Electric bill?

[chuckshissle]

Okay I have one question about my electricity bill. Is there any way to measure how much is a desktop computer cost to run? I have a 600watt computer that runs pretty much 12 hours a day 30 days a month. Is there a way to calculate how much money I would be paying every month with this computer? I'm not exactly a rich person as I am a student and have to work hard to pay my bills. Thanks in advance.

 

[FLA94FD]

You would have to know the how much is power is used by your system. You could estimate be doing some research. All in all it would be a lot of work.

Or you could check your meter and check it an hour later. Down the PC and wait another hour and check meter the again. Determine the difference and do the math.

 

[Guest]

If you can estimate how much power your computer uses it should be pretty straight forward.

Lets say your computer runs at 50% of peak power for for 12 hours a day. Thats 6 hours at 0.6 kW or 3.6 kW hours per day and 108 kW hours per month. If electricity is $.05 per kWH (kilo watt hour) your computer would cost $5.40 per month in electricity to power.

This is just a sample calculation. I have no idea how much electricity costs in your area or how much of your power supplies peak power you are utilizing. However, even if your PSU were going full out all day and night all month long it looks like the electricity cost would be under $25.00 per month!

Hope this helps.

 

[Guest]

I forgot the monitor and speakers! The $5.40 is just for the items powered by your psu.

Lets assume a 100 watt monitor on 12 hours per day and a 100 watt sound system running at 25% power for six hours per day. That would be 1.2 kWH per day for the monitor and 0.15 kWH per day for the sound system or an additional 1.35 kwh per day or and additional 40.5 kWH per month.

At $0.05 per kWh that would be an extra $2.03 per month to power your speakers and monitor.

Again these are just estimates I don't know what equipment you have or what your usage is. But it looks like maybe between $7.00 and $10.00 per month to power your computer, monitor, and speakers might be a fair estimate.

 

[Guest]

Hmm. Looks like I don't know what I am talking about. It appears that $0.1 per kWH is more realistic here in the US for an average figure for electricity cost per kWH. So you had better double those previous estimates.

Still $20.00 pre month doesn't seem too bad does it?

 

[jaguarskx]

You can buy a Killawatt to measure the elecrticity draw from the AC outlet for $28.95 with free ground shipping.

 

[chuckshissle]

Thanks for your answer..I thought that having a 600watt psu would draw a 600watt making a 6kwh. I think from what I have research the average rate here in the U.S. right now is .09cents per kwh. I thought Im might be spending like $80 a month with this computer. The $20-$30 a month sounds good though and I believe you. Im not even using a/c because it sucks a lot of power, I just have a small fan to my room cool or should I say warm and summer is getting hotter here in Chicago. I don't leave my computer on, I turn everything off except the fridge when I go to work or school. I even shower cold for my utility is the second highest below the rent. So Im trying to go power savy to minimize my utility bill and save them money for more important stuff. I budget my money very tightly as sometimes I don't have some for a 6-pack of beer usually at the last week of the month as my budget don't allow me so.

Anyways my system is comprise of an SLI rig a water cooling unit about 10 fans 2 lights, sound card, tv tuner, an LCD monitor, 2.1 speakers. Again thanks a lot for the answer.

 

[chuckshissle]

That's cool and I think this thing is just gonna suck up more power!

 

[jaguarskx]

Thanks for your answer..I thought that having a 600watt psu would draw a 600watt making a 6kwh. I think from what I have research the average rate here in the U.S. right now is .09cents per kwh.

I wish I was only paying $0.09 per kwh.

 

[chuckshissle]

My rig has 600watt psu, Pentium D 840, 2x7800GTX 256, raptor and caviar hd, water cooling unit, sound card, tv tuner, 10 fans, 2 lights, a monitor, 2.1 speaker. and a mic.

So how much power do you think this rig is sucking up during idle and full load? If it's 400watt and the rate is .09cents then would I get something like this.

(.09)4kwh x 12 hours x 30 days = $

.09cents x 4kwh = .35cents (one hour use)

.36cents x 12 hours = $4.32 (one day use)

$4.32 x 30 days = $129.60 ( one month use) 8O 8O 8O

Is this right or am I just retarded with Math?

 

[chuckshissle]

In 2005 the U.S. national average was 8.3cents per kwh, but I think I was completely wrong with my calculations above for I don't pay that much on monthly electrical bill. I don't know how to calculate the electric bill. But I'm now guesstimating that my computer only operates at around $25 a month.

 

[chuckshissle]

I attend at DeVry and there's no such thing for them like a Uni Campus so I'm residing in the 2 bedroom apartment with my girl and another female friend for a roomate. We split the rent to thirds and pays around $150-$160 a month each. I'm at full time status at college and part-time job, since my tuition is covered by a government loan. But still the bills are racking up so Im trying to use my pc as less as I can now to lower the electric bill.

 

[Sando]

Chuckshissle, you are retarted at math(s)

So how much power do you think this rig is sucking up during idle and full load? If it's 400watt and the rate is .09cents then would I get something like this.

(.09)4kwh x 12 hours x 30 days = $

.09cents x 4kwh = .35cents (one hour use)

Nope, a 400 W psu will not use 4kWh in one hour, to do that you'd need a 4000 W psu,

So you can divide your final answer by 10, which makes it sound much more reasonable.

The power your pc uses is basically negligible conpared to stuff like the amount you use to heat or cool your house, water and food. Even 400 W is probably far more than a monster pc uses at idle, and that's only 4 lightbulbs, which you're much more likely to leave on for long periods of time

 

[GherkinPekul]

xoxide has a gizmo that will measure draw on anything you plug into it.
Kill-A-Watt

 

[Bopper]

In Finland it's 6 cents per kwh. Used to be over 10 though. You people in the States are lucky with .09 cents Electricity here is 67 times more expensive here according to that. Our average electric bill is about 300 dollars a month

 

[darth_farter]

here it is around 28$cts per kwh.

of course I use my pentium!!! laptop most often... rediculously high...

 

[Hawkeye22]

I get special rates for being all electric. I pay $0.03/kwh so running my two computers 24/7 is negligable. Of course it sure sucks when the power does go out. :lol: