think my electrical meter is bad or maybe ballast?

anyone know if its possible for a ballast to go bad and use more electricity? or my electrical meter is bad again. my set up is a 400w switchable ballast, i run 3 fans, 1 is a 180 cfm, 1 is a 6" fan, the other is maybe 13" fan. i got a bill for 196$ i was like wtf, so i did some math an according to my meter from the last time they read it was 88563, today 5 days later it says 88700 so thats a usage of 27kwh a day for my whole house give or take a kwh or 2. i typically only have 1 computer on, my set up, hardly the tv, and 1 other 120w light for my bonsai and hydragenia bush. so lets say 28kwh a day x 30 for a month thats about 810kwh a month. i cant seem to think that my set up running 18/6, plus a computer, and another light thats just a regular screw in type, thats on sucks up that much juice. still so i figure my set up even on the high side should only be sucking maybe or using maybe 280kwh a month, its not a hydro set up, just 3 fans and the light running 18/6, well one fan stays on to keep the air moving, but still. so the only 2 things i can think of is either the ballast is bad and sucking up more juice then needed, but i dunno if that is possible, or my meter is all screwed up again.... the electrical company said they est my previous 2 months to low, but still if my set up only uses at most 280kwh a month on 18/6 run time, thats saying the rest of my house is burning up over 500kwh a month, i dont have electrical heat or stove or water heater. i am puzzled, the only other thing i am doing now is tomorrow check my meter again and see how much it said i used and then try and shut down my set up for 1 whole day and see. but i doubt its my set up.

You could have wrote that SO much better.... it's like your typing what your thinking.... slow down.

How much you pay per unit/kw?

i pay 6.84 cents per kwh

That makes me wanna go look at my meter and add all my shit up....

last time i took a reading was probably around 10ish and the reading was 88700, i just checked it now 1:20pm and its reading was 88703, so atm its saying in 3hrs time with everything in my house, refrig, tv not on, theatre system not on, wii not on, cable box on, computer on, grow set up on, dryer not on, no other lights on in the house besides the screw in type of 120w grow bulb on for bonsai, coffee pot not on, microwave not on, everything i listed not on is plugged in though, so basically used 3kwh in 3hrs from what the meter says.

I think my power company justs screws me all the time...... and we just had like a 7% increase lol......

Drufiss1 said:

last time i took a reading was probably around 10ish and the reading was 88700, i just checked it now 1:20pm and its reading was 88703, so atm its saying in 3hrs time with everything in my house, refrig, tv not on, theatre system not on, wii not on, cable box on, computer on, grow set up on, dryer not on, no other lights on in the house besides the screw in type of 120w grow bulb on for bonsai, coffee pot not on, microwave not on, everything i listed not on is plugged in though, so basically used 3kwh in 3hrs from what the meter says.

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400 for you light + 120 for the bonsai is 620w x 3 = 1860 or 1.86kwh, the rest of your home could easily draw 1.24kw in that much time. Just because something isnt on doesnt mean it isnt drawing electricity.

I'm not sure about the climate in wonderland, but when temperatures are going up and down and your heat or a/c have to kick in sporadically they use more electricity than if they're at a constant flow.

If you said it went up like 15 kwh in 3 hours I'd say you have a problem, this just looks like typical usage to me.

hey it probably is just typical usuage and they really screwed up the last 2 months,but since i am home 24/7 since my back is all screwed up, i told them no more est'd readings, i would call them in from now on. i think it was just more or less freak out factor/ sticker shock, but like WvMade says and i think it too, cause what my supplier charges and the distrubutor charges its basically the same so a 35$ in consumption i pay 32$ in distrubtion, PUCO can have the deregulation back, same shit with my gas company too yes i get at a cheap rate but the distrubutor charges me damn near the same lol. wonderland = near cleveland, ohio. will be attending NORML meeting in march. and i just kicked off the breaker for my ac it was on, not sure if that would be a factor since it wasnt on, but like Ex said just cause it isnt on doesnt meet it isnt drawing electricty, which i agree with a 100%. thanks for the replies and such.

My meter says 1160 kwh is that alot? my gals are flowering right now and are on

really to find out how much your running, would have to take a meter reading then wait an hour and go back and read again or a couple hours and then do the math, theres a ton of info about how much a ballast uses, i looked mine up and it says a sun system 10/ cropmaster 400 sw will consume 7.5 kwh to run for 18hrs, me i would give a little for how old and such of a ballast. plus i gave extra for my fans not sure since they arent duct fans expect for my exhaust fan which is a bathroom one.

Well i just got a call from the power company and they said they have a work order and i should call them with acc number and all that BS so if they look at my meter and see is that gonna be alot or normal power useuage?

not sure really, could be a problem with your meter or they are coming out to see if there is?

No idea man kinda scary

i would check your meter then go back and check it a cpl hours later and subtract the difference to see if your pulling alot of juice, plus theres alot of info on how much a light set up will use ie like the 400w set up i use, a 400w will use i think somewhere in the neighborhood of maybe 216kwh per month on 18hr cycle, i dunno anything about yours, but if your worried about it, just found out when their coming and maybe shut yours down for the day or move them if your really paranoid. or compare your usage. the 216 per month is not including any fans or warming mats, that is the light use only.

well it says 1164 now so thats?

so 4 kwh? i forgot to keep track of time but i think its been around a few hours

It looks like maybe 2hrs so maybe around 2kwh or so an hr, not exactly sure

I'm running huge plasma tv's, computers, ducted air-con on ALL DAY (mmm 18C)... use the dishwasher/drier everynight, hotplate stove to cook uses alot of power... I pay like $175/month incl my veg/flower room, LED/T5 veg and 400W flower. I was stoked when the bill came last month lol. Was expecting double...

yeah i checked this morning, and subtracted what it said yesterday morning and it came out to about 21kwh a day of usuage for me, thats everything in the house with my set up running 18/6 3fans which 1 remains on at all times. so about 1kwh every kwh i burn up, and usually once the wife gets home the tv comes on and such, going to keep an eye on it for the next month or so, but i dont think even burning up 24kwh a day is going to red flag, but i am only vegging for maybe another week, got the height i almost want, thx again for the replies and help. by this weekend i will have an update on my journal for those interested, got 4 going atm Kandy Kush, Blueberry, BlackJack, FullMoon.