[ale] current pulled by computer power supply

[Glenn C. Lasher Jr.]

On Mon, 21 Aug 2000, Jeff Hubbs wrote:

> 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 hear you on that one.  We had someone in a place I used to work who had
such a heater under her desk, and someone noticed a funky smell just
seconds before her computer went out.  She had had it plugged into her
power strip and the breaker on the power strip failed to open, so it
simply burned out.

> 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.  

They reduce the frequency of replacement as well.

> 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.  

Yes, I hear you.  I work for an ISO (Independent System Operator) in the
electric market.  The biggest problem has been that while demand for
electricity has been rising, nobody has been building generating plants,
because everyone has been holding their breath waiting for the deregulated
market to come on line.  Now that it is on, New York State (where I
live) has got about 1.5 GW of new generation under construction, so
--hopefully-- it is just a growing pain.  At any rate, I have my UPSen and
5kW of my own generation that I had bought as Y2k preps (heh) and they
are available to me if needed.  

However, Jeff, you are right, conservation is always a good thing.

--
Critter at Wizvax.Net
Don't Steal - The government hates competition.


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