Curse

distilledwill · Feb 14, 2008, 06:43 PM // 18:43

I have a computer powered by my own sense of well-being, so I usually leave it on.

Ok, well, no, i turn it off at night. Sometimes I'll leave it on for a couple of hours if i go out but Ive never had a reason to leave GW on when im not there. (never death leveled/farmed lucky points)

Phaern Majes · Feb 14, 2008, 06:43 PM // 18:43

Live on campus all my water/electricity/etc is paid for. I just have a 4 digit sum to pay at the beginning of the year and thats it. Plus I usually have something downloading so I tend to let it run all day and night.

Painbringer · Feb 14, 2008, 06:46 PM // 18:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluffiliscious

I plug all of my computer-related things into one power strip (computer, monitor, cable modem, router, etc) and turn the power strip off once I'm done shutting down my computer.

FYI but the article I read said this was the reason for the fire. All the juice going in one plug. It was an older house and I bet fabric covered wires. My starter home was like this. If you ran a vacuum the plug would get hot scary hot.

Fluffiliscious · Feb 14, 2008, 06:54 PM // 18:54

Lol, that's crazy. I wonder if they would have passed inspections if the wiring was that bad?

lundis · Feb 14, 2008, 06:57 PM // 18:57

You've gotta be really unlucky to get your house burnt because of your comp

My comp is on 8-24h/d. I turn my monitor off when afk, as it warms my room too much..

Pleikki · Feb 14, 2008, 06:59 PM // 18:59

mm i shut down PC If i leave from pc more then 30mins

**cosyfiep** · Feb 14, 2008, 07:33 PM // 19:33

I live in a condo, I OWN and pay all the bills---the amount of energy that my computers is using is not substantial enough for me to turn them off and on every day (my husbands computer is a bit older and has problems rebooting---so it is left on), they are all hooked up to ups and battery backups. My husband is an electronic nut so we have tons of electronics--all of which are either on stand by or 'on' (yes all on ups s as well).
I dont however, leave gw running....when I am not playing I log off of it, I usually log off the internet as well.

blood4blood · Feb 14, 2008, 07:36 PM // 19:36

I shut down my comps unless I'm death-levelling.

Feathermoore Rep · Feb 14, 2008, 08:38 PM // 20:38

The vampire products your seeing tend to be higher end electronics, and electronics that require large bursts of power to turn off and on. Plasma TVs are main example. When you turn them off, often they are not actually off, but instead more in a sleep mode, so that when you turn it back on it doesn't require more power and retains all of your settings, and the like. Also this also a measure to prevent wear and tear on the tv itself, so that it doesn't over draw power and cause it too break. I'm not sure on the technical side of it, but thats some of reasoning I've heard on it.

As for the most of us, unplugging and re-plugging devices in everytime we want to use them just to save a tiny bit of energy is not worth it.

Personally, my laptop stays on 24/7 unless some stupid M$ guy releases yet another critical system update.

Kahlindra · Feb 14, 2008, 08:40 PM // 20:40

I turn everything off if I'm not actively using it. My mother told me to.

My housemate leaves his computer on at all times, even if it isn't doing anything (he isn't cool enough to play guildwars). Once he went on holiday for a week and left it on. Dual monitors. Nice.

Eldin · Feb 14, 2008, 08:43 PM // 20:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by HawkofStorms

It actually requires more power to turn your computer on, off, and on again then to leave it running all day (you have to charge capacitors).

So true, for many other electrical appliances as well.

I leave mine on all the time, turn it off when I go to bed, other than that it's always on.

I use a surge protector.

I feel it is not necessary to constantly turn things off when not needed, it doesn't affect my electricity bills that much...

BenjZee · Feb 14, 2008, 08:51 PM // 20:51

I don't like leaving my laptop on..but computer meh...its fine by me

Cherng Butter · Feb 14, 2008, 08:53 PM // 20:53

I turn off my pc when I go to bed.

Jecht Scye · Feb 14, 2008, 08:54 PM // 20:54

I'm on and off of my computer all of the time. Turning it on and off would cost more in the long run.

stretchs · Feb 14, 2008, 08:55 PM // 20:55

Always plugged in. I have 7 pc's at my house and each of them are plugged in and operating at all time, their draw on my energy bill is negligable

Aera Lure · Feb 14, 2008, 08:56 PM // 20:56

I power down my computers (Mac and PC) when I go to bed usually, unless the Mac is rendering something overnight or the like.

Age · Feb 14, 2008, 09:03 PM // 21:03

I just log out and if I don't need to use my comp. for say a few hrs I just shut the monitor off and leave it on.I can't bother to shut it right off as it takes to long to reboot up with my icq,msn,zone alarm and few others coming on.I turn a few of them off.

You can't see me · Feb 14, 2008, 09:06 PM // 21:06

I let it fly.

Smart power management computers are ftw.

garethporlest18 · Feb 14, 2008, 09:07 PM // 21:07

It'd be a complete pain in the ass to turn off and unplug my PC each night. I leave most of everything plugged in and only turn my PC off sometimes in the summer when it's more hot.

I'll pay for convenience.

Thorondor Port · Feb 14, 2008, 10:00 PM // 22:00

First off, computers draw shit all for current. That house was obvious a pile of crap electrical design. Im an electrician, and if your house burns down due to electrical issues its because the installation was garbage. There is no reason at all that should happend. (Older houses are exempt from this because the Code wasn't so great back then)

Also, American Code Standards run higher amperes in their wires than the Canadian Electrical Code does. More amps in smaller wires = more heat.

On topic: I leave mine on unless im sleeping.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HawkofStorms

It actually requires more power to turn your computer on, off, and on again then to leave it running all day (you have to charge capacitors). Granted, with bad wiring, the steady drain could cause electrical fires.

Partly it just depends on the type of computer you have. Laptops don't take up as much juice for instance.

You dont know what youre talking about. Do you know how caps work? Do you know what inductance is? lol. This is wrong

It takes more current to start a computer than it does to leave it running, yes. This is because of inrush. BUT, leaving your computer on over a period of time will draw more current than a restart. It has nothing to do with the capacitors. All they do is hold a charge, and they are only in there to counter any inductance in the computer. This actually LOWERS the draw and total VA(volt-amperes, not to be confused with Watts) of the computer. The reason caps are used to lower any inductance (capacitors and inductors are measure in VARS) is because they are 180 degrees out of phase with any normal resistance.

Above is a power vector triangle. The bigger value your VA is, the more actual current is drawn. So you use capacitors to lower that value. (And it lowers it because it is out of phase by 180 degrees)

Of course, if you have no inductance, there is no need for capacitance, meaning no triangle. Simply your VA would be the same as your Watts and you would be drawing the lowest amperes possible anyway.