energy saving computer designs

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

just curious ... i've got a "kill a watt" monitor now, and have been
checking out a few things.

i found that my old (still in service) homebuilt dual 800MHz PIII, 512MB
PC100 ECC, 60GB system pulls a little more than 80w in normal operation.
it's a supermicro p6dbe mobo in an antec 830 case (if i'm remembering my
model numbers right now).

i also found that my newer dell 4600, 2.4GHz P4, 256MB PC2700, 2x30GB
system pulls a bit less ... a bit more than 70w.

(leaving monitors out of it right now)

but the real star so far is the 2.4GHz P4, 640MB, 40GB IBM ThinkCentre i
use at work. i only had a chance to monitor it for a few hours (7), but it
seems to average just 40w in use (and just 1w in standby).

now, i'm not going to replace my current computers with Thinkcentres of
similar computational power, just to save a few pennies of electrical
power ... but i'm curious about how they do it?

can a homebuilder do it as well?

 

[jk]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Thin and light notebook computers are typically the lowest power consumers,
especially if you chose one a bit down the list as far as performance,
and with a relatively small lcd screen.

socks wrote:

> just curious ... i've got a "kill a watt" monitor now, and have been
> checking out a few things.
>
> i found that my old (still in service) homebuilt dual 800MHz PIII, 512MB
> PC100 ECC, 60GB system pulls a little more than 80w in normal operation.
> it's a supermicro p6dbe mobo in an antec 830 case (if i'm remembering my
> model numbers right now).
>
> i also found that my newer dell 4600, 2.4GHz P4, 256MB PC2700, 2x30GB
> system pulls a bit less ... a bit more than 70w.
>
> (leaving monitors out of it right now)
>
> but the real star so far is the 2.4GHz P4, 640MB, 40GB IBM ThinkCentre i
> use at work. i only had a chance to monitor it for a few hours (7), but it
> seems to average just 40w in use (and just 1w in standby).
>
> now, i'm not going to replace my current computers with Thinkcentres of
> similar computational power, just to save a few pennies of electrical
> power ... but i'm curious about how they do it?
>
> can a homebuilder do it as well?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 10:00:34 -0400, JK wrote:

> Thin and light notebook computers are typically the lowest power
> consumers, especially if you chose one a bit down the list as far as
> performance, and with a relatively small lcd screen.

i agree ... and it becomes a bit subjective about "how low you can go"
both in computational power and display quality. i like my 19" hitachi
crt (approx 75w active, 1w off) and can justify it because it is only
pulling that 75w when i'm sitting in front of it. but i would like a
tower that i can leave running 7x24 and which would pull something in the
ThinkCentre 40w territory.

fwiw, i have everything on a power strip right now (cable modem, hub,
powered speakers, 2 computers, 1 crt, 1 printer) and power them up when i
use them. i put the kill-a-watt on the whole strip, and last week's
results yielded this (i've still got my winter electricity costs plugged
in):

running 165 hours and 0 minutes consumes 4.54 kwh

average consumption 27.515 watts

KWH per year = 241.03

$22.60 per year at 0.09375 cents min charge
$41.08 per year at 0.17042 cents max charge

$1.88 per month at 0.09375 cents min charge
$3.42 per month at 0.17042 cents max charge

dirt cheap, really.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

socks wrote:
> just curious ... i've got a "kill a watt" monitor now, and have been
> checking out a few things.
>
> i found that my old (still in service) homebuilt dual 800MHz PIII, 512MB
> PC100 ECC, 60GB system pulls a little more than 80w in normal operation.
> it's a supermicro p6dbe mobo in an antec 830 case (if i'm remembering my
> model numbers right now).

Just out of interest, how are you measuring the power consumption?

--
Paul

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 14:20:50 +0100, Paul Hill wrote:

> socks wrote:
>> just curious ... i've got a "kill a watt" monitor now, and have been
>> checking out a few things.
>>
>> i found that my old (still in service) homebuilt dual 800MHz PIII, 512MB
>> PC100 ECC, 60GB system pulls a little more than 80w in normal operation.
>> it's a supermicro p6dbe mobo in an antec 830 case (if i'm remembering my
>> model numbers right now).
>
> Just out of interest, how are you measuring the power consumption?

the "kill a watt" monitor is a fairly inexpensive gizmo:

http://www.google.com/froogle?q=kill+a+watt&btnG=Search+Froogle

i've used it to shave my power bill, but it is kind of a toy too.

fwiw, searching google groups for "kill a watt" will return the results
other people have gotten for various things, including computer systems.
70w seems pretty typical for a current-generation machine.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

for starters get the most energy efficient power supply you can find. most
PSUs claim about 70% efficiency. but the Seasonic Super series and Enermax
Noisetaker series reach over 80%.

also, you may like your 75W 19" CRT but my 20" LCD (which is the same
viewable size or slightly larger than the average 21" CRT) draws 53W and i'm
sure you can do better than that.

