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Do you know how much it costs a year to run your computer(s)?

 
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Do you know how much it costs a year to run your comput... - 6/3/2010 5:40:33 PM   
MajFrankBurns

 

Posts: 344
Joined: 3/29/2010
Status: offline 		How much it costs to run your computer
To calculate your costs use this formula:

1000 Watts x Hours Used x Cost per kilowatt-hour = Total Cost


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



For example, let's say you have a big high-end computer with a gaming-level graphics card and an old CRT monitor, and you leave them on 24/7. That's about 330 watts x 24 hours x 365 days/yr = 2,890,800 watt-hours, or 2891 kilowatt-hours. If you're paying $0.14 per kWh, you're paying $405 a year to run your computer.

How much are you paying to run your computer per year?

No wonder we gripe about $80 games.
Post #: 1
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/3/2010 6:23:05 PM   
SlickWilhelm


Posts: 1854
Joined: 7/22/2007
From: Rochester, MN
Status: offline 		That's why I don't run my monster gaming rig 24/7. 

(in reply to MajFrankBurns)
Post #: 2
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/3/2010 6:33:37 PM   
MajFrankBurns

 

Posts: 344
Joined: 3/29/2010
Status: offline 		That's why I take my Netbook to work and use someone else's electricity to play my games for 12 hours. lololol

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Post #: 3
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/3/2010 7:52:56 PM   
Rotherman

 

Posts: 59
Joined: 1/11/2009
From: Rotherham England
Status: offline 		When my Nvidia 8800gtx graphics card blew up I replaced it with the 9800gt Green version. it does virtually the same as its more powerfull predecesor but draws only half the power. I think it is the GPU which is biggest power hog in computers.

(in reply to MajFrankBurns)
Post #: 4
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/3/2010 8:43:51 PM   
NefariousKoel


Posts: 2930
Joined: 7/23/2002
From: Murderous Missouri Scum
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: MajFrankBurns

How much it costs to run your computer
To calculate your costs use this formula:

1000 Watts x Hours Used x Cost per kilowatt-hour = Total Cost


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



For example, let's say you have a big high-end computer with a gaming-level graphics card and an old CRT monitor, and you leave them on 24/7. That's about 330 watts x 24 hours x 365 days/yr = 2,890,800 watt-hours, or 2891 kilowatt-hours. If you're paying $0.14 per kWh, you're paying $405 a year to run your computer.

How much are you paying to run your computer per year?

No wonder we gripe about $80 games.



You're taking the DC output of a massive power supply as wattage. In reality, it uses much less AC and many people don't have or need a 1000 watt power supply.

Look at the AC input rating in watts.. it'll be something like 250 or 350w. If it's on all the time, it's still noticeable but not quite all that full of DOOM!

Edit: And as Rotherman implied it doesn't use near that much when idling or doing basic stuff.

< Message edited by NefariousKoel -- 6/3/2010 8:44:11 PM >

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RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/3/2010 9:57:20 PM   
MajFrankBurns

 

Posts: 344
Joined: 3/29/2010
Status: offline 		No I'm not taking the DC output of 1000 watts power supply. I'm using the calculation of coverting watts to KWhours per the formula. Read futher the normal average daily used is 330 watts an hour at 24 hours a day in the example. I copy and pasted this from the site that gives the calculator it's not by my design.

< Message edited by MajFrankBurns -- 6/3/2010 9:58:45 PM >

(in reply to NefariousKoel)
Post #: 6
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/3/2010 10:52:23 PM   
planner 3

 

Posts: 616
Joined: 3/7/2008
Status: offline 		A power supply rated at ??? watts does not necessarily utilize all that power, it uses only what it needs, fully operating unit well designed will be rated at 1 1/4 times, or better, the needed wattage to run without over heating (or burn out). Generally speaking (not realistic numbers) an 125 watt power supply in a well designed computer will only utilize 100 watts, keep adding components and you frizzle-frazzle the supply. If you add a Power supply that is rated at say 2 1/2 times your required power you should have a much cooler running machine. This is based on my 40 years as an Electronics Technician. I also know that you'll never get by with a 125 watt P/S but I wanted a simple math example. Hope that helps a little......ZAAAPPPPP....darn it my power went south.........

< Message edited by planner 3 -- 6/3/2010 10:54:20 PM >

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RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/3/2010 10:55:21 PM   
junk2drive


Posts: 12907
Joined: 6/27/2002
From: Arizona West Coast
Status: offline 		The new MBs and CPUs are being designed to use less energy. Green think and all that.

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Post #: 8
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/3/2010 11:07:53 PM   
MajFrankBurns

 

Posts: 344
Joined: 3/29/2010
Status: offline 		I wish someone would make a program like CPU-Z that would tell us how many watts our system is using per hour or something like that. It would be nice to know how much I'm spending per month in just computer usage.

(in reply to junk2drive)
Post #: 9
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/4/2010 5:04:57 AM   
planner 3

 

Posts: 616
Joined: 3/7/2008
Status: offline 		I believe electrical/electronic wholesalers have AC wattmeters (for sale) available, which can be attached between your mains power source and computer to give you those results. Just had an epiphiny, try radio shack. Their are also cheaper versions that are clamped around a comductor for same results. Do you have a friendly electrician in your neighborhood, they make an excellent source for readings. (read for 1 minute x 60m = 1hr wattage x 1000 = megawatts x rate per MW x hours of operation = cost of operation. Man does this shake up the grey  matter.}

< Message edited by planner 3 -- 6/4/2010 5:08:03 AM >

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RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/4/2010 7:28:36 AM   
Andrew Williams


Posts: 6116
Joined: 1/8/2001
From: Australia
Status: offline 		What if I only play 2D games?

Does that mean I only use 2/3 the power?

(in reply to planner 3)
Post #: 11
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/4/2010 7:33:10 AM   
ilovestrategy


Posts: 3611
Joined: 6/11/2005
From: San Diego
Status: offline 		You guys are confusing me with all these numbers. One thing I do know, playing Distant Worlds and Gary Grigsby's World at War is cheaper than going out! 

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After 16 years, Civ II still has me in it's clutches LOL!!!
Now CIV IV has me in it's evil clutches!

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Post #: 12
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/4/2010 9:07:49 AM   
Karri

 

Posts: 1137
Joined: 5/24/2006
Status: offline 		Who has his computer running 24/7?

For normal people, and we'll go by your figures of 405 a year to run your computer.
First of all, it's not on when I work. That's 1/3 of the day.
Secondly, it's not on when I sleep. That's another 1/3 of the day...thus we can cut the figure by 2/3rds, which leaves us with about 133 dollars a year. And that is still assuming it is on the rest of the time, which it is not...or if it is, it is in power save mode.

(in reply to ilovestrategy)
Post #: 13
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/4/2010 9:32:10 AM   
Q.M


Posts: 1823
Joined: 3/13/2003
From: Townsville QLD Australia
Status: offline 		I have two PC's, one LCD screen, two LCD widscreen monitors (both on the main PC), three laptops, wireless router, 1 TB ext drive.

As far as I am concerned the reading lamp I have above my weary eyes as I type this consumes more power than all these combined. 

Mind you I dont have the colour laser copier/printer/fax/scanner on all the time, nor do I posess the required amount of digits and peepers to run all the systems at once, let alone the brain compartmentalisation to cope with the multi tasking.....and I shut the main system down when I go nigh nighs as well.

Anyhoo, I only play 2D as well , so a grand total of Sweet F... All for the enjoyment I get out of it all.

*bangs drum, gets off soap box*

(in reply to Karri)
Post #: 14
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/4/2010 10:58:58 AM   
windy138

 

Posts: 1
Joined: 6/4/2010
Status: offline 		not only the computer, we also use the electric energy for the other source.


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RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/4/2010 12:55:58 PM   
Q.M


Posts: 1823
Joined: 3/13/2003
From: Townsville QLD Australia
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: windy138

not only the computer, we also use the electric energy for the other source.




Like frying your bot ass! Begone bonehead.

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Post #: 16
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/5/2010 2:52:38 AM   
ilovestrategy


Posts: 3611
Joined: 6/11/2005
From: San Diego
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Q.M


quote:

ORIGINAL: windy138

not only the computer, we also use the electric energy for the other source.




Like frying your bot ass! Begone bonehead.





_____________________________

After 16 years, Civ II still has me in it's clutches LOL!!!
Now CIV IV has me in it's evil clutches!

(in reply to Q.M)
Post #: 17
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/5/2010 10:26:51 AM   
parusski


Posts: 4804
Joined: 5/8/2000
From: Jackson Tn
Status: offline 		I know my computer costs me extra money because I leave it running 24 hours a day. I do for the reason that every time a pc is shutdown there is a better chance of it not starting than of it crashing while on. But my main reason I run it 24/7 is because I want to be wasteful. I am sick, sick, sick of greeeeeeeen. Maybe someone can tell me how much sooner humanity will perish because of my actions.

_____________________________

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(in reply to ilovestrategy)
Post #: 18
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/5/2010 11:20:18 AM   
Zakhal


Posts: 2494
Joined: 1/4/2001
From: Jyväskylä, Finland
Status: offline 		I have 52" tv with monster pc and audio system.  My electricity bill from last month was 18€ so I havent worried about it yet. I could even bargain for cheaper electricity if I wanted.

