[ale] current pulled by computer power supply

[Jeff Hubbs]

When I worked for the DOE, space heaters in the 1500W-range on our wing had
the effect of dropping down the line voltage for an NT server to as low as
under 90VAC.  Thank goodness the APC Smart-UPS I put on that machine had a
step-up mode, because it sure needed it!

I have put screw-in fluorescents in several key fixtures throughout my
house.  Yes, they're a bit expensive (although Home Depot does carry a make
that's significantly less expensive), but my motivations are twofold:
reduce electrical consumption and reduce heat generation.  

Now that the unintended consequences of the deregulation of the electric
utilities are coming home to roost, I think it's incumbent upon everyone to
do *something* to reduce their electric consumption.  The alternative is
enduring "rolling blackouts" of the sort that are already occurring in some
parts of the country.  

- Jeff


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Glenn C. Lasher Jr. [mailto:critter at wizvax.net]
> Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2000 10:00 PM
> To: Michael H. Warfield
> Cc: Wandered Inn; ALE
> Subject: Re: [ale] current pulled by computer power supply
> 
> 
> On Sun, 20 Aug 2000, Michael H. Warfield wrote:
> 
> > 	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.
> 
> Sure.  I can remember reading in the manual for an computer I had once
> upon a time (I think it was the C-64 I had in the early 80's) that
> computers draw less power than a light bulb.  Seems like it holds true
> today, eh?
> 
> On lights:  I have a terminally low electric bill for my 
> house, despite
> having several computers running 24/7, my main box, Hermes, 
> even sounds
> like he should draw a lot (he has 4 cooling fans, including 
> those in an
> external SCSI enclosure) but they don't draw much.  I have my 
> whole home
> lit with fluorescent lights, and so the overall bill is 
> extremely low.  
> The utility reports that our usage is about 1/3 of the average.
> 
> 
> -- 
> Critter at Wizvax.Net
> Don't Steal - The government hates competition.
> 
> 
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