Electricity costs ...

[BlackMountainCow]

Hey guys,

I recently moved into a new apartment - together with my wife - and now, for the first time, I have to pay for electricity. So far, it was always part of the rent. So I went ahead and measured the amount of electricity my PCs consume and it amounts to 400W per hour.

Here's the problem: Running them 24/365 would cost me 525 EUR a year. :shocked: (400W *24 *365 / 1000 * 0,15 cent). I know that 15 cent per kWh is high for you guys in the US, but it's standard in Germany. And that's already with a reduced fleet consisting of just a Quad and Dualy with one GTS8800.

What about your costs? About as high or higher? I assume that some of you with larger fleets - like Peter - will have a higher consumption, but I don't know about your kWh prices.

I'm just saying that I really have to think over my DC contribution if it'll cost me that much money. And you know it, it's not just the money for electricity. Replacing broken parts and that urge to build yet another cruncher or to add a GTX285 for folding is always there as well! :evil:

 

[TAandy]

Originally posted by: BlackMountainCow
Hey guys,

I recently moved into a new apartment - together with my wife - and now, for the first time, I have to pay for electricity. So far, it was always part of the rent. So I went ahead and measured the amount of electricity my PCs consume and it amounts to 400W per hour.

Here's the problem: Running them 24/365 would cost me 525 EUR a year. :shocked: (400W *24 *365 / 1000 * 0,15 cent). I know that 15 cent per kWh is high for you guys in the US, but it's standard in Germany. And that's already with a reduced fleet consisting of just a Quad and Dualy with one GTS8800.

What about your costs? About as high or higher? I assume that some of you with larger fleets - like Peter - will have a higher consumption, but I don't know about your kWh prices.

I'm just saying that I really have to think over my DC contribution if it'll cost me that much money. And you know it, it's not just the money for electricity. Replacing broken parts and that urge to build yet another cruncher or to add a GTX285 for folding is always there as well! :evil:

i'm spending about £70 a month. don't know the technical bits, but it's a hell of a lot!

that's why i'm down to dc'ing on one pc

 

[jonesthewine]

What it boils down to is what is it worth to you to contribute to the DC projects that you participate in. I view the cost of electricity needed to run the computers as charitable donations to the scientific research community. It beats giving the money directly to charities where only a fraction of the donation is allocated to the advertised cause. I pay anywhere from $180/month in the winter months to $300/month in the summer months for electricity, which covers my house and the four rigs running DC projects 24/7 (seven CPU cores, 2 8800GTs and 2 GTX260s).

 

[GLeeM]

In the winter, the computer is a small 400W space heater, so I consider it as helping to heat the house and not as other expense.

It looks like DC will be taking a big dive soon in the USA with Cap & Trade raising prices well above yours.

We should be keeping it quiet so we don't end up paying t..a..x on each WU sent in :roll:

 

[Drsignguy]

Originally posted by: jonesthewine
What it boils down to is what is it worth to you to contribute to the DC projects that you participate in. I view the cost of electricity needed to run the computers as charitable donations to the scientific research community. It beats giving the money directly to charities where only a fraction of the donation is allocated to the advertised cause. I pay anywhere from $180/month in the winter months to $300/month in the summer months for electricity, which covers my house and the four rigs running DC projects 24/7 (seven CPU cores, 2 8800GTs and 2 GTX260s).

My thoughts Exactly! :thumbsup:

I too have to "keep in budget" so, I monitor them all the time, each month and each season. Summer months are the toughest as some are shut down to save money and reduce heat. :frown:

 

[Insidious]

I don't know exactly what part of my electric bill is attributable to the PCs. I only have two running, but they are OC'd quads with two video cards each, so I assume it would be noticable if I turned them off.

BUT

The security lights on my property take $$
My car takes $$
My clothes takes $$
My food takes $$
The TV takes $$
The Cable TV and internet takes $$
The Cell phone takes $$
The mortgage takes $$
Heating and Cooling my home takes $$
The debts from raising my son take $$
and
on
and
on
and
on.....

As long as I am not financially stressed to pay this mountain of bills, I don't spend time obsessing about which one takes more.

If the dollars got tight, then the hobbies would be the first to go.... DC included.

DON'T GO HUNGRY TO CRUNCH !!!!!!

-Sid

 

[Freewolf]

Originally posted by: Insidious
I don't know exactly what part of my electric bill is attributable to the PCs. I only have two running, but they are OC'd quads with two video cards each, so I assume it would be noticable if I turned them off.

