I think the real key is to have more of this power supply I read about recently that only runs at whatever you need. So you can buy a 400 W power supply and it will run at 150 W idle, 200 W with some stuff running, and 400 W with the graphics card, 4 DVD burners, and 2 HDs or whatever - I’m just making up numbers, but the concept is great.
ERM – that’s how all power supplies work. They only use whatever power your machine is currently drawing.
I am fairly certain what Bill meant is that the amount of power the end user is getting for their dollar almost makes it seem free. But you are right… computer hardware is not free… nothing is… ever.
For the record, computer hardware is not free. Kind of like those hardware reviews in the magazines and such (in which all hardware is wonderful), he’s just saying “It’s all good.” Pretty meaningful, huh?
You state that “cheap hardware is a strategic advantage” for google. Dont kick me for being an economist, but this is not an advantage for google, because it is something everyone can have. It therefore is not an advantage for Google.
Over the past year or so, I’ve become more aware…or rather I have kept energy usage more in mind than usual. I’m thinking Green…YES, YES I know, not another one of those. I’m finally looking into switching over to Linux for two reasons: The competition will be good (eventually) and lighter OS’s (when you get to know Linux and tweak it). So, you (Jeff Antwood) calculated and mentioned that switching to more efficient PSU’s is not yet a personal thing. I think it is every bit every single computer users priority. Being an Industrial Engineer, we know that from the Toyota Way of thinking, every single small step to better a system, is a good step. Yes, maybe the very efficient PSU’s are more expensive and we wont see our returns in terms of electricity usage, but we could calculate the savings in the bigger picture: 15% more efficient PSU in your PC x (how many pc users world wide?). And to go back to my soap box, Global Warming might be a huge lie from oil companies to get into the energy business (non-fossil fuels), but wont it be nice to get up in New York and have clear skies? Thing is, as you stated yourself with your single pc cost saving, Global Warming will continue because it does not touch us personally.
Anyway, great post, found it very interesting and informative. All the best.
South Africa
eXtreme power supply calculator is what I use to get an approximate wattage for my new power supply
@ Dave C.: Mac pluses run on megahertz, not kilohertz (I own several Pluses); just a simple slip.
Power converter efficiency is difficult to make both a constant value and high value. The best option, IMLTHO, are power factor corrected designs (PFC designs are mandated in much of europe). Worked in SMPS engineering for over 2 decades, 'til business went overseas.
Why not just write better software that requires fewer servers all together? I know that MS and google are building giant data centers in several places and we assume this means that this will lead to a server count at google greater than the 400,000 number that was reported from a few years ago. This reminds of of the quest to build the heaviest airplane. Shouldnt we be looking a building a plane that flights farther, faster and on less fuel? I would really be impressed if Google or anyone else was telling us how many servers they unplugged or powered down.
Gregory asks: “Is power so ridiculously expensive in California because some resource is running out? If so, there’s a bigger problem than just money…”
The resource that is running out is generating capacity. No new power plants have been built in California since the 1970’s. We have actually lost generating capacity since 1982 as older plants go offline (either for more frequent repairs, or permanent shutdown). California’s population has doubled since 1970. California’s electricity consumption per capita doubled between 1980 and 2000. Twice as many people using twice as much electricity per person yields a fourfold increase in demand.
No new generating plants were built because of environmental impact concerns, long regulatory delays, and community activism. California has been forced to purchase electricity from out-of-state generators for years, often at unfavorable rates - so unfavorable, that it doubled or tripled our electric bills in a single year, costing the governor his job. [“Unfavorable” is a euphemism - Enron was charged with criminal price gouging in its sale of power to CA before its collapse. They were ordered to refund a chunk of the take, but went out of business before paying up.] After the California electricity crisis peaked 5 years ago, the governor has fast-tracked the construction of new generating plants, but they are not expected to go on-line for several more years.
Bought a kill-a-watt power meter, found out the my box is using 5.1kwh per day. That’s $30 buck a month running 24/7. I will be shutting it off at night now.