650w costs per day

martin5454 · 26 Feb 2009 at 22:50

My friend just spoke to a guy in a computer shop, he said that running a PC with a 650w PSU uses 8 euro for 10 hours usage. Is this true? Would it be putting 650W into your system contently?

semi-pro waster · 26 Feb 2009 at 22:54

No.

Or slightly more reasoned, the system will draw what it needs from the PSU (more or less, there are efficiency bands to be considered but the effect is negligible for the most part) so you could have a system that draws 130w and it will draw 130w whether you have a 200w PSU, a 500w PSU or a 1kw PSU. I don't know how much electricity costs wherever you are but €8 for 10 hours sounds pretty expensive.

martin5454 · 26 Feb 2009 at 22:57

I just read another thread, apparently £21.00 a month is a more realistic amount

Clum · 26 Feb 2009 at 23:40

Threads like this just cause fear in me :eek:

thepeganator · 26 Feb 2009 at 23:49

Average performance computer draws say 300w average, 200w idle, say 400w load, 80% efficiency = 375w from wall.
(yes I know it's not like that, but you spend more time at idle than load and this is worst case scenario)

375w * 8p / kwhr * 8hrs = 24p per day.

24p * 25 days for month = £6 a month.

So nowhere near what people are saying.

b-star · 27 Feb 2009 at 00:33

Wanted to ask same question!

£6 per month sounds TOO LOW!

thepeganator · 27 Feb 2009 at 01:03

Do the math yourself, even with 700w (i7+2*gtx295 at full load) running all day it wont be more than £15 a month.

bremen1874 · 27 Feb 2009 at 01:15

The calculations are spot on.

Maybe the people that can’t do the calculations don't pay for their own electricity?

b-star · 27 Feb 2009 at 02:40

I just wonder why I get so high bills than, lol!

bremen1874 · 27 Feb 2009 at 02:48

I think we all ask ourselves that question when the bill/statement arrives.

Tuvoc · 27 Feb 2009 at 06:47

Who pays only 8p / kwhr ????

IAmATeaf · 27 Feb 2009 at 10:50

Tuvoc said:
Who pays only 8p / kwhr ????

Think I pay around 9p, am with npower.

EffBee · 27 Feb 2009 at 11:53

Electricity in the UK costs about £0.15 per kilowatt hour.

Prepayment meters are more expensive and deals from the big 6 suppliers can lower it a bit.

To run a PC for a year depending on spec and usage costs between about £80 and £150. Mine is VERY heavily used 7 days per week, but has low spec processor and video card - cost about £130 per year.

Edit: trouble is there are four live PCs and several games consoles in regular use throughout the house

Linx · 27 Feb 2009 at 12:01

IAmATeaf said:
Think I pay around 9p, am with npower.

Yeah me too 8-10p per kwh. But to be realistic even if you had a pc on for 10 hours everyday for 30 days using about 500Watts on 100% load it would only cost £15..And thats just obsurd in realistic terms including effiency and how much real power is drawn, The likely figure would be around £10 a month or less.

EffBee · 27 Feb 2009 at 12:07

There are several threads like this on the forums - but be aware you can buy a little meter for somewhere between £10 and £25 to monitor your power consumption. It sits in your normal wall socket and you plug your electrical devices into it. Put all your PC equipment on one mains extension which I assume you must have laying around the house somewhere - then let the meter monitor your usage for a week or two. It will tell you how many kilowatt hours you have used.