Folding uses little hydro!

t1rhinot1rhino Toronto
edited August 2003 in Folding@Home
I was poking around the FAQ on folding.stanford.edu and came across this. It is quite interesting, and addresses some of the concerns about how much folding will cost you in hydro.
How much power/money is used by keeping a F@H running 24/7 on a computer?

Roughly, a CPU uses about as much power as a 60 watt light bulb. Here's a report on computer power management from Lawrence Berkeley government labs, and there are other referencs on the web you can find. Although power supplies on most computers are rated at 250 watts, average usage is much lower. On average, a Pentium-type computer uses between 45-70 watts (I've read various different sources on this) while it is on. If the computer has no idle mode, it will use the same amount of energy whether it is running a program or not. If it is on idle, it will consume around 25 watts. So, the daily difference between off and running F@H is about 24x(45 to 70) = 1.1 to 1.7 kWh. At $0.14 per kWh ( from PG&E here in California), this works out to about $0.15 to $0.24 per day, or perhaps $6 a month. The difference between an idled computer and one running F@H would be closer to $4 a month - and if the computer was already being used 8 hours a day, it would be closer to $3 a month.

In general, lighting and climate control use a much larger share of household power than computers do. So the best bet for cutting costs and conserving energy would be to turn off lights, turn off your computer monitors (which use more power than a CPU), and turn down the heat. And keep folding :)

:fold:

Comments

  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Sorry, I have measured mine and I figure that a pair of oced tbirds are using about $10/mo in power. but it helps keep the basement warm.
  • t1rhinot1rhino Toronto
    edited August 2003
    That sounds about right.
  • TBonZTBonZ Ottawa, ON Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Sweet, this confirms what I had been saying to peeps all along. :)
  • danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
    edited August 2003
    About 2 yrs ago when electricity was really expensive (Dec 2001) I figured the cost to run a computer 24/7 was around $6-10 a month. My parents refused to believe this. Their electricy bill was $130 instead of the normal $90, so they blamed the easiest thing they could think of, which was my computer. They believed the $40 increase was because of my computer.

    I tried arguing with them, but you can't win an argument with my Dad, he has to be always right.
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    I wish that was the case on my computer...my cpu alone is at about 110W. Good read though.
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited August 2003
    Mackanz said
    I wish that was the case on my computer...my cpu alone is at about 110W. Good read though.

    Ditto!
  • WuGgaRoOWuGgaRoO Not in the shower Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    then why does the electricity jump up sooo much...the monitor perhaps??
  • t1rhinot1rhino Toronto
    edited August 2003
    Your cpu or whole system?
    A tbred 1700 is rated at 44.9W.
  • seversphereseversphere
    edited August 2003
    is the "turn off monitor" after so many minutes the same as actually turning it off / unplugging it? Or is that just a different type of screen saving?
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Actually, it's still using a trickle of power even if it's turned off with the power switch and plugged in... so the "turn off monitor" software setting is approximately the same as turning it off with the switch, but not as comprehensive as unplugging it.
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited August 2003
    From what I've read out of 2 different monitor manuals, 2 different sizes and 2 different brands:

    Green light: Fully operational - ~100W (depending on size, this came from my 19" KDS VS-195).

    Flashing green and amber light: Heater is on, using ~18W.

    Amber light: Standby – less than 1W.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Ammo in the fight for 2 24/7 computers!
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    t1rhino said
    Your cpu or whole system?
    A tbred 1700 is rated at 44.9W.

    There are 3 or 4 different Xp1700 that all draws or uses different amount of watts. Not to many sane peeps with an XP1700 uses it at default sped i hope when it does 2 gig without problems.

    A DLT3C XP1700 draws at it´s default speed 1460 and at it´s default voltage 1.5 volt, 49.35 watts. If you use 1.85 volt and 2 gig on that same cpu, you have between 92 and 100 watts to cool off.

    Hence why the new Intel Prescotts will be terrible overclockers at a default 100 watts. Even the Prescott mobile cpu will draw close to 90 watts. A little OT but i think you get the picture.
  • SimGuySimGuy Ottawa, Canada
    edited August 2003
    At $4.3 cents CDN a KW/H here in Ontario, I don't care the price of power to run my PC. It's worth the pennies to help fold for the cure...

    That is when I start folding again... :)
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