Carbon diet: Difference between revisions
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== | ==It is called "Mountain top removal"== | ||
===Old blue ATX case=== | def: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountaintop_removal Mountain Top Removal] | ||
February 2006 | |||
I don't approve of people destroying Appalachia so we can heat our houses with electricity from coal-fired power plants. So I am putting myself on a low carbon diet. | |||
==Conservation begins with data collection== | |||
I have to establish a baseline of our current energy use. | |||
I will need to log electrical use and temperatures over a period of time. | |||
My house uses gas (and optionally, wood) for heat. It has an electric stove and water heater. Only the antique gas/wood central furnace uses gas. | |||
I can monitor its run time by monitoring the electrical circuits running to it. I don't have a good way to measure actual gas used other than gas meter readings. I suppose I could read the meter once a day and log it... | |||
I can install a data logger and current taps at the main breaker panel | |||
to get readings on the whole house. | |||
===Current taps=== | |||
I happen to have a couple split-core current sensors left over from my halcyon days at [http://coactive.com Coactive Networks]. They are Magnelab Model SCT-0750-100 and they say "100A to .333v Full Range". I bet that means that when 100 amps runs through the cable, it puts out 1/3 volt DC. | |||
This is good for whole house. You put one around each cable coming into the breaker panel. 100A is a bit much for other applications though. I would like something with a bit more sensitivity. | |||
===Data loggers=== | |||
{| border=1 | |||
|- | |||
| [http://www.onsetcomp.com/ Onset] || Hobo | |||
| < $100 | |||
| also has split core transformers | |||
|- | |||
| [http://www.pace-sci.com/ Pace Scientific] || Pocket Logger | |||
| $499 | |||
| expensive but full range of accessories | |||
|} | |||
== Measurements using Kill-a-watt == | |||
===Computers=== | |||
====Old blue ATX case==== | |||
* Powerman 235W ATX supply with on/off switch | * Powerman 235W ATX supply with on/off switch | ||
Revision as of 19:07, 14 March 2006
It is called "Mountain top removal"
def: Mountain Top Removal
February 2006
I don't approve of people destroying Appalachia so we can heat our houses with electricity from coal-fired power plants. So I am putting myself on a low carbon diet.
Conservation begins with data collection
I have to establish a baseline of our current energy use. I will need to log electrical use and temperatures over a period of time.
My house uses gas (and optionally, wood) for heat. It has an electric stove and water heater. Only the antique gas/wood central furnace uses gas.
I can monitor its run time by monitoring the electrical circuits running to it. I don't have a good way to measure actual gas used other than gas meter readings. I suppose I could read the meter once a day and log it...
I can install a data logger and current taps at the main breaker panel to get readings on the whole house.
Current taps
I happen to have a couple split-core current sensors left over from my halcyon days at Coactive Networks. They are Magnelab Model SCT-0750-100 and they say "100A to .333v Full Range". I bet that means that when 100 amps runs through the cable, it puts out 1/3 volt DC.
This is good for whole house. You put one around each cable coming into the breaker panel. 100A is a bit much for other applications though. I would like something with a bit more sensitivity.
Data loggers
| Onset | Hobo | < $100 | also has split core transformers |
| Pace Scientific | Pocket Logger | $499 | expensive but full range of accessories |
Measurements using Kill-a-watt
Computers
Old blue ATX case
- Powerman 235W ATX supply with on/off switch
- Pentium Pro 200 Intel Mars motherboard
- Four 72 pin 32MB SIMMS = 128 MB
- No CPU fan (power supply fan directs air directly onto heatsink)
- Tulip network card (est 2W)
- Soundblaster Model CT4180 card (2W)
- Dual port Intel network card (3-4W)
- Dual port SIIG USB 1.0 card (2W)
- Trident video card (ISA) (3W)
- Intel Mars motherboard PIIX chipset
- PS/2 keyboard (no difference on power reading w/o keyboard)
- IDE hard drive: IBM Deskstar 15 GB IBM-DTLA-307015
Boot: 55-60W, peaks to 70W
Idle: 36W
HD spun down: 31W
Stripped down: MB + 128MB RAM + HD = 23 W
Spinning down the hard drive saves 5 watts
Power supply has OFF switch; with the various and sundry network cards installed it burns
PS fan and CPU fan died years ago so I put the high quality fan from a Sun 3 workstation into the supply and dumped the CPU fan. CPU does NOT get hot under normal operation.
CDROM drives
Only needed occasionally; I can leave a drive in the system but unhook power to it.
- Diamond 8X CDROM: 1 W when idle (no disc in drive)
