How can you find out how many watts your computer is drawing?

[dxkj]

I was hoping for some sort of program, but Im mainly trying to figure it out for my systems.


350Watt PS
Barton 2500+ @ 2.3ghz
GeForce 2 GTS 32MB
40GB Maxtor 7200
CDRW
DVD

etc

I am running the processor @ 100% 24/7

 

[Noriaki]

The easiest way is with an electric multimeter.

You can measure the current and voltage on the line, multiply those by 24h in a day and you have kwh/day.

 

[Mark R]

You can measure the current and voltage on the line, multiply those by 24h in a day and you have kwh/day.

This only works for 'European-spec' PSUs or those with PFC. If yours is a base-model US spec, then this will be wildly inaccurate.

You can buy a reasonably accurate wattmeter that will work correctly and will record the total energy consumed for little cost ($30 or so).

 

[Thied1]

I don't know if you have a recent-model UPS that might tell you exactly, but my APC Back-UPS RS says that my 2500+, 3 hard drives, GF4, and 17" monitor combine to eat up ~290 watts. I'd imagine that you might be around that, depending on your monitor.

[edit] My memory was WAY off.. it's currently reading 288[/edit]

 

[dxkj]

Originally posted by: Thied1
I don't know if you have a recent-model UPS that might tell you exactly, but my APC Back-UPS RS says that my 2500+, 3 hard drives, GF4, and 17" monitor combine to eat up ~190 watts. I'd imagine that you might be around that, depending on your monitor.

Any clue what that would be minus your monitor? Also, is that under constant load or just idling?

 

[Thied1]

I'm always running SETI so the CPU (stock speed) is always at 100%.

I'll move the monitor to a different port tonight and get back to you.

 

[0roo0roo]

http://users.erols.com/chare/elec.htm atleast 76.8W for the processor alone

 

[dxkj]

Originally posted by: Thied1
I'm always running SETI so the CPU (stock speed) is always at 100%.

I'll move the monitor to a different port tonight and get back to you.

Thanks, I appreciate it

 

[Thied1]

heh.. WOW was my memory off. With monitor, it was at 288 watts, without it was at 186.

 

[dxkj]

Ok, thanks for checking!


Im guessing my machine is probably similar, older video card, and 2 less hard drives, but some decent sized fans.

That equals out to ~ 132Kw hrs per month. At 8 cents A KW hr, thats over $10. Man, i never realized that it took that much.

 

[draggoon01]

Originally posted by: Thied1
heh.. WOW was my memory off. With monitor, it was at 288 watts, without it was at 186.

you mind reporting the watt difference full load and idle? and your celeron server for comparison?


and also you think your back-ups was worth the money?

 

[Thied1]

My server's on an old Back-UPS 300 that doesn't have monitoring, and it'd probably be more trouble than it's worth to move my big UPS down to the server room and back

Turning SETI off made me go from 186 to 180, with System Idle Process hovering in the 97-99% range.

I think the UPS being worth the money depends on what you're using the PC for and how the power in your area is. I only spent something like $20 for the one on my server, since I moved it there from a PC that was mainly used for games and stuff. I paid a bunch more for my current one, but the computer it's attached to will be used for more serious stuff so it'd be bad for it to die, and it's also got more battery ports so I can use it for my switch/cable modem/etc..

If you're looking for one, all you really need is one that'll give you a few minutes to save your work and turn the machine off instead of having it just die on you. Anything above that's just bonus, unless you're in a setting where you know how long it'll take you to turn on a generator and need something to bridge the gap.

 

[draggoon01]

Originally posted by: Thied1
My server's on an old Back-UPS 300 that doesn't have monitoring, and it'd probably be more trouble than it's worth to move my big UPS down to the server room and back

Turning SETI off made me go from 186 to 180, with System Idle Process hovering in the 97-99% range.

I think the UPS being worth the money depends on what you're using the PC for and how the power in your area is. I only spent something like $20 for the one on my server, since I moved it there from a PC that was mainly used for games and stuff. I paid a bunch more for my current one, but the computer it's attached to will be used for more serious stuff so it'd be bad for it to die, and it's also got more battery ports so I can use it for my switch/cable modem/etc..

If you're looking for one, all you really need is one that'll give you a few minutes to save your work and turn the machine off instead of having it just die on you. Anything above that's just bonus, unless you're in a setting where you know how long it'll take you to turn on a generator and need something to bridge the gap.

thanks for response.


only 6 watt difference. wow, i thought it'd be higher, like 20-30 watts. 6 watts is not much. from reading laptop reviews and their battery-life test, i was under impression idle vs load would a lot in desktop as well.