hello everyone�I am interested in taking my old computer off the grid and I was wondering if anyone else here runs their computer from a solar/wind gen. filled battery or similar such thing�?
I know about the need for a pure sine wave inverter but I am a little murky on power requirements for the CPU and the monitor (are there peaks or is everything constant?) I use a 7600 with a G3 upgrade and 14 inch monitor .
Pure sine wave isn't needed. Computer and Monitor power supplies are pretty much all switch mode now and they do fine with a pseudo sine wave.
If you can I'd suggest moving to a laptop. The power consumption is a lot lower which means much less solar / etc and battery capacity. A 7500 (basically the same as 7600) draws 87W, 15" MultiSync monitor draws 24W for a total of 111W. A PowerBook G3 on the other hand draws 24W. These are all actual measured values in normal use.
Peak power for the above is 7500 - 107W, monitor - 72W and PowerBook - 37W. In all cases this is start up draw.
A laptop also has built-in UPS (the batter) so if your power supply isn't stable you are better protected.
I've wanted to be able to do this as I frequently use my laptop in the boonies. So far I've either used car power or a portable battery pack. Unfortunately even 24W tends to add up to a lot of solar panels and a lot of $s. I keep hoping to find used solar panels from highway phones or lights for sale cheap in the surplus market but so far, no joy.
--
Clark Martin
Redwood City, CA, USA
Macintosh / Internet Consulting
"I'm a designated driver on the Information Super Highway"
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