BUT

The security lights on my property take $$
My car takes $$
My clothes takes $$
My food takes $$
The TV takes $$
The Cable TV and internet takes $$
The Cell phone takes $$
The mortgage takes $$
Heating and Cooling my home takes $$
The debts from raising my son take $$
and
on
and
on
and
on.....

As long as I am not financially stressed to pay this mountain of bills, I don't spend time obsessing about which one takes more.

If the dollars got tight, then the hobbies would be the first to go.... DC included.

DON'T GO HUNGRY TO CRUNCH !!!!!!

-Sid

What he said.
bty power bill averages $300 during winter and $450 to $500 in summer

 

[PCTC2]

MarkFW pays $300/month or so.

If I still crunched, I would be paying around $1200/year to crunch... and my monthly living expenses are already well over $1500/month. As they said, I stopped crunching so I still have clothes on my back and food in my stomach.

 

[Assimilator1]

BMC
That's why I only run my main rig 24/7, last time I calculated it was costing £15/mth to run my quad drawing ~220w (CPU loaded only). That's £180/yr.
However when I run F@H on my GPU it goes upto about 275w IIRC so I need to recalculate it for that & the probable price rise since I last worked it out too.

I take it you got the 400w figure with a plug in the wall meter?

Currently our unit costs are about 13p/unit with a ~16p/day standing charge (if I've picked the right deal that my landlady has). Prices inc VAT.

With the £ being very weak atm I see the exchange rate is £1 = Euro 1.13

Originally posted by: TAandy

Originally posted by: BlackMountainCow
Hey guys,

I recently moved into a new apartment - together with my wife - and now, for the first time, I have to pay for electricity. So far, it was always part of the rent. So I went ahead and measured the amount of electricity my PCs consume and it amounts to 400W per hour.

Here's the problem: Running them 24/365 would cost me 525 EUR a year. :shocked: (400W *24 *365 / 1000 * 0,15 cent). I know that 15 cent per kWh is high for you guys in the US, but it's standard in Germany. And that's already with a reduced fleet consisting of just a Quad and Dualy with one GTS8800.

What about your costs? About as high or higher? I assume that some of you with larger fleets - like Peter - will have a higher consumption, but I don't know about your kWh prices.

I'm just saying that I really have to think over my DC contribution if it'll cost me that much money. And you know it, it's not just the money for electricity. Replacing broken parts and that urge to build yet another cruncher or to add a GTX285 for folding is always there as well! :evil:

i'm spending about £70 a month. don't know the technical bits, but it's a hell of a lot!

that's why i'm down to dc'ing on one pc

Err, I assume that's your whole leccy bill & not for just running the PC!?:Q

 

[Markfw]

Electricity here is .04 per kwh, cheap compared to Germany. For the 11 machines, 7 quads, 3 dual cores, and one single core, and 19 video cards all 24/7@100% F@H, it costs ~$320 month or about 3200 kwh.

I think that if the project cures a disease or two before I get one, it will be worth the money. I have 10-15 years until the odds go up that I will get one. Thats how I justify it.

 

[VirtualLarry]

And people thought I was nuts when I was speccing out the costs to run an overclocked Q6600 for the team, mercenary-style.

 

[Pokey]

Well, dang BMC. I hate you brought this up. :|

My rate is roughly half what yours (0.0726) is but because of more equipment I'm using more juice so I'm spending over $1200/yr or $100/month easy. At that rate, they could afford to give us the equipment.......................

But as luck would have it most of mine are in the basement, a cooler environment and they don't really impact the comfort of my living area. And so far I have been able to absorb the cost of electricity.

You have my sympathy.


Mark........ your computer KWH are just shy of my total household usage............

But I hear you. One of the reasons I'm doing it is for alzheimers research. All the women on my fathers side and my mother-in-law all died with it or because of it.

 

[Rudy Toody]

I don't know the rate in Seattle since it comes with the apartment.

I do know this:

With three over-clocked quads, a laser printer, a large window fan, a desklamp, a coffee maker, a panini grill, a microwave oven, and a recharging nose-hair trimmer all going at once, it all comes to a stop when the refrigerator kicks in.

Edit: corrected spelling of refrigerator.

 

[Pokey]

Originally posted by: Rudy Toody
I don't know the rate in Seattle since it comes with the apartment.

I do know this:

With three over-clocked quads, a laser printer, a large window fan, a desklamp, a coffee maker, a panini grill, a microwave oven, and a recharging nose-hair trimmer all going at once, it all comes to a stop when the refridgerator kicks in.

