[pchelpers] "My computer uses HOW much power??"

Hi folks,

A few days ago, I picked up a couple of P3 Kill A Watt power monitors
on eBay; a company in Hawaii was offering 2 for $40 plus $5 shipping.
Most places are asking $22 to $35 for one.

It can show the instantaneous values for voltage (about 125V), hertz
(59.9 -- why is it not exactly 60?), Watts, Amps, Volt-Amps, and Power
Factor (1 is best, lower than 1 apparently means power company has to
generate more power compared to the amount that you use). It also
records accumulated kWH and time, which allows you to leave your
device (lamp, computer, fan, etc.) running for a while, and then you
can divide to calculate approximately how much you'd use in a day,
month, or year.

I was flabbergasted when I plugged the UPS into it and let it sit for
24 hours. There are 3 computers (1 old one and 2 newish ones), a
flat-panel monitor, a network switch, and of course, the UPS itself.
After I did the arithmetic, I found that together they were sucking up
65% of the winter-time power usage, according to the electric bill.
Later tests of the individual items showed that the two newer
computers were the number 1 and number 2 most energy-consuming devices
in the house (1315 and 1236 kWH/yr, beating out the refrigerator at
1005. After the fridge, there is the central air handler with 462.
Then, there is a 19W lamp, 42W lamp, and clock radio on a power strip,
using 307, followed by the 3rd (old) computer, using 295, then the
flat-panel monitor, using 148. After that, it dribbles into the
double-digits.

Two notes: First, the computers are on all the time, for several
reasons; most people would not need to -- and considering the numbers
I saw, most people would not want to! Secondly, the appliances
(furnace, water heaters, dryer, stove) are gas, so the figures would
be different for an all-electric home.

-- 
Scott.



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