How much does it cost to run my PC?

[LittleNemoNES]

Using the Extreme PSU calculator, I came up with the worst case scenario for my PC being 480 watts.

I live in Florida and run my PC about 12 hrs per day

So how much does that amount to per month?

I'm starting to feel guilty about our power bill being so damn high and eveyone is looking in my direction.

Your help is appreciated

 

[Bobthelost]

Do you have cool-n-quiet turned on?

What are you doing with the PC in those 12 hours?

When you're maxing everything out in that machine you're going to be drawing a fair bit of power, for a ballpark estimate think 300W or so from the wall. If you were gaming solidly for that time period you're looking @ around 12*300*30/1000 = 108 kWh per month. You're looking at around 9 cents per kWh so in total you're drawing around $10 of power every month. Max.

However you are dropping another 300W of energy into your room when you're gaming, which might mean you have your airconditioning on higher. Those things eat power like nothing else on earth. Also if you're stuck in the 20th century with your monitor then you're drawing more power there.

PSU calculators don't get the real power draw even remotly right.

 

[LittleNemoNES]

thanks for the info. Yes we have 3 AC wall units so that may be the culprit...

I know that the PSU calc is not 100% accurate but I wanted a ballpark figure


I'd say that in those 12hrs 6 are playing games the other 6 are on the net.

No cool n quiet since im ocing.

Thanks for the info I appreciate it.

IF any one else has any additional info, please feel free to contribute ;-)

 

[Bobthelost]

Well if you're using the AC more as it gets warmer then that'd make the power bills rise a bit.

In an automobile the A/C system will use around 5 hp (4 kW) of the engine's power.

(From wikipedia) That's in a car, 4kw!?!?! Anyone got real numbers for home aircon?

I think you can get some form of cool-n-quiet running with overclocking, it's a different way of implementing it. Check around @ SPCR if you want to (or someone here might know what i'm on about).

Assuming that the PSU calculator was closer than my estimate was then while you're gaming it'll be running @ 480W (It isn't, but worst case) and while you're surfing the web it'll draw around half that, running those numbers you're still looking at a grand total of $11.

 

[BigToque]

Originally posted by: Bobthelost
Well if you're using the AC more as it gets warmer then that'd make the power bills rise a bit.

In an automobile the A/C system will use around 5 hp (4 kW) of the engine's power.

(From wikipedia) That's in a car, 4kw!?!?! Anyone got real numbers for home aircon?

I think you can get some form of cool-n-quiet running with overclocking, it's a different way of implementing it. Check around @ SPCR if you want to (or someone here might know what i'm on about).

Assuming that the PSU calculator was closer than my estimate was then while you're gaming it'll be running @ 480W (It isn't, but worst case) and while you're surfing the web it'll draw around half that, running those numbers you're still looking at a grand total of $11.

The overall message being, your computer isn't the reason your bill is high. Do what you need with the computer. When you're not using it turn it off (or into hibernate) and turn off the monitor.

Try using the AC less. That's probably the biggest draw on power.

 

[Aluvus]

Roughly:

Typical power draw is likely 150 W or so. Full-tilt, pessimistically estimate 300 W. 300*6+150*6 = 2 700 Wh per day, or 2.7 kWh.

So then air conditioning. Window units are alleged to have a typical SSER of 10, which equates to a Coefficient of Performance of about 2.9. So for your 2.7 kWh of extra heat, it's going to take 2.7/2.9 = 0.93 kWh of electricity to cool your room to the same temperature.

So total energy use per day would be 2.7+0.93 = 3.63 kWh. Depending on which part of Florida you're in, electric rates appear to be around $0.10/kWh. So per day, that's $0.36 or so.

In a month, that would be about $11. In a year, about $130.

 

[LittleNemoNES]

thanks for all the info folks.

Then Why THE F are my ele bills routinely 200+ dollars? No one is @ home during the day -- no AC on, or lights.

I think there's something up...maybe my neighbor is leeching?

 

[LittleNemoNES]

thanks for all the info folks.

My bill are around $200...
No one is @ home during the day...
Crooked neighbor (townhouse)?

 

[acole1]

check and see how much you are being charged per kw/hr.

do you have access to a meter that you can personaly check? maybe you can keep whoever is charging you accountable?

also, you might try turning everything off (like it would be when you are gone) and check the meter to see if it is running... maybe something is draining your power you have not thought of yet.

 

[LittleNemoNES]

you know what, that's really sensible -- funny I hadn't thought about it yet. I'll try later on and see if it's still moving like crazy.

 

[zkaudio]

dude... you live in fl? probably just the ac.

 

[LittleNemoNES]

Originally posted by: zkaudio
dude... you live in fl? probably just the ac.

that's not the only perk for living in florida -- try OCing with 90*F weather