One of the biggest problems with growing indoors is the light bill goes up after you fire up all your new lights. It's a nuisance for the legal grower and a danger for the unlicensed grower. Here is a way to reduce the amount of electricity you use so that when you add your lights there is little to no bump in your light bill.

About 15 years ago we installed "The Little Gray Box" on our water heater. It is really just a timer, much like the one used for grow lights. But, this one regulates how often your water heater in your house comes on. Why heat the water at night when you are sleeping? You aren't using hot water, you don't need hot water so why waste the energy heating water you don't need or want? My little gray box is set to come on for one hour in the morning just prior to us getting up, and one hour in the evening so we have hot water for showers and stuff. We have all the hot water we need. The first month our electric bill went down to $25 from $60 the previous month. The only difference was the little gray box. You can run a 600W ballast for the difference of the savings with little to no increase in your light bill. You might even experience a bit of a drop.

Check it out at this link:

The Little Gray Box Water Heater Timer - Intermatic Model WH40

I got mine at Home Depot. I don't know if they still carry it, but you can ask.

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You could also buy a digital balast to reduce power usage

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Benefits of a long VEG

Sinspy Garden Grow

http://www.phoenixtears.ca/

Rick Simpson Hemp Oil

dont forget ur cfls, turning down the thermostats and things like that too

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nice find.. I keep running my ac I have nothng big running right now but a cfl for the little ones.. I have a place to take the little plants to house under a 400watt light for free witch will stay on 18/6... Im going to see if i can find the little box... We barely use hot water at the house except for showers,dishes..No one is never home during the day witch is 8-10 hours of the day...why should it keep hot water when no 1 is home...




Does the heater have to run longer to heat the whole tank? Or does it heat it quick.?

It only takes a few minutes to heat the water after being off for a 12 hour period. I also wrapped the water heater in fiberglass insulation, that helps keep the water warmer while it is off so it only has to bring the temperature up a few degrees when it does pop on. I'm glad this post helped someone. We just love the little gray box. It's the best way to save on water heating bills than anything I've seen without spending a lot of money installing something big and solar... or something like that.

Peace

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you can put your lights on movers to nearly double their effectiveness.

you can replace every incandecent bulb to compact flourescent.

You can convert dryers that use electricity to run on propane.

You can convert your water heater to gas as well, but a timer as the OP suggested is almost as good.

Ceramic electric space heaters (in houses with electric heat) to heat only the rooms you need.