Connecting more HDDs to the Computer Uses More Power?

[imdaman]

I know that the more hardware connected to the comp is going to use more power but I was wondering if I have a large psu already which my comp doesn't use all that power and I connect the internal HDDs, does it actually use more power? So I have a 600 watt psu to compensate for my video card and cpu but I estimated the total usage is less than 600 watt. Correct me if I'm wrong, so the comp is going to always use 600 watts but it doesn't need the 600, would connecting more HDDs to the comp use the same amount of power or not?

Thanks

[Moontrash]

if your setