[ale] current pulled by computer power supply

[Michael H. Warfield]

On Sat, Aug 12, 2000 at 06:51:49PM -0400, Wandered Inn wrote:
> I'm to the point that I'm concerned with the amount of current I might
> be pulling in my little office here.  I can find the maximum current for
> each computer power supply stamped plainly on each box.   Question is,
> does anyone know what the 'average' current is for a computer?  I
> suspect that the max is only hit when the thing is powering up and/or
> REAL busy.

> I'm considering having a dedicated circuited added to the room to supply
> my machines, but I need something to start with.

	We've overloaded circuits and transformers in the past and I've
gone in with my ammeter and actually measured it.  I was surprised to
find that the computers draw a lot less than I expected.  Most of the
CPU units were pulling between .6A to .9A.  I didn't run into a single
one drawing more than an amp.  Even the towers with 300W supplies were
still under an amp (~ 120 Watts draw).  17" monitors were a little hotter,
typically 3/4 of an amp to an amp.  Printers are real current draws
with some of the big ones pulling 10 amps or more.  Same thing with
photocopiers.

	In dealing with the overloads, we discovered that one real BAD
boy in our office were these halogen mood lamps that some managers loved.
Each one is about 250 Watts, drawing over 2 Amps each.  The jerks would
have two of these things burning in their office.  Their entire computer
would be pulling less than 1.5 amps and their tossing almost 5 amps on
their damn lights.  They were really pissed when I shut them all down.
One even challenged me saying "well just how do YOU know they draw all
this power?"  I pulled out the current meter and they shut up real
quick.  The VP of engineering was just rolling on the floor at that point.

> --
> Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at denali.atlnet.com
> 
> Microsoft != Innovation
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	Mike
-- 
 Michael H. Warfield    |  (770) 985-6132   |  mhw at WittsEnd.com
  (The Mad Wizard)      |  (678) 463-0932   |  http://www.wittsend.com/mhw/
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