At 1:41 PM -0700 6/18/02, Bill Brown wrote: >Yo compacters everywhere, > >>Robert Hutchins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> sez and askz: > >>I plan on using one of my compact macs (probably an SE) to run home >>automation software. Since it will be running all of the time, and since >>the video uses the most power of the system, and since one of my main >>reasons to use home automation is to cut down on energy use... >> >>Is there a relatively easy hardware hack to allow me to turn off the >>video circuitry in my compact mac (ie. add a switch)? > >About a year or so ago, I recall that Clark Martin of this forum did >some meter work to ascertain the actual power consumption of our >compacts. Measured in volt-amps (va is nearly the same as watts), >the SE came in at 42 va. That is pretty modest as power consumption >goes. Clark's meterings showed the SE as the highest power consumer >amongst our black and white compacts. The Classic was really a mizer >measuring but 26.9 va. If you really want to save power, just use a >Classic for your home automation.
I'm in the process of updating that information. I now have a watt meter so I'm getting more useful information. I have done the SE yet but the Classic draws 40 VA and 30 Watts so there is a fair bit of difference. > >The CRT cathode heater filament is likely the biggest power user of >the entire compact. If you must kill the CRT, try putting a manual >switch in the CRT's filament circuit. I would NOT add such a switch. First it's possible the filament is operating at or will float to some high voltage, as much as a couple of hundred volts. Second turning off the filament without turning off the other supplies may damage the other power supplies. I've only collected numbers for 6 models so far but the Performa 6200 came in at 33 Watts, only slightly higher than the Classic. I will be completing the tests on all the models I have and posting them on some of the LEM lists. For those that don't know, VA or Volt-Ampere is a gotten by simply measuring the voltage and current to a device and multiplying the two. This not however a measure of wattage. That is because in AC devices the voltage and current are often not in phase with each other. A watt meter measures the actual power delivered. This is what your utility meter measures and is what you pay for. -- Clark Martin Redwood City, CA, USA Macintosh / Internet Consulting [EMAIL PROTECTED] "I'm a designated driver on the Information Super Highway" -- Compact Macs is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/>. Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> Compact Macs list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/compact.shtml> The FAQ: <http://macfaq.org/> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive:<http://www.mail-archive.com/compact.macs%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
