Since I have been going over power in the previous forum inaccurately most likely. I'm going to give a method to calculate you computer costs with a small item you can buy at the hardware store.

1. Pick up a Blueplanet Electronic Energy Meter. They are probably 25 bucks on a deal. Or just buy some knockoff model i'm sure they all work alike as they are easily manufactured. Here is a link for one for Crappy tire http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/HouseHome/2/Electrical/ElectricalTesters/PRDOVR~0528851P/Energy%2BMeter.jsp .

Plug your PC into it as this device plugs into your wall and has a outlet on the front.


2. Take your information and goto http://www.nspower.ca/en/home/energyefficiency/Energy_Calculator.aspx . Here you can imput your informations to get your usage and costs for 24 hours, month and yearly.


Hope this helps anyone who is curious and wants to be more energy efficient and have a few extra bucks to invest on your new home, TFSA, RRSP, GIC



Cheers

B

So

$27 a month to power my rig when I had the 4870X2 in it, $12 with the 4770's (with 24" monitor) (my UPS monitors consumption)

Model ups?

did you ever think of doing the marine battery mod for longer usage during an apocalypse?

This one I do believe

http://www.apc.com/resource/include/tec ... =BR1300LCD

I've actually made my own little solar station from excess bits from work for the next time a Juan happens.

Yeah I seen some guides for some neat stuff with solar.

Mostly from http://www.instructables.com

Very cool site!

I noticed the approximate wattage use of my two 3870's. Overclocked of course the consumption ( for lack of a better word) skyrockets.

I noticed one 4890 would use ~20+ less watts. Two 4770's are even better ~45 less and kick the crap out of what I am using now performance wise.

Time for a change. Going to wait it out another month or so - see what prices do and change out the cards for more energy efficient ones. ( good excuse to buy a new card? lol)

I am also going to go to crappy tire and pick up the neat little unit for reading consumption and do some testing of equipment around the apt. Topsecret also pointed out a wicked little unit for considerably knocking down heating costs by as much as 50%.

http://www.nspower.ca/en/home/residenti ... fault.aspx

If you click through the link 'Electrical Thermal Storage Options', it will take you too Steffes Corporation.

I built this into my new house, along with a greater thermal mass in the form of heated concrete floors on all three levels.

http://www.steffes.com/offpeak/comfortp ... rview.aspx

The unit itself qualifies one for the time of day meter. NSPC should be giving everyone a time of day meter; however, for now, the government has only forced them to provide these meters to homes that 'qualify'.

While heating does consume much of one's yearly energy costs, the time of day meter allowes one to have a slight lifestyle change to maximize the benfits.

Knowing NSPC charges different rates during the 24hr period, I charge my house (build up the thermal energy) during the low rate period. The heat bleeds off during the day.

The dishwasher and drier are also programmed to come on during the low rate period, same as my hot water tank.

My previous house was 1000 sq feet and cost about $9k for total energy costs between oil and power for a family of four. The house was built in 1952 and while the doors and windows and attic were good and well insulated, the walls were not.

My new house is a total of 4,000 sq ft and from Apr 08 to Apr 09, the total energy bill was $1952.00. ETS, concrete floors, top of the line windows and doors, but most important, 6" of high density self expanding foam in the walls.

The house is so well insulated, the appliances alone keep it warm in the winter...TV, XBOX, computers, cooking and the fridge.

I know people who have also done this as well and from what I've seen it really is the best option for the average family building a house. On top of being efficient I also find it more enjoyable because the heating is very even in the house and it takes the bite out of cold tiles in the winter when you first wake up and go to the bathroom... something I have to go through.

If you changed it from 9K to 1.9K you are obviously doing something right. 1.9K for a much larger home is nothing short of amazing. We spend way more than that per yr in our apt and I am looking for some ways out of NS power's rates added to heat loss. I would opt for the heat on at night if I had a way of making it useful for the daytime - but the apt is not efficient so it bleeds out the windows quickly.

Needless to say without getting into detail. I am having the building owner replace the old, extremely leaky windows and well before late fall/winter hits. Unfortunately asking him to do so isnt working - even tho he's well aware of the issue. Ive tried for months now. So other steps are required. I definitely am not going to put up with a 4-500 dollar bill for two months. Or they are going to be partially liable.

I was looking at the room heater unit from that website - any ideas on the cost of one of those?

EVERYTHING is at the same temperature. There are no ducting or unsightly vents and radiators. The one draw back is for wet winter clothes/boots; however, we now hang them in the furnace room and they dry VERY quickly.

With heated concrete floors, once must use a flooring material that does not act as a heat insulator. I went with 16" porcelain tiles and in a few spots a piano finished laminate imbedded with paraffin wax as a heat conductor.

My next house will use much more concrete, perhaps even the roof, and in each bathroom a heated concrete towel warmer.

Like Fred Flinstone!

but for me and for now with this house im going to use electric heat as there is no secondary source atm.

I'll just throw in some programmable thermostats and be as efficient as possible for the time being. I can't throw too much into this house as it's not a keeper for me but will do a new family swell. But you never know what the future holds.

Speaking of energy efficient, Has anyone tried and tested the new Asus Evo line of Motherboards? Up to snuff? Supposed to monitor and use noticeably less power.

Just make another post about it in General Hardware

i'm getting troo confused reading a topic of multiple topics , heh

PS. It's neat but ... it's neat