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Post #: 19
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 6/6/2010 10:52:23 PM   
ilovestrategy


Posts: 3611
Joined: 6/11/2005
From: San Diego
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Zakhal

I have 52" tv with monster pc and audio system.  My electricity bill from last month was 18€ so I havent worried about it yet. I could even bargain for cheaper electricity if I wanted.



I am so jealous!

_____________________________

After 16 years, Civ II still has me in it's clutches LOL!!!
Now CIV IV has me in it's evil clutches!

(in reply to Zakhal)
Post #: 20
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 9/28/2010 5:24:39 PM   
christinejoseph

 

Posts: 1
Joined: 9/28/2010
Status: offline 		I am not here to shout about my electricity bill, Nice to see such nice discussion games forums. It evaluate how people is aware to save electricity bill.


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Post #: 21
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 9/28/2010 8:00:47 PM   
Feltan


Posts: 1160
Joined: 12/5/2006
From: Kansas
Status: offline 		Running a standard computer is about as power intensive as, say, running a 75w lightbulb. Of course it can be more power intensive at times -- but if unattended it will be much less.

I ran some number several years ago. My wife was pestering me about leaving lightbulbs on and leaving the room. To her, this was the cause of every financial woe we had faced or would face in the future. I showed her, to her great dismay, that running every light in the house for a month cost less than running the central air conditioner for several hours -- of which she is very fond.

If you have an automatic power down mode, or shut your computer off when not used for a prolonged period, you are literally talking only pennies a day to run it.

Regards,
Feltan

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Post #: 22
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 9/29/2010 10:32:19 PM   
KG Erwin


Posts: 8981
Joined: 7/25/2000
From: Cross Lanes WV USA
Status: offline 		Hmm, I run my PC 24/7, but I always have my monitor shut down after 1 min when I'm not using it. I've always read that it wears down the PC more with daily startups than by leaving it running constantly.

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Post #: 23
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 9/29/2010 11:42:40 PM   
SLAAKMAN


Posts: 2725
Joined: 7/24/2002
Status: offline
quote:




For example, let's say you have a big high-end computer with a gaming-level graphics card and an old CRT monitor, and you leave them on 24/7. That's about 330 watts x 24 hours x 365 days/yr = 2,890,800 watt-hours, or 2891 kilowatt-hours. If you're paying $0.14 per kWh, you're paying $405 a year to run your computer.

Whew. I hadnt really factored this in since the company runs the utilities here in my secret world HQ. Now that I know how cheap it is to run 24/7, Ill leave my network on permanently!!!

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RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 9/29/2010 11:52:59 PM   
Phatguy

 

Posts: 1348
Joined: 3/1/2006
From: Buffalo,ny
Status: offline 		I have no clue how much I spend a year, and frankly I just dont care.....I play games for enjoyment do therefore anything I spend on my pc is worth it to me........




(in reply to SLAAKMAN)
Post #: 25
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 9/30/2010 5:33:34 AM   
parusski


Posts: 4804
Joined: 5/8/2000
From: Jackson Tn
Status: offline 		Kudos apathetic lurker.

GENERAL STATEMENT: This is my post. You shall not respond unless I approve of your response before you even make it. I'll figure out how to do that later. Just stick to my rules though. All rules and terms subject of change and delivery fee.


Wanna know how much power you pc really uses?? Do two things,
1. Buy an AC power meter and just test you computer, and computer monitor of course.
2. Read the rantings of a mad man below.


The 200, 250, or 550-watts listed on your power supply only means it's theoretical maximum capacity. Also, having a 500 watt power supply does not necessarily use more than a 300-watt unit. That depends on how many components are connected. Just add the wattage requirement of everything; AGP Video Card, PCI Express Video Card, Average PCI Card,floppy(still some around), cd, dvd player/recorder Hardd drives, mother board and processor. Then take the total of those items and multiply by 1.5.(Use 1.5 since current systems draw heavily on the +12v output, and PS's are much more efficient and stable when loaded to 40-70% of MAXIMUM capacity) this should tell you about how much power your PS should be. Be wary of High end video card manufacturers pushing you towards huge wattage units. Just add the power needed from a new card to all other components, multiply by 1.5 and that should be all you need.


My electric company has an online calculator(yours may also have one) connected directly to the digital meter they installed at my home. The calculator is real time. I plug my PC into a Watts Up? power meter, then I enter the data of two days monitoring from the meter into my power company site and the power company tells me how much my computer costs per hour. Just a couple days ago, after seeing the thread still alive I connected my pc to my meter and just about an hour ago I entered the results:


Computer: average 1044 watts(87% efficiency)/24 hours a day costs:-====$0.27 per day. See, my pc does not continuously use 1200-watts, nor should anyone's PC be at maximum consumption 24 hours a day.

About $8.00 per month is cheap when I consider the chance any MS OS might decided to go awol after a shutdown. I know the Microsoft company line, I have been a Windows OS alpha and beta tester since 1997. But turning off a PC can indeed be a throw of the dice. And even with Windows 7 my own and a large number of my companies pc's occasionally doe not reboot as the should after being turned off.

Well, since I "display a very low level of intelligence...and...the logical side of your(MY) brain never developed past a 2nd grade level?..." I will stop before I upset anyone, because I tend to make "nonsensical post(s)" with "no substance"


< Message edited by parusski -- 9/30/2010 5:34:01 AM >

_____________________________

"I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are. If I killed them all there would be news from Hell before breakfast."- W.T. Sherman

(in reply to Phatguy)
Post #: 26
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 9/30/2010 6:03:07 AM   
ilovestrategy


Posts: 3611
Joined: 6/11/2005
From: San Diego
Status: offline 		I just play games, no matter what the electric bill is, it's cheaper than going out. 

_____________________________

After 16 years, Civ II still has me in it's clutches LOL!!!
Now CIV IV has me in it's evil clutches!

(in reply to parusski)
Post #: 27
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 9/30/2010 5:28:30 PM   
Phatguy

 

Posts: 1348
Joined: 3/1/2006
From: Buffalo,ny
Status: offline 		I am sick of conserving and being force-fed green PC(politically correct, not computer) crap........

I am a wastrel.....

I have two cars now ........

A semi gas-guzzling 2005 PT cruiser that get 20 miles to the gallon and my pride and joy: A 1980 Cadillac Eldorado, diesel... This baby gets six, yes six miles to the gallon...And it spews out diesel fumes when I cruise to the store that is 400 yards away to buy  a paper....just because I can....

And my 'puter spews out ungodly amounts of heat that my 2 AC units work diligently to counteract !


< Message edited by apathetic lurker -- 9/30/2010 5:29:59 PM >

(in reply to ilovestrategy)
Post #: 28
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 9/30/2010 5:30:28 PM   
Phatguy

 

Posts: 1348
Joined: 3/1/2006
From: Buffalo,ny
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: apathetic lurker

I am sick of conserving and being force-fed green PC(politically correct, not computer) crap........

I am a wastrel.....

I have two cars now ........

A semi gas-guzzling 2005 PT cruiser that get 20 miles to the gallon and my pride and joy: A 1980 Cadillac Eldorado, diesel... This baby gets six, yes six miles to the gallon...And it spews out diesel fumes when I cruise to the store that is 400 yards away to buy  a paper....just because I can....

And my 'puter spews out ungodly amounts of heat that my 2 AC units work diligently to counteract !


(in reply to Phatguy)
Post #: 29
RE: Do you know how much it costs a year to run your co... - 10/1/2010 2:16:50 AM   
parusski


Posts: 4804
Joined: 5/8/2000
From: Jackson Tn
Status: offline 		apathetic lurker you are a leftist green nut job. My Hummer only gets 8mpg, and I drive it to the damned mailbox(after it idles for 30 minutes to cool the interior) just because I can. When my wife wants to go on a walk, I drive the hummer along side and pretend I'm walking. I do envy you the '80 caddy. I would love to actually own a vehicle that is not associated with miles per gallon, I really want something I could say uses 8 gallons a mile. My oldest son just gave me a grandson last year. His mom bought some ancient push stroller. I hooked up an old Briggs and Stratton engine from my grandfathers 1978 mower he bought at Sears. What a high(literally) to see the looks on peoples faces as the wonderful blue/green smokes fumigates the neighborhood. I actually have 3 Alienware PC's(brand new maxed out with the most powerful components across the board). Each PC has 4 video cards and even with my central air(I keep on 63) and water cooling I have installed 3 ac window units. Last night the temp here was 44 at 2AM and I had all my ac's at full blast-just because I can.

Because I am an American and since we are going to destroy an entire planet in 2 or 4 or 7 or 5 or 20...[plug your number till the end here] I am going to enjoy my life using energy. We're dead anyway. Recall in the early 70's we had scientists screaming about an ICE AGE within 20 years??? HMM, did I miss that in the 90's??? Oh, what about the politicians yelling about the coming famines that would kill half the nearly 5 billion people on earth?? Oh, I missed out on it. Of course we were wiped out with the acid rain of the 80's and 90's.

UHHH, what was this thread about?

Hey ilovestrategy? What is "going out"? Do u mean going out for a meaningless drive in your car? I don't understand, but I am afraid of the answer.

UH OH. I hope my "...very low level of intelligence...and...the logical side of your(MY) brain never developed past a 2nd grade level?";[/blue] did not show up in this "nonsensical post...with no substance" does not get me beaten up. I will stop now. Despite my sudden pleasure at being 7 again.

_____________________________

"I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are. If I killed them all there would be news from Hell before breakfast."- W.T. Sherman

(in reply to Phatguy)
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