From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Feb 7 13:42:48 2005 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id F1B9416A4CE for ; Mon, 7 Feb 2005 13:42:48 +0000 (GMT) Received: from mail.chrononomicon.com (chrononomicon.com [216.37.143.27]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 429C943D53 for ; Mon, 7 Feb 2005 13:42:48 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from bsilver@chrononomicon.com) Received: from [127.0.0.1] (unknown [192.168.0.42]) by mail.chrononomicon.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4FA4E3406CB; Mon, 7 Feb 2005 08:42:43 -0500 (EST) In-Reply-To: <20050207083428.GA22714@logik.ath.cx> References: <200502051745.25937.hindrich@worldchat.com> <20050205225512.GA78786@falcon.midgard.homeip.net> <20050207091209.D71459@maren.thelosingend.net> <20050207083428.GA22714@logik.ath.cx> Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v619.2) Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Message-Id: Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable From: Bart Silverstrim Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 08:42:41 -0500 To: markzero X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.619.2) cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Electricity bill [was: Re: Leaving a Computer Running ?] X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 07 Feb 2005 13:42:49 -0000 On Feb 7, 2005, at 3:34 AM, markzero wrote: >> * Erik Trulsson [2005-02-05 23:55 +0100] >>> Also keep in mind that if you leave the computer running all the=20 >>> time >>> it will show up on your electricity bill, so if you wish to save=20 >>> power >>> you should shut down your computer over night. >> >> Given that your house needs to be warmed up (a presumption I think is >> correct for Sweden as you appears to be sending from; it sure does = for >> Norway, I don't know about the OP), it does not matter where that = heat >> comes from. If your other heating is termostatically controlled, then >> running your computer all night long uses no less electricity than=20 >> leaving >> your heating on. Eventually, all those kWhs ends up as heat. You = might >> just as well use it for something usefull in the way from electric to >> thermic energy, and not just send your electrons through an electric >> resistance for nothing (except heat-generation)! >> > > Actually, I've found that five machines, each with two disks, onboard > graphics and sound, an average 700mhz P3 with a 250w power supply > haven't really made a dent on my electricity bill. In the summer of > last year, however, I bought an air conditioner and this added =A340 > (roughly $75) to my bill. I see I'm not the only one that thought of > using the servers AS the heating! My basement where my Apple G5 runs, during the cold snaps we've=20 recently had in PA, was typically ~50-55 degrees Farenheit. The=20 computer keeping itself warm was a bonus. As for electrical use, I remember I once needed to drain an APC UPS so=20= I hooked it up to a Christmas tree in the living room to run it down. =20= The load meter on the front, although it's a very very rough indicator=20= of load, had the same number of bars for the Xmas tree as it did for=20 the old PIII with monitor and some peripherals hooked up to it...