"socks" <socks@sock.invalid> wrote in message
newsan.2004.08.17.13.15.29.245407@sock.invalid...
> just curious ... i've got a "kill a watt" monitor now, and have been
> checking out a few things.
>
> i found that my old (still in service) homebuilt dual 800MHz PIII, 512MB
> PC100 ECC, 60GB system pulls a little more than 80w in normal operation.
> it's a supermicro p6dbe mobo in an antec 830 case (if i'm remembering my
> model numbers right now).
>
> i also found that my newer dell 4600, 2.4GHz P4, 256MB PC2700, 2x30GB
> system pulls a bit less ... a bit more than 70w.
>
> (leaving monitors out of it right now)
>
> but the real star so far is the 2.4GHz P4, 640MB, 40GB IBM ThinkCentre i
> use at work. i only had a chance to monitor it for a few hours (7), but it
> seems to average just 40w in use (and just 1w in standby).
>
> now, i'm not going to replace my current computers with Thinkcentres of
> similar computational power, just to save a few pennies of electrical
> power ... but i'm curious about how they do it?
>
> can a homebuilder do it as well?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

"wooducoodu" <wooducoodu@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:51qUc.2261$yj3.441129@newssvr28.news.prodigy.com...
> for starters get the most energy efficient power supply you can find. most
> PSUs claim about 70% efficiency. but the Seasonic Super series and Enermax
> Noisetaker series reach over 80%.
>
> also, you may like your 75W 19" CRT but my 20" LCD (which is the same
> viewable size or slightly larger than the average 21" CRT) draws 53W and
i'm
> sure you can do better than that.

But at well over $500.00, is it worth the price just to save a few pennies?

MC


> "socks" <socks@sock.invalid> wrote in message
> newsan.2004.08.17.13.15.29.245407@sock.invalid...
> > just curious ... i've got a "kill a watt" monitor now, and have been
> > checking out a few things.
> >
> > i found that my old (still in service) homebuilt dual 800MHz PIII, 512MB
> > PC100 ECC, 60GB system pulls a little more than 80w in normal operation.
> > it's a supermicro p6dbe mobo in an antec 830 case (if i'm remembering my
> > model numbers right now).
> >
> > i also found that my newer dell 4600, 2.4GHz P4, 256MB PC2700, 2x30GB
> > system pulls a bit less ... a bit more than 70w.
> >
> > (leaving monitors out of it right now)
> >
> > but the real star so far is the 2.4GHz P4, 640MB, 40GB IBM ThinkCentre i
> > use at work. i only had a chance to monitor it for a few hours (7), but
it
> > seems to average just 40w in use (and just 1w in standby).
> >
> > now, i'm not going to replace my current computers with Thinkcentres of
> > similar computational power, just to save a few pennies of electrical
> > power ... but i'm curious about how they do it?
> >
> > can a homebuilder do it as well?
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Depends on whether he was planning on getting a new CRT. You can get a 19"
LCD, which would have a larger viewable area than his 19" CRT, for under
$500 or a 17" for around $300.

"Moderately Confused" <moderatelyconfused@Y@hoo.com> wrote in message
news:1fWdnQYUfpXxp7_cRVn-qg@comcast.com...
>
> "wooducoodu" <wooducoodu@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:51qUc.2261$yj3.441129@newssvr28.news.prodigy.com...
> > for starters get the most energy efficient power supply you can find.
most
> > PSUs claim about 70% efficiency. but the Seasonic Super series and
Enermax
> > Noisetaker series reach over 80%.
> >
> > also, you may like your 75W 19" CRT but my 20" LCD (which is the same
> > viewable size or slightly larger than the average 21" CRT) draws 53W and
> i'm
> > sure you can do better than that.
>
> But at well over $500.00, is it worth the price just to save a few
pennies?
>
> MC
>
>
> > "socks" <socks@sock.invalid> wrote in message
> > newsan.2004.08.17.13.15.29.245407@sock.invalid...
> > > just curious ... i've got a "kill a watt" monitor now, and have been
> > > checking out a few things.
> > >
> > > i found that my old (still in service) homebuilt dual 800MHz PIII,
512MB
> > > PC100 ECC, 60GB system pulls a little more than 80w in normal
operation.
> > > it's a supermicro p6dbe mobo in an antec 830 case (if i'm remembering
my
> > > model numbers right now).
> > >
> > > i also found that my newer dell 4600, 2.4GHz P4, 256MB PC2700, 2x30GB
> > > system pulls a bit less ... a bit more than 70w.
> > >
> > > (leaving monitors out of it right now)
> > >
> > > but the real star so far is the 2.4GHz P4, 640MB, 40GB IBM ThinkCentre
i
> > > use at work. i only had a chance to monitor it for a few hours (7),
but
> it
> > > seems to average just 40w in use (and just 1w in standby).
> > >
> > > now, i'm not going to replace my current computers with Thinkcentres
of
> > > similar computational power, just to save a few pennies of electrical
> > > power ... but i'm curious about how they do it?
> > >
> > > can a homebuilder do it as well?
> >
> >
>
>

 

[Phisherman]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

I'd like to know what consumes more energy (ie, runs hotter) ...

AMD Athlon 64 3000 (2 GHz), or

Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz (800) Prescott ?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 23:19:32 +0000, Phisherman wrote:

> I'd like to know what consumes more energy (ie, runs hotter) ...
>
> AMD Athlon 64 3000 (2 GHz), or
>
> Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz (800) Prescott ?

I found this posting on a 3200:

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=slrncdkg04.o1p.efflandt%40typhoon.xnet.com

and here (mixed german and english) are a bunch more combinations, inc.
2.8 ghz p4:

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=c0635b%24138nf8%241%40ID-16108.news.uni-berlin.de

it seems that homebuilts jump around a bit (based on the quality of the
power supply, or is it the choice in video card?) ... and that the 32-bit
athlon family tends to pull more watts than either 32-bit intel or the
64-bit athlons ... but i'm sure you can look at those/other posts and draw
your own conclusions.