• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

Power hungry folding?

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.
Silver_Pharaoh

Silver_Pharaoh

Likes the big ones n00b Member
​
Joined
Sep 7, 2013
My parents are telling me to shut down my folding operations :(

Their reason: "why isn't your uncle doing it?" "Why isn't his IT friend doing it? He works in a hospital"


It's really pi**ing me off actually. I can't get it through that folding proteins isn't "a waste of hydro". My mother said "leave it to the scientists, they are making the $$ not you"

So I ask, does anyone have an idea if folding is as hard on the hydro bill as they think? It's the last ditch effort to convince them to let me fold.
I just put my 270x onto the fold, i don't wanna stop :(
 
Unfortunately folding can be rather big power hog. The wattage of a gaming computer may be a lot lower than other appliances (oven, washer, dryer, dishwasher, microwave, etc.), but those other appliances aren't being run 24/7. The only appliances I can think of that do run for an extended period of time are the AC, heating, and the refrigerator, and those are rather necessary.

That being said, it would be useful if you could calculate just how much of the power bill is due to your folding. You'd obviously need to see some of the more recent bills, or at least find out how from your parents many kWh per month your household is using, and then compare how many kWh your computer uses. If you have a Kill-A-Watt, you could easily determine that. If not, I'd say worst-case you're drawing 500W if you're folding on the CPU and both cards listed in your sig, which works out to around 360 kWh per month if you fold 24/7. It may be closer to 300 kWh/month if you're not folding on everything and/or if I'm overestimating how much each component is drawing.
 
Hydro bill? It has nothing to do with water...Electric bill perhaps?

But I mean you (should) know how to do the math dude... What is the TDP of the things folding, then do the math with your power rates and crunch the numbers.
 
Zagen30 said:
Unfortunately folding can be rather big power hog. The wattage of a gaming computer may be a lot lower than other appliances (oven, washer, dryer, dishwasher, microwave, etc.), but those other appliances aren't being run 24/7. The only appliances I can think of that do run for an extended period of time are the AC, heating, and the refrigerator, and those are rather necessary.

That being said, it would be useful if you could calculate just how much of the power bill is due to your folding. You'd obviously need to see some of the more recent bills, or at least find out how from your parents many kWh per month your household is using, and then compare how many kWh your computer uses. If you have a Kill-A-Watt, you could easily determine that. If not, I'd say worst-case you're drawing 500W if you're folding on the CPU and both cards listed in your sig, which works out to around 360 kWh per month if you fold 24/7. It may be closer to 300 kWh/month if you're not folding on everything and/or if I'm overestimating how much each component is drawing.
Click to expand...

500? naw, it's actually only 410 watts, that's while mining on both GPU's and folding on CPU.
The bill was "supposedly" 150$/month now it's 230$/month - of course they blame my mining EVEN though I paid them for the power used. Trouble is, they see folding the same way they see mining: "A waste of my money on power kyle" :bang head

EarthDog said:
Hydro bill? It has nothing to do with water...Electric bill perhaps?

But I mean you (should) know how to do the math dude... What is the TDP of the things folding, then do the math with your power rates and crunch the numbers.
Click to expand...

196 watts ;) was kinda hoping other folders would chime in and say "yeah it's not too hard on hydro"

Our power company is called "Hydro one" so wee all just call it hydro up here :p


I found a power usage calc on hydro one's site, about 0.47$/day to fold on CPU + 270x. (7850 is idle)
I pitched this too them: "your bar fridge downstairs uses 50 less watts than my computer, if you can run that, I can fold" haven't heard them tell me to shut it down yet :thup:



eh, so for now I hope that satisfy's them enough to let me fold... :shrug:
 
EarthDog said:
Hydro bill? It has nothing to do with water...Electric bill perhaps?
Click to expand...

In Canada, they use a lot of hydro electric dams to get power. They call it "Hydro" for short.

Buy a Killowatt for about $20-25 US. That will tell you how much power you are drawing from the wall. Then get a hydro bill and see what the rate is per kw. Only then will you see the *actual* cost of folding. Then you can present those facts and/or offer to contribute to the hydro to keep folding.
 
don256us said:
In Canada, they use a lot of hydro electric dams to get power. They call it "Hydro" for short.

Buy a Killowatt for about $20-25 US. That will tell you how much power you are drawing from the wall. Then get a hydro bill and see what the rate is per kw. Only then will you see the *actual* cost of folding. Then you can present those facts and/or offer to contribute to the hydro to keep folding.
Click to expand...
That's the problem. I do pay for my power. The still don't want me folding. My dad brought up the excuse "your fans are too loud" :sly:
Didn't know Corsair's silent pro fans were loud dad :-/
EarthDog said:
LOL hahaha...Let me check on my Nuclear bill.. brb. :p :rofl:
Click to expand...
I call it hydro, you call it nuke see? :p :rofl:
 
You'll have to find out what your system pulls while folding and do the math, taking into account the Off Peak, Mid Peak & On Peak rates.........

Also keep in mind there are different rates for summer & winter. :rolleyes: Good times


Hydro.png



What i don't understand is how you were mining without knowing your break even point ?? :sly:

I can't imagine there is any difference in electricity used between folding and mining.....
 
What i don't understand is how you were mining without knowing your break even point ??

I can't imagine there is any difference in electricity used between folding and mining.....
Click to expand...
LOL, good first point...

There is, believe it or not. It also depends what you are mining (scrypt/X11, etc...)
 
silver, it's your mom and pops house, offer to pay half the bill every month and if they don't bite on that, I hate to say it............
 
'Cuda340 said:
You'll have to find out what your system pulls while folding and do the math, taking into account the Off Peak, Mid Peak & On Peak rates.........

Also keep in mind there are different rates for summer & winter. :rolleyes: Good times


View attachment 147984



What i don't understand is how you were mining without knowing your break even point ?? :sly:

I can't imagine there is any difference in electricity used between folding and mining.....
Click to expand...
There is - large differences. mining uses much more power than folding.
I estimated my average power costs to about 10 cents/Kw, and every mining calc (and my own math) added up to ~ $1/day to mining, this figure of course also includes my CPU which was folding non-stop while I mine.

But yes, I've reached the point where I'm making less than $1/day profit after power costs, so I switched to folding until I either put my 6850 back into mining service, or just put off mining until things get better. :)

It just bugs me that my parents don't want me folding even though I pay for whatever power I use. I just don't get it, it's literally not costing them anything! :shrug:

Oh BTW, those "smart meters" are a friggin joke. that and that "time of use" crap. I hate hydro one, they have no competition here so they just monopolize and jack up rates. :mad:

caddi daddi said:
silver, it's your mom and pops house, offer to pay half the bill every month and if they don't bite on that, I hate to say it............
Click to expand...

That's the thing caddi.... I do pay for my power. Since I began GPU mining in January, I've been shelling out $30 for power/month. I only use $1/day in power...
 
They're your folks; sweeten the pie and buy them a couple of beers. Tell them better beer comes from folding too. Who knows, maybe you can use it as a marketing ploy for everything: better gasoline, hair dryers, cartoons......ride it for all it's worth.:D
 
:rofl:

lol, if only they drank :beer:


I guess we'll see how this all plays out soon enough.
Maybe they'll forget I'm folding and won't bug me about shutting down :D
 
Trying not to be the parent here but I just might. It's not just the $.10 per Kwh it's the delivery, service blah blah blah fees that add up too since they're based on usage. It's difficult at times with an adult child living in the house. Sometimes we just want you to do it because it's our house and we don't like it.! No real good reason . We just don't agree with your "cause" and if you were an appreciative child and grateful for all that you are "given" you would do it since you really don't get an opinion in someone elses house. Harsh as that may sound it's true.
I think folding is a great thing, don't get me wrong , I just see the other side as well. I might be over simplifying things but that's close to just the way it is.
 
Johan45 said:
Trying not to be the parent here but I just might. It's not just the $.10 per Kwh it's the delivery, service blah blah blah fees that add up too since they're based on usage. It's difficult at times with an adult child living in the house. Sometimes we just want you to do it because it's our house and we don't like it.! No real good reason . We just don't agree with your "cause" and if you were an appreciative child and grateful for all that you are "given" you would do it since you really don't get an opinion in someone elses house. Harsh as that may sound it's true.
I think folding is a great thing, don't get me wrong , I just see the other side as well. I might be over simplifying things but that's close to just the way it is.
Click to expand...

That's true, thanks Johan :)

Yeah.... If they want it off... I don't exactly have the authority to ignore them and keep folding... It is their house.

Thanks for the "adult" side :p
 
That's what a grumpy dad is here for Silver!


I think this is the best way to put it..



 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

don256us
FAQ: What is T32's current standing in the world?
Replies
8
Views
468
dfonda
dfonda
don256us
Last update before the big Folding race.
Replies
19
Views
495
HayesK
H
don256us
Team challenge available, 5 billion and a weekly update too.
2
Replies
22
Views
624
HayesK
H
don256us
We have a new 3 billionaire! WOOT!
Replies
11
Views
673
WhitehawkEQ
WhitehawkEQ
don256us
Summer is coming to and end. Folding will be ramping up soon.
Replies
2
Views
428
dfonda
dfonda
Back