Consumption

eyexer

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
13,730
Likes
708
Points
428
Location
williston
The power probably won’t be bad. The lights are LED. They’re actually cheap ones at $25 a piece and I have six. They’re 4’ long. I have eight 5’ troughs and four 3’ troughs made from ripping pvc post covers in half. The nutrients are from general hydroponics. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I4U0M32/?tag=nodakangler10-20

this is totally new to me so there has been some trial and error. I’m using the NFT system. There are like five other types of hydroponic systems. If this works I may take it to a commercial scale.

- - - Updated - - -

B064807F-E7E0-49A7-8802-488A0AE95E85.jpg6A6BA4ED-5A99-4F5A-AA97-F332290D5964.jpg554DD85E-BE44-4D0D-80D0-C99144360FEC.jpg768B0519-63B0-4B7A-A647-3F13008896F5.jpg
 


FishFinder97

★ Legendary Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2018
Posts
335
Likes
9
Points
95
Location
ND
The power probably won’t be bad. The lights are LED. They’re actually cheap ones at $25 a piece and I have six. They’re 4’ long. I have eight 5’ troughs and four 3’ troughs made from ripping pvc post covers in half. The nutrients are from general hydroponics. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I4U0M32/?tag=nodakangler10-20

this is totally new to me so there has been some trial and error. I’m using the NFT system. There are like five other types of hydroponic systems. If this works I may take it to a commercial scale.

- - - Updated - - -

sport and grouse.jpgsport and grouse.jpg1000002226.jpg1702339088686.png
Nice work!
 

Maddog

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
May 6, 2017
Posts
2,564
Likes
905
Points
398
Location
One step closer to the end.
@exeyer

What wattage or lumens are the lights?

We can then convert to Kilowatts and kilowatthours and based upon the current (pun intended) electricity charge (another pun) can see how much it will cost to run them per month.

Thanks
 


eyexer

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
13,730
Likes
708
Points
428
Location
williston
@exeyer

What wattage or lumens are the lights?

We can then convert to Kilowatts and kilowatthours and based upon the current (pun intended) electricity charge (another pun) can see how much it will cost to run them per month.

Thanks
25W each. Times 6. So very little draw

- - - Updated - - -

i've got a far more lucrative idea in mind for ya than regular lettuce...
Some call that lettuce too lol

- - - Updated - - -

What’s it take to get a grow permit in ND
 


Maddog

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
May 6, 2017
Posts
2,564
Likes
905
Points
398
Location
One step closer to the end.
@eyexer

Thanks for the info

So

6 x 25W x 24 hr/day x 30 day/month = 108,000 watt hours/month = 108 kwh/month

Assuming an electric rate of $0.10 per KWH the cost per month would be $10.80

I just used an arbritary rate. Your local rate/provider may be different.

That sounds like a good deal to get fresh "vegetables". And I get it that there is initial costs for the setup, etc. : )

The electric cost was less than I guessed up front.
 

eyexer

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
13,730
Likes
708
Points
428
Location
williston
My heat bill will be more than the lights lol. 70-75. But it’s in a pretty heavily insulated area. Although wood floor over gravel. But that works good because it keeps my holding tank water cooler. Humidity stays about 60-65%. Which seems perfect for them.
 

guywhofishes

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Posts
28,636
Likes
3,844
Points
948
Location
Faaargo, ND
In the winter you're simply heating with electric heat when any lights are turned on.

Every bit of grow light gets "put to use" - either into growing veg or dissipating as heat wherever it lands off the plants.

I wouldn't sweat the cost of grow lights in the winter.
 

eyexer

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Posts
13,730
Likes
708
Points
428
Location
williston
Yea it’s trivial. Got my first two beans showing up today. 38 days from seeding
 

Attachments

9C179679-B161-4D7B-BD56-B3CA47896B57.jpg


Lycanthrope

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 6, 2015
Posts
6,194
Likes
1,183
Points
503
Location
Bismarck
Nice job but that light is going to be inadequate for lush growth. Im a bit of a light expert and have been growing indoors for years. If you are interested and can work with simple electricity I can point you in the right direction as far as building some good lights that will outperform those blurple ones by 10x.

I just built this new light 2 weeks ago, the power supplies are adjustable, at its lowest setting it uses about 250 watts at the plug, full power it takes 650 watts, it is a BEAST.

37749f5e9a2e06f508762b81f445f6389c1d5553_2_690x517.jpg

030cbc94da36b7476bf4f1122beb1fe95d29702d_2_690x517.jpeg

Price breakdown:
MEAN WELL USA Inc. / HLG-320H-54A x 2 = $233
QB96 Elite V2 Engine × 4 = $252
24x30 sheet scrap aluminum = $10
20ft white extension cord = $14
Misc parts and wire approx $20
Total= $529
You can build quality lights cheaper, but really you get what you pay for, as with just about everything in life. For a couple hundred bucks you could get those beans growing really well though...

Also I saw you are growing at around 75f, that works fine with HID, but with LED youll likely end up with some deficiencies at lower temps, while its good to keep your nutrient temps cooler, ambient temps in the 85 range will probably work better. You can still let your grow area cool down at night, but while the lights are on, warmer temps will make your plants happier.
 
Last edited:

Lycanthrope

Founding Member
Founding Member
Joined
May 6, 2015
Posts
6,194
Likes
1,183
Points
503
Location
Bismarck
@exeyer

What wattage or lumens are the lights?

We can then convert to Kilowatts and kilowatthours and based upon the current (pun intended) electricity charge (another pun) can see how much it will cost to run them per month.

Thanks
Unfortunately you cant really measure lumens with blurple lights, because as the saying goes "lumens are for humans", its basically a measurement of how the human eye PERCEIVES light, but because of the wavelength of the red/blue lights, it doesnt work at all with those. You can measure PAR (photosynthetic active radiation) but need a fairly expensive tool to do this.
 

Jiffy

★★★★★ Legendary Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2018
Posts
1,682
Likes
799
Points
343
Location
West Fargo
Something tells me these lights aren't for growing beans.....

:;:smokin:;:smokin:;:smokin:;:smokin
 


Recent Posts

Friends of NDA

Top Posters of the Month

  • This month: 159
  • This month: 135
  • This month: 120
  • This month: 110
  • This month: 105
  • This month: 87
  • This month: 84
  • This month: 76
  • This month: 76
  • This month: 75
Top Bottom