ROTFLMAO

Where do you get this stuff.......................

 

[Insidious]

I don't care.....

KEEP THE TRIMMER!!!!

:shocked:

 

[GLeeM]

Originally posted by: Insidious
I don't care.....

KEEP THE TRIMMER!!!!

:shocked:

Thanks for the laugh - Rudy Toody and Sid :laugh:

 

[BlackMountainCow]

Thx for all your input guys! :thumbsup: Look like my costs are just about average within the TeAm. Indeed, the $/? we pay for electricity is our way of donating to science and mankind. Just a shame you can't deduct that from taxes, can you?

 

[caferace]

I run my most hungriest box (and a bunch of the PIII's) at work. Problem solved.

-jim

 

[ericlp]

Originally posted by: Markfw900
Electricity here is .04 per kwh, cheap compared to Germany. For the 11 machines, 7 quads, 3 dual cores, and one single core, and 19 video cards all 24/7@100% F@H, it costs ~$320 month or about 3200 kwh.

I think that if the project cures a disease or two before I get one, it will be worth the money. I have 10-15 years until the odds go up that I will get one. Thats how I justify it.

.04 cents? Wow, I think mine is 7.6 cents still cheap. But. would be nice to get the bill cut in half!

Hmmm... Well, I know we all do this for charity and you think we could get some sort of TAX write off ...

But, what really pisses me off the most is when they ask for donations, like buying new computer equipment and paying for power isn't enough? Sheesh oh well. Brings a bad taste to my mouth when they ask for even more money.

 

[Wiz]

Seattle area - Puget Pwr = ~10c / kwh

bastages!!!

 

[petrusbroder]

Well, I use a lot of electricity. I pay my total electricity use (55 000 KWh/year) 7 500 US-dollars/year: that is for all the household machines, heating and hot water, and that is for 6 teen agers and 2 adults and for 28 computers, 20 of those run 24/7. OTOH: I use the heat generated by the computers to heat my house, and it is sufficient for 10 months out of 12. I have a two heat exchangers in my house (one on the attic which heats all the incoming air with the help of all the outgoing hot air, and one in the basement which is fed by a deep well pipe system extracting the heat from the ground. The guy living before me in the house used 52 000 KWh - with two kids only ...
My utility company just recently certyfied my house being as "Green" because they calculated that I reuse more than 70% of all the energy going in. This has lowered my electricity tax from 7% to 3% = almost 300US-Dollars.

I am not at all unhappy with the situation and I will continue crunching as long the the price of electricity does not rise too much. My kids and my wife follow the stats carefully and get upset when my RAC drops ...

 

[Foxery]

Ow... some of you guys must leave all the lights on 24/7, too! My quad w/video card run 24/7, and I still get antsy if my bill is much over $70/month. (12c/kwh I believe)

Ditto running it on work PCs. We needed a bunch of new ones lately, so I built my own Core2 Duos. (Remember to get permission. Fortunately, I'm the guy who gives it!)

 

[Alyx]

I worked out a deal with my roommates where I'd pay an additional $20 a month for my two home PCs. The rest are at work. So not to bad.

 

[Golgatha]

When I lost my job back in November, we turned the heat down and ran the computers . Thankfully I found a job before springtime, so it's all good. Missouri rates are around $0.08 per kWh. I'm actually not sure how much it costs now, but I did a calculation awhile back and it was on the order of $300/year or so.

I must say, I love the 45nm Intel CPUs. They use quite a bit less electricity and my PC's innards don't get too toasty anymore. I'm running an E8400 for my HTPC and a Q9550 for my main rig. I'm also running the laptop with a P4M 1.7Ghz for a total of 7 instances of Folding@Home running pretty much 24/7/365. My Playstation 3 just gets too hot in the spring and summer to run it constantly overnight, but it is ok in the wintertime if I open up the glass door on the entertainment center to let it breath. Unfortunately, if the PS3 is on in the morning, my 5 year old son will be on it when he wakes up and often wakes up mom and dad with Lego Star Wars at 6am, so it normally just gets completely shut off (with the rocker switch on the power supply...thank goodness he hasn't figured that one out yet).

 

[Fardringle]

I haven't been paying for it.

Almost all of my computers are in a business office, approved by the business owner. However, the budget is getting tight so I might have to turn them off, or at least only let them run during business hours when the computers would be turned on anyway...