power supplies

[Nutty]

Howdy. Quick question.

Does using a smaller PSU use less power through my electric meter?

I currently have a 400 watt psu. (my old gf3 was dodgy, and I thought it might be insufficient power, so I ended up getting a big 400 watter)

but I'm pretty sure I could survive on a 300 easily. Will switching down to a 300 watt actually save my electricity, or does it only use as much as the components draw?

cheers.

[fastguy94416]

Switching off a light bulb would be a better way to save power. In reality, your 400 watt psu is the same as 4 light bulbs. use less light is a better soloution I think. I just upgraded from a 330 watt to a 430 watt. I like it alot. Lots of headroom for future upgrades. Just make sure its a high quality part. Buying cheap does not pay off at all.

[Nutty]

my entire house is fitted with energy saving bulbs already.. they equate to about 20 watts each.

Its just that when my pc is on I seem to suck up alot of power. Maybe its the monitor more than the rig.

Was thinking of getting a 350 watt enermax, with the rpm control on it, for nice quiet power :)

I'm not really planning on adding anything in future except maybe a dvd burner.

[fastguy94416]

Well, I spose you can if you really wanna. The monitor, if it is a crt could draw anywhere from 100-200w. The 19" beastie i have gets mad hot. Anyway, good luck.

[Firelord-OCHW]

Originally posted by fastguy94416
Well, I spose you can if you really wanna. The monitor, if it is a crt could draw anywhere from 100-200w. The 19" beastie i have gets mad hot. Anyway, good luck.

What this guy said :)

Your monitor will be pulling far more current than your PC. I have my PC on 24/7 and tbh the effect was neglibale (sp??) but I had my 19" monitor off :)

Anyway check your bills it doesn't make that much differnce and if your that worried buy either a Laptop or 'puter that needs a 145watt psu :D

[vampireuk]

Anyway check your bills it doesn't make that much differnce

Tell that to my stepdad:rolleyes:

He really thinks it costs about £30 a month to have the computer running

[g0at]

unless you wouldn't mind purchasing a smaller monitor, the power saving features of your system are the best way to go.

[brannonk]

I read a really good article last week on power supplies, I will try to find the link. But anyway, it said that power supplies only draw the amount of power they need. So even if you had a 500W it would still only draw the 300W or so that it needs to run your rig.

[chigger_ns]

brannonk is right, the psu could be rated for 1000watts, and it still would only use the amount of power needed or drawn from your components in your computer, like your gf3, your sound card, mother board, fans, etc....

**example**

You have a 230watt draw on your 400watt psu...
You draw 230 watts of power!

You have a 230 watt draw on a 250watt psu...
You draw 230 watts of power!

You have a 240 watt draw on a 230watt psu
You have problems!!!Like your gf3 did.




The 400watts that is on your psu is a rating, not consumption.



So...I hope I confused you!!

:afro:

Dont worry, trust us!

[VeritechK7]

explain that to my dad and mom :/ .. and for some reason my friend who's an electrical engineering major ..although he did lay dow n three phase power really well :)

[chigger_ns]

Good luck!
I would just switch the stickers from a smaller one to the one you have;) :clever:
OR MAKE UP another sticker.

[PsychoSy]

Originally posted by vampireuk
Tell that to my stepdad:rolleyes:

He really thinks it costs about £30 a month to have the computer running

I'm not a electricity guru but if my knowledge is correct, a computer power supply only uses 120 Watts (225 Watts if you're in the UK) from your wall outlet and then amplifies that current to a level consistant with the PSU's output. In other words, it takes just enough wattage from your wall outlet to make the needed 300-400 Watts of output the PSU is rated for.

That boils down to...I'd say between £5-7 a month - if that.
Basically it would the equivilent of running a 120+ watt bulb all month. By contrast, the typical refrigerator eats about 500-700 Watts, electric stoves gobble up 1500 watts, or a washer & dryer will consume up to 800+ Watts.

Which is going to be the greater portion of the electric bill then? :D :p

Currently, I'm consuming about 2000 watts of power. The PC is on, the TV is on, and I have a radiator style heater cranked full blast with a small ocillating fan on low leaning up against it to blow the heat off it. Also have a lamp with a 40-watt bulb in it running. Now, my area of the house is about 1200 square feet - DECENT SIZE for just me. But I run that heater because I have 1 heating duct in this entire space. So I have to run another heater in here in the Winter - this joint's a meat locker!

My parents hit the roof when the electric bill comes but they get as much cash as I can afford from me every two-weeks. They blame my PC but it's that 1500 Watt heater I'm running. I told them, "If it pisses you off that bad, let me use a Kerosene heater instead."

They had an orgasm about that idea! :eek:

"Hell, no! Them things are too dangerous...cheap, but too dangerous! Besides, they stink like hell."

I countered that by saying they smell better than those two mutts we have, which is true. I don't know what it is but I can let a freshly bathed and dried Jake outside for a few and when he comes back in the house, he reeks like a dead carp on a beach! Makes me gag. I'd rather lock myself in a closet and rip one than be near that dog after from coming in from outside! My dad agrees with that but the "no kerosone heater in the house" rule is iron clad.

[DaveW]

PsychoSy got his watts and volts confuselled.

amps x volts = watts.

300 watts in the US is the same as 300 watts in the UK. But in the US your outlets are ~115 volts compared to ~240 volts, so to make 300 watts the US power supplies draw twice the amps as the UK ones.

A typical 19 inch monitor uses about 200 watts. So if you have a 300 watt PSU then you are using about 500 watts. Thats 5 x 100 watt light bulbs, or 1/3rd of a 1500 watt space heater.

So PCs do consume a fair amount of power, but space heaters, vacuum cleaners, microwaves, hair dryers, refrigerators all use a lot more.

[PsychoSy]

Wow, I needed that correction! :D

And to think a buddy of mine swears I'd make a killing being an electrician. Then again, maybe he means Self-Electrocution when he says "make a killing"? :eek: :p

[woz_mann]

Yes that is correct.

The PSU only pulls waht is needed by the computer. The rating of a PSU is the TOTAL amount of power (wattage) it can draw beofre it goes *BANG*.

Your computer will pull the same amount wheather it be a 230w, 250w, 300w, 400w, or 1000w. However if you ru your PSU at near capacity you will start to run into problems, including drawing more power from the wall outlet