[wxsig] Trvia comment on 5 dollars a month computer operating cost.

[John Koster]

Yes your electronics run for free during the heating season, if you are
heating with electric resistance heat. Same theory applies to anything
else using electicity inside the envelope.

However, if you use some other heating system which cost less per joule
than the electricty (factor in the efficiency please), then it's not free,
but it's still not completely wasted.

And as mentioned the opposite applies in the cooling season.  You pay for 
the electricity plus the cost of removing it (the generated heat) 
from the building envelope.  The generated heat is essentially equal to 
the energy consumed by the device.  If your cooling device consues a joule 
to remove a joule then you're paying twice.  Fortunately most air 
conditioners are more efficient than that.  

-- 
73,
John, W9DDD, CEM


On Sun, 14 Jan 2007, Rasputin Novgorod wrote:

> --- Don Jeerings <djeerings at tampabay.rr.com> wrote:
> > I just measured the wattage of 3 different desktop computers
> > If it was run at 50 % of the power supply rated load, it could cost
> > you (monitor  included) $15.00 per month.
> 
> My study, 12'x12' (former bedroom), with a window and insulated
> outside walls, has one door (kept open) to the rest of the
> apartment. I have seven computers, two monitors, assorted
> radios and power supplies always running (weather station,
> APRS, radio control, servers).
> 
> In the winter, I have that room's thermostat off, yet the room 
> stays as warm as the rest of the apartment (remember, the door
> is open to the rest of the apartment). In the summer, the study is
> about 5-10 degrees warmer (whew) than the rest of the apartment,
> unless I open the window and use an exhaust fan.
> 
> In the winter, I figure most of the electricity consumed
> by the electronics is thrown off as heat, reducing my 
> heating bill, (so the electronics is running for free?).
> 
> Unfortunately, this is offset by extra summer airconditioning...
> 
> /b
> 
>