540 kilowatt hours to date . Does this seem high? I bought the light used it is a 400 watt hydro farm light and ballast together. This is my first grow been reading a lot here and there is a lot of good information to be had here. But was wondering about the power consumption of the light.



Well that's a lot more than a 400 watt light, the lights uses what Hemp goddess said, see post #2 that's how much it is.


----------



## DonJones (Jan 11, 2010)

Threetracks,

The name it self tells it like it is.  Usually electricity is sold in kilowatt hours which is one kilowatt for one hour.  Now as I remember it a kilo watt would be 1000 watts so that would be your 400 watts (actually a 400 watt HID will probably use more like 430 watts) times the number of hours it ran to find the watt hours and then divide it by 1000 to convert it to kilowatt hours, I think. 

For example, we can assume that your 400 watter actually draws 440 watts just to be on the safe side lets say 12 hours/day for 30 days to make the numbers easier to use.

That would give 12 hours/days times 30 days for a total of 360 hours/month times 440 or 158,400 watt hours for the month.  Dividing that by 1000 to convert it to kilowatthours gives 158.4 kilowatt hours,IF MY MATH ISN'T MESSED UP.

If I messed up I'm sure someone can correct it.

Good smoking


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 11, 2010)

DonJones said:
			
		

> Threetracks,
> 
> The name it self tells it like it is.  Usually electricity is sold in kilowatt hours which is one kilowatt for one hour.  Now as I remember it a kilo watt would be 1000 watts so that would be your 400 watts (actually a 400 watt HID will probably use more like 430 watts) times the number of hours it ran to find the watt hours and then divide it by 1000 to convert it to kilowatt hours, I think.
> 
> ...



Your math isn't messed up.  See my post above--Post #2 :rofl:


----------



## polish (Jan 12, 2010)

DonJones said:
			
		

> God, what I wouldn't give for your power bills! My total electricity is running over $280/month when the grow operation is in full swing -- that is with 2 16" oscillating fans running 24/7, 1 6" ventilation fan running 24/7, 5 or 6 400 HIDs running 12/12, 1 or 2 400 HIDs along with a 2 tube 24" T-5 fixture and a 20" box fan all running 18/6 plus the rest of the house.
> 
> One advantage though is the gas bill is way way down since I recirculate the grow room air back into the rest of the house.
> 
> Great smoking and happy 2010.


great idea for hiting the house !!!!


----------



## DonJones (Jan 17, 2010)

polish,

Actually, it was just an accidental thing.  When I started it was hot outside so I figured I'd use the central air to cool the room and never got around to venting it outside (I was intending, and may still, to run my vents into the bottom of the framed box around the ZERO CLEARANCE fire place and stove pipe and them put several vents in the sides near the top of the chimney some 25 + ' off of the ground).  Then when it started cooling down outside, we discovered that the furnace seldom came on, in fact we had difficulty keeping the upstairs from getting uncomfortably hot.

I don't know what will happen if we convert the other 1/4 of the downstairs into my son's grow area now that he has his recommendation too.  It may put out more heat than we can use and force me to start venting outside like I was going to do.

Great smoking!


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 17, 2010)

I have used the heat from the lights to help heat my house from my first winter grow.  I have a summer ventilation system and a winter ventilation system that are completely different.


----------



## DonJones (Jan 17, 2010)

THG,

Now we have a new reason why growing should be legal for every one -- it lowers heating bills.  Just don't tell them about the increase in electric costs.  HA HA


Great smoking.


----------

