In comp.os.linux.setup Harold Stevens <wookie@aces.localdomain> wrote:
> In <ei8ptk$lb1$1@theodyn.ncf.ca> Michael Black:

> [Snip...]

> > if you're paying $500 in the summer for electricity, I don't think a few
> > bulbs are the issue, and thus the computer isn't going to save much money

> Good point, especially if you use a lot of electric airconditioning.

Yeah, that's only during the heat waves like summer. But even without that, that's like
200-300 bucks per month still. :O


> Such ideas for saving electricity are all very good, but I haven't seen
> any mention of doing without as much airconditioning as some folks seem
> keen on having. Light bulbs (etc.) are small potatoes, if you're trying
> to keep rooms electrically cooled to 75 when it's 95 degrees outside.

Or 100+(F) in the summer, and upstair.


> Of course that's not to say there's no benefit to dialing back PCs.

> Use LCD instead of CRT monitors, turn all monitors off when not in use
> (even "Power Saving"); check each PC BIOS for energy saving modes.

Yeah I usually turn off CRT when I am out for gone for hours, but I don't unplug it.


> I have a Compaq Deskpro EN 6350 which has a suspend mode where it does
> disk spindown and (apparently) puts the CPU into lowpower standby. The
> only thing still running "normal" is the PSU fan (AFAICT). After doing
> the BIOS adjustments, it goes into standby mode by simply pressing the
> power switch briefly. It takes about 5 seconds to go into standby, and
> about 10 seconds to spin the disk up and resume normally.

> It's the best compromise I've found between a complete shutdown, and a
> readily available workstation--it won't do for servers, I know.

Yeah, see I still need to access my computer from outside. I don't think standby, hibernate,
etc. will work. Heh. Maybe disk spindowns, but I disabled them in BIOS so I have to turn
them on, but not sure how to tell Linux to use them. Also, are they even worth it? Do they
save a lot? I know they do for laptops/notebooks.
--
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Bit Twister wrote:
> On 1 Nov 2006 00:31:48 GMT, Michael Black wrote:
>>
>> But along the lines of the other poster, 350watts is only a bit
>> more than 3 100watt bulbs. Turn off three 100 watt bulbs (or
>> reduce their wattage, such as the move to compact flourescent),
>> and you've got your savings.
>
> Yep, also flourescent run cooler so less cooling required.

The efficiency of air conditioners is notoriously low. It will
require at least 2 watts of power to pump out 1 watt of external
heat, more likely 3 to 4. Thus, in a cooling environment, your
power savings from compact fluoroscents is going to be multiplied
by at least 3 or 4. Replacing 3 100 watt incandescents by 3 23
watt compacts will save 231 watts directly, and ultimately 700 to 1
kw, in a cooled environment. That ain't hay.

--
Some informative links:
<news:news.announce.newusers
<http://www.geocities.com/nnqweb/>
<http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html>
<http://www.caliburn.nl/topposting.html>
<http://www.netmeister.org/news/learn2quote.html>
<http://cfaj.freeshell.org/google/>

In comp.os.linux.hardware Unruh <unruh-spam@physics.ubc.ca> wrote:
> ANTant@zimage.com writes:

> >Hello,

> >Electricity is sure getting expensive these days, especially during the summer time ($500 per month!). I would
> >like to see if I can keep my little 24 hours/7 days Linux desktop/workstation (also acts like a private server,
> >so I can ssh/VNC in from outside) from using a lot of power/electrcity when in idled mode. Currently, I told
> >xscreensaver (using xmatrix at slow rate -- loved the first two Matrix movies!) to put my monitor to sleep and
> >shut down after an hour and two hours. I do not use those 3D screen savers since they hog my 3D card and CPU, and
> >my room gets too warm easily.

> Shut off your screen. It draws the most power. And for remote access you or
> your computer does not care.

Already done. Just looking for more.


> Switch off you scanner and printer when not in use.

Got none hooked up.


> Your computer itself when running idle will use maybe 40 watts or power. In
> a month that is about 30 Kwhr at $.1 per KWHr, that is $3.

Interesting. I thought it was way more. This is with no power management stuff beside
putting monitor to sleep?
--
"The ants sought personal revenge for my having sprayed them the day before." --Oliver Smith
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )

On 31 Oct 2006 21:54:30 GMT, Unruh <unruh-spam@physics.ubc.ca> wrote:
>Shut off your screen. It draws the most power. And for remote access you or
Unless you're running a screen from the black'n'white era, it will go into
standby mode anytime it doesn't receive a video signal, typically a single watt
of power.


>your computer does not care.
>Switch off you scanner and printer when not in use.
Unless you have an 70's dot matrix, it'll be in standby mode when not in use.

The power of a monitor (or printer or scanner) in standby is comparable to that
of a digital clock. Do you also unplug all your clocks when you're not home?
Don't forget to unplug your fridge and get rid of all that food; it uses several
orders of magnitude more than any monitor in standby mode.

On Wed, 1 Nov 2006, AZ Nomad wrote:

> On 31 Oct 2006 21:54:30 GMT, Unruh <unruh-spam@physics.ubc.ca> wrote:
>> Shut off your screen. It draws the most power. And for remote access you or
> Unless you're running a screen from the black'n'white era, it will go into
> standby mode anytime it doesn't receive a video signal, typically a single watt
> of power.

Actually, there was an article earlier this year about how many common
household devices use significant power when in standby mode.

Harold Stevens wrote:
> In <ei8ptk$lb1$1@theodyn.ncf.ca> Michael Black:
>
> [Snip...]
>
>> if you're paying $500 in the summer for electricity, I don't think a few
>> bulbs are the issue, and thus the computer isn't going to save much money
>
> Good point, especially if you use a lot of electric airconditioning.
>
> Such ideas for saving electricity are all very good, but I haven't seen
> any mention of doing without as much airconditioning as some folks seem
> keen on having. Light bulbs (etc.) are small potatoes, if you're trying
> to keep rooms electrically cooled to 75 when it's 95 degrees outside.
>
> Of course that's not to say there's no benefit to dialing back PCs.
>
> Use LCD instead of CRT monitors, turn all monitors off when not in use
> (even "Power Saving"); check each PC BIOS for energy saving modes.

I checked and in standby mode, my samsung LCD 920 uses 3W..I can live
with that.

>
> I have a Compaq Deskpro EN 6350 which has a suspend mode where it does
> disk spindown and (apparently) puts the CPU into lowpower standby. The
> only thing still running "normal" is the PSU fan (AFAICT). After doing
> the BIOS adjustments, it goes into standby mode by simply pressing the
> power switch briefly. It takes about 5 seconds to go into standby, and
> about 10 seconds to spin the disk up and resume normally.
>
> It's the best compromise I've found between a complete shutdown, and a
> readily available workstation--it won't do for servers, I know.
>

The trouble is that the switched mode PSU's probably take about 10W to
do bugger all..if its a desktop, you probably need to arrange to save
the computer ram to disk, and power it off..

> YMMV; HTH...
>

Bit Twister wrote:
> On 1 Nov 2006 00:31:48 GMT, Michael Black wrote:
>> But along the lines of the other poster, 350watts is only a bit more than
>> 3 100watt bulbs. Turn off three 100 watt bulbs (or reduce their wattage,
>> such as the move to compact flourescent), and you've got your savings.
>
> Yep, also flourescent run cooler so less cooling required.
>
>
ITS *FLUORESCENT* fer chrissakes.

Matt Giwer wrote:
> ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> Electricity is sure getting expensive these days, especially during
>> the summer time ($500 per month!). I would
>> like to see if I can keep my little 24 hours/7 days Linux
>> desktop/workstation (also acts like a private server,
>> so I can ssh/VNC in from outside) from using a lot of power/electrcity
>> when in idled mode.
>
> Set your A/C one half to one degree higher.
>
Indeed.

In an attempt to actually understand the issues surrounding energy
conservation, I have been doing some calcs recently.

The biggest single thing I can personally do, is handcuff the wife so
she can't open the windows in thermostatically controlled rooms, or as
you say, turn the stat down a degree and wear a fleece...instead of
shirtsleeves, in winter.

In summer here, we have found that shutting the windows and drawing teh
curtains by day, and opening the windows at night, plus a lot of
insulation and a huge amount of concrete and brickwork, keeps the
internal house temps to an average of about 25C when it 30C by day and
15C by night....no air con needed.

ANTant@zimage.com wrote:

> Ah, darn. I thought my box would be hogging a lot since it uses a 350
> watts PSU. Not sure how many watts my box goes up to when in idled and
> heavy usage (e.g., compilation, Google Earth, etc.).

Hmmm... I use a 700VA UPS. It runs three computers, a pentium4, pentium3 and
a linksys NSLU2, an ethernet switch, a DSL ethernet modem... external USB
disk drive and only one monitor.

It very rarely gets above 50% load. When the monitor drops into standby it
runs at about 22% load. When all computers are compiling at once (they are
all running Gentoo) and the monitor is running the load is occasionally 55%
but usually 50%. When only the Pentium3 (router/firewall) is running power
use is down to 5%.

Computers aren't big power users. Refrigerators, toasters, ovens, AC are big
users.

I use Network UPS Tools (NUT) and knutclient as a graphical monitor of my
power use and status. Beaut display with cool dials! It also slips into the
kde system tray.

You should get yourself some decent UPS tools if you are interested in power
use.

--
Regards,

Gregory.
"Ding-a-ding-dang,My Dang-a-long ling-long"

In comp.os.linux.hardware The Natural Philosopher <a@b.c> wrote:
> Matt Giwer wrote:
> > ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
> >> Hello,
> >>
> >> Electricity is sure getting expensive these days, especially during
> >> the summer time ($500 per month!). I would
> >> like to see if I can keep my little 24 hours/7 days Linux
> >> desktop/workstation (also acts like a private server,
> >> so I can ssh/VNC in from outside) from using a lot of power/electrcity
> >> when in idled mode.
> >
> > Set your A/C one half to one degree higher.
> >
> Indeed.

> In an attempt to actually understand the issues surrounding energy
> conservation, I have been doing some calcs recently.

> The biggest single thing I can personally do, is handcuff the wife so
> she can't open the windows in thermostatically controlled rooms, or as
> you say, turn the stat down a degree and wear a fleece...instead of
> shirtsleeves, in winter.

> In summer here, we have found that shutting the windows and drawing teh
> curtains by day, and opening the windows at night, plus a lot of
> insulation and a huge amount of concrete and brickwork, keeps the
> internal house temps to an average of about 25C when it 30C by day and
> 15C by night....no air con needed.

Yep, done this too with windows, blinds and curtains, opening windows at nights/during cooler
days, etc. Only summer times and heat waves are the bad ones. Even added extra shades to over
windows.
--
"The ants sought personal revenge for my having sprayed them the day before." --Oliver Smith
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )