Turning Your Computer Off At Night vs. Leaving it on 24/7

[Heracles 417]

Here's a good review on the product.

You know what would be ideal? Have your power strips plugged into an outlet that is triggered by an ordinary light switch on the way. Then at night, after you've shut down or turned off your appliances, you can hit that switch, which is much more convenient than having to find the switch on the power supply.

I do use these here:

It kills me that our sockets don't have a on/off switch like Aussie (and Chinese) ones do. Simple, safe and extremely useful. Then again, when you have 240V running through it, accidentally touching the power can be bad bad news.

Edited December 1, 2009 by Booyah!

[Niels Bohr 72]

The voltage is just the field, technically. What kills people is the amount of charge per volt.

And, the field must have a path across your heart. The pacemaker muscles using ion transport (potassium) to contract the heart. When the field comes across the heart, it can pretty much align those ions and rip your heart out or cause your heart blood vessel to explode.

[rogerj 0]

Tell you what, my graphics car uses about 350 watts, CPU about 125 watts. So, leaving it on 24/7? Ridiculous.

Why hibernate when computers boot in no time at all if it's modernized. Heck, just turn the friggin things off. If there's no power condition or line conditioner (UPS Battery Backup devices), turn the computer off so that any inconsistency in electricity will not cause any problems for your machine.

Nearly half a kW (350 +125)? On a 115 volt circuit, that is over 4 amps. Leave you system on in winter, and heat you house!

Technically, 115 volts is the RMS voltage and not the actual voltage. It's more like 162 volts in actuality.

Peak to peak, yes. However the normal calculations are based on RMS. Let's not teach physics here... But I certainly can..

[George&Hazel 1]

The IT department may also be using night time to roll out updates running nightly virus scans etc.... If IT is throwing a fuss the worst thing you can do is get on their wrong side. Many times they are doing things behind the scenes to make your life easier.

[Captain Oates 911]

Of course a 750watt power supply doesn't use 750 watts when nothing much is drawing from it, just like my 268hp Toyota doesn't use 268hp at tick over...

Anyway I live by the Columbia river and get power virtually free from hydro electric - the planet and the trees are safe but I still turn it off. $38 per month bill to keep the house at 70 degrees when it's 110 outside - and all hot water, computers etc etc included ...oops it's a secret - dont want everyone moving here...

Wish the US would move to 240 volts so I can boil my kettle quicker - 3 kilowatt jobbies in the UK and half that here.

If I could get done boiling the coffee kettle quicker, I could then drive slower and save gasoline.

[Niels Bohr 72]

You have an electric stove I presume. If not an electric kettle. If you have an electric kettle where did you get it?

You can make it boil faster by using less water, enough just for that specific need. Or, move to a colder place at lower altitude where the air mass is heavy like here in New England.

Blame Nickolai Tesla for using 120 volts standard.

Of course a 750watt power supply doesn't use 750 watts when nothing much is drawing from it, just like my 268hp Toyota doesn't use 268hp at tick over...

Anyway I live by the Columbia river and get power virtually free from hydro electric - the planet and the trees are safe but I still turn it off. $38 per month bill to keep the house at 70 degrees when it's 110 outside - and all hot water, computers etc etc included ...oops it's a secret - dont want everyone moving here...

Wish the US would move to 240 volts so I can boil my kettle quicker - 3 kilowatt jobbies in the UK and half that here.

If I could get done boiling the coffee kettle quicker, I could then drive slower and save gasoline.

[Heracles 417]

I used to draw 2400 watts out of an Aussie outlet. Never ever saw a light dim when an appliance was switched on. Heaters, aircon etc all worked better.

Once electric cars are on the road, they will probably charge up faster too.

Edited December 1, 2009 by Booyah!

[Captain Ewok 1,900]

The IT department may also be using night time to roll out updates running nightly virus scans etc.... If IT is throwing a fuss the worst thing you can do is get on their wrong side. Many times they are doing things behind the scenes to make your life easier.

Double on that. You are def right that rarely is pissing off IT a good thing. Also like you said, they do roll out updates at night however most windows updates can be rolled out and applied upon network authentication and log-in.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Also a 750W power supply cannot actually produce 750W....whats the best efficiency...maybe 80% at peak power? Alot of Chinese units are lucky to make 60%?

I actually believe my machine will last longer being off when not in use...50-60C can not be healthy over time for a GPU.

[scandal 951]

The IT department may also be using night time to roll out updates running nightly virus scans etc.... If IT is throwing a fuss the worst thing you can do is get on their wrong side. Many times they are doing things behind the scenes to make your life easier.

Double on that. You are def right that rarely is pissing off IT a good thing. Also like you said, they do roll out updates at night however most windows updates can be rolled out and applied upon network authentication and log-in.

So while we have your attention Captain, perhaps you'll choose to weigh in on this important matter...

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=230179

[Niels Bohr 72]

Very true. The Power Supply, even the best ones get about 80% efficiency.

[Heracles 417]

Very true. The Power Supply, even the best ones get about 80% efficiency.

New power supplies are easily 80+. My power supply did cost $150 rather than the usual $50.

This is the rating and testing agency. Check out the 230V results for many of the same supplies Some are over 94% efficiency.

http://www.80plus.org/manu/psu/psu_join.aspx

I have an enermax supply.

Edited December 1, 2009 by Booyah!

[George&Hazel 1]

The IT department may also be using night time to roll out updates running nightly virus scans etc.... If IT is throwing a fuss the worst thing you can do is get on their wrong side. Many times they are doing things behind the scenes to make your life easier.

Double on that. You are def right that rarely is pissing off IT a good thing. Also like you said, they do roll out updates at night however most windows updates can be rolled out and applied upon network authentication and log-in.

Yeah for sure. As IT have used the easier on machine to leave it on excuse when talking to normal people. Find the less you explain the less can be misinterpreted. If were on the other side of IT would maybe mention it once, but there is no way would cross that line into annoying IT. That is the number one difficulty we deal with on a daily basis.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Computer people have short fuses.

[Krikit 1,165]

Computer people have short fuses.