[mythtv-users] Re: Energy Usage of MythBoxes

[John Andersen]

On Thursday 17 March 2005 05:59, Charles Choukalos wrote:
> Hi John,
>
> Actually I'm in Texas (makes Jersy look like Paradise)
> and during oh what 9 months out of the year its hotter
> then hells kitchen (brown and ugly too).  When I lived
> in New England electricity was a lot more expensive
> but leaving on the computer provided a little heat in
> the house and maybe hit my electric bill by $10 a
> month or so... not too bad.  Down here during the long
> ass hot desert period its about a $50 hit (most of
> that is cooling).  Not to mention you rapidly realize
> just how much heat a computer throws off

If the computer turned all the electricity it consumed
directly into heat it could do no more than a 350 watt
space heater.  That is to say, very little. (most space
heaters are 2500 watts and up).

A 350 watt power supply seldom draws more than 100
watts because no one burns cdroms while recording floppy 
drives and exercising the harddrive to the max on a box
with every slot filled and every card pulling the max.
Just does not happen.

But lets assume for a moment that you really could
draw 350 watts on your Mythbox 24/7.

(That box can't consume more than 350 watts.
fuze blows if it tries.)

.350 kilowatts for 24 hours = 8.4 kilowatt hours

times (plug in your number)  $0.13 / kwh = $1.09
per day maximum theoretical possible.

Times 30 days = about $33 /month.

But since most pc power supplies are running
at about 80 watts (measured by me) even
when working hard, AND rates in Texas tend to 
be closer th 8cents than they are to 13cents
http://www.puc.state.tx.us/nrelease/2000/120700.cfm ,
your bill for running the above average PC 24/7 
is likely to be .08kw x 24h x 30 days x 8cents = $4.60 / month

I think you doth protest too much.  ;-)






-- 
______Jsa_________