Do you use your computer as a heater?

[Eeezee]

I did a project at one of the smaller observatories in the mountains (Tucson, AZ). The dormatory had heating, but the observatory itself had none. It snowed that night, but it was nice and toasty in the computer room. There were about 5-7 computers used for various things, including one just for generic internet access and a few for controlling/monitoring the telescope.

Unfortunately it sucks during the summer, especially here in the desert. Running computer = unnecessary extra heat, making the AC work harder.

 

[Philippine Mango]

Originally posted by: MS Dawn
LOL @ thread.

Believe it or not I find the hottest thing (ok excluding the X1900XTX BLAST FURNACE!) are these Dell 3007's. You can feel the heat coming from the front of the screen. :Q

Thats because it outputs between 147 and 177 watts while my 19" monitors can be had at around 30watts, older ones were around 60 but again thats significantly cooler.

 

[DaWhim]

it was great in my little room when I had a tower. I made a jump to laptop only;my laptop doesn't output as much heat as my desktop would.

on the other hand, my halogen lamp is doing a good job heating up my room.

 

[Lonyo]

I don't strictly use it as a heater, but it does mean I don't have to turn the heating on.

 

[shocksyde]

I dont have heat in the basement apartment I live in. I definitely leave my computer on 24/7 during the winter.

 

[benplaut]

It's a struggle to keep mine cool in Hawaii...

 

[ForumMaster]

not really. despite the fact that it gets quite cold here, my CPU still idles at 33C and it's an old Athlon XP-M!

 

[sswingle]

The room my computer is in doesn't have heat, so I'm sure the computer is helping a lot.

 

[Jeffwo]

No....back when I was running a big computer and overclocking I had so many fans running, it would suck my socks into it if I got my feet too close...LOL

Jeff

 

[Thorny]

I do, I don't think I'll have to set up my real heater in the office this year, since I moved the 360 in here also. The computer warms it up a little bit, but the 360 makes it toasty

 

[AkumaX]

when i had my P4D 820, i used it exclusively as a heater for my room

 

[rmrfhomeoops]

Let see:
PCs = CPU, video card, chipset on motherboard, and power supply.
Networking gear = Router, switch, cable modem, and KVM.
CRTs and LCDs.
Office machine = Printer, fax/copier, and even paper shredder.
And just about anything that have AC/DC transformer will generate some heat.

So yes, my computer room is quite warm compared to other rooms in the house.

The cost of PCs = electricity + hardware failures + depreciating value.

The benefit is that I have a nice toasty room eventhough outside is about 35F right now. :thumbsup:

 

[ZetaEpyon]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
I don't strictly use it as a heater, but it does mean I don't have to turn the heating on.

Same. I have two of mine set to shut down automatically at about 2am and then turn back on at about 4:30, before I get home from work. Helped keep my apartment a lot cooler in the summer. I'm considering changing the schedule now, since it's getting a bit chilly in there. :laugh:

 

[acemcmac]

it's the next best thing to zone heating.

 

[Twista]

I turn on a computer game to keep the cpu @ 100% than turn on a memory tester than turn off all fans. Yes, this includes the CPU fan ;] Nice and toasty!

 

[D1gger]

No question about it. Especially when I get up early on a saturday or sunday and the rest of the family is still asleep. I just turn on my PC in my den and close the door, soon the room is a nice warm haven and within about two hours, I have to open the door because it gets too hot.

 

[pontifex]

my room is constantly like 76 degrees because of my pc.
i hate it

 

[Zolty]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
What's a computer average? 250 watts? 300 watts? That all turns to heat.

not all of it....

 

[Exterous]

My heater wasn't doing a good enough job of heating my room now that its cold outside so I upped the overclock to 3.2Ghz. Now I don't need my blanket

 

[j00fek]

i open the windows when its 28deg out

 

[krunchykrome]

Living in the ghetto and owning a computer


Kind of an oxymoron

 

[Syrch]

Definetly. When its freezing in my apartment, say 20 or so degrees outside F I turn on my PC sit next to it running windows media center with the tv turner and have a game going on my other screen. That warms it up quite nicely.

 

[homestarmy]

Originally posted by: Baked
In the past yes. Right now, no. My CPU's only cooking at 33C.

Because it's moving all of the heat out of the PC and into your room.

I'm not a thermo physicist, but the better the cooling, the warmer it is going to make your room, I believe.

 

[waggy]

yeap. they work great.

 

[Rudy Toody]

The last 3 years with my pentium iii crunching BOINC, I've never had to turn on the heat. Four months ago I replaced the pentium with two overclocked waterchilled FX-60s crunching BOINC 24/7. I've had to put in a window fan, which is also going 24/7.