Turn computer off or leave switched on?

Joe_Bloggs

@jack_pott
Hard disks will consume a lot of power as they spin up to full revolutions. I have a PC with four hard disks. It is down to the powers that be to stagger the application of power throughout a system in such a way that is does not shorten the life of the main power supply.

Any problems that occur by switching things on or off are the domain of the electronic engineer. If damage occurs during this process then it is probably by design, incompetence, or ignorance.
J_B. (Only my myopic view)

Toxteth_OGrady

As an electronics engineer I think this is nonsense.

I'm not and I don't :P LOL. ::)

Independent test data seems to suggest otherwise. Feel free to debate with the electronics engineers at the University of Waterloo, Information Systems and Technology Faculty. You can review their findings here.

8)

TOG

raeble

I always switch mine off when I'm not using it. I don't see the point of leaving it on, it's still using electricity when it's in standby mode or whatever and the cost of electricity has just gone up again with powergen. I'd rather keep my money in my pocket instead of powegens coffers.

Aztec_2

I never risk leaving anything on over night, regardless of saving a bit of money on 'boot up power'

It maybe just my way of thinking but anything left on over night could possibly become a fire risk. The components become warm and anything with a source of heat is risk. Plus there is the issue of something on the board arcing out, again a fire risk.

Saving a few pence, if you do, seems a small price to pay for safety.

alexj2002

I will turn my PC off most nights but if i have downloads scheduled to take place overnight then I will leave it on.

Regarding PC's still drawing power even when switched off I've noticed this. My USB phone charger will still charge my phone even though the PC is switched off. The only way to stop it is to turn off at the plug.

Cullumpster

I cant quite remember the actual figures but i had to do a type of 'Green Awareness' thing for my company, we have about 5-600 computers here.
so i worked it out at approximetely.

If you leave your pc on or on standby, it will cost on average £63 a year in electricity, and quite a lot of CO2 emmissions(Can't remember that bit but have the paperwork somewhere if you really want to know.

If you turn your PC OFF it will only cost on average £15 a year and a lot less CO2.

As i said these are only approximate but even doing it this way i managed to save the company thousands a year!!

Hellion

As an electronics engineer I think this is nonsense. Where do you propose the extra power is going?

You'll save on the cost of electricity by switching off, but the cost of repairs is much more complicated.
In general the lifetime of electronic components is measured relative to the hours of use, but it's also related to the degree of stress they endure. This comes in a variety of forms, among which are surges in the  power supply at the instant of switch on, and also thermal cycling as the equipment heats and cools alternately. One the whole, I'd recommend switching off if it's going to be for a long while, but don't switch on and off like a yo-yo.

As an electronics engineer too, I totally agree

Your processor alone could be generating as much power as that 100W light bulb.

Joe_Bloggs

Your processor alone could be generating as much power as that 100W light bulb.

@Hellion
Light bulbs and processors turn electrical power into heat. They dissipate power rather than generate it.

Most agree that turning of your PC completely will save the most power. The alternative is power saving mode. Many devices such as video players, Computer monitors and PCs have these power saving modes but they can consume tens of Watts each.
There is a risk in turning something on from cold as to whether the extra stresses will be the end of the device. Hard facts and figures are required whether to take the risk or not. Any data that is of personal or commercial value should be backed up in either operating circumstance.


The dynamic power saving modes adopted by the latest mobile processors should be adopted by their desktop counterparts to minimise overall power consumption.
J_B.

[Deleted User]

@jack_pott
Hard disks will consume a lot of power as they spin up to full revolutions.  

If your hard disc consumes as much electricity in a couple of minutes boot up as the rest of the computer does in 8 hours over night, then the drive must have a 24kW motor in it, about as powerful as a 600cc motorbike engine! I'd like to know how you run that off a 13A socket with a maximum capacity of 3kW.

sra

Here's an artcle on the subject but it's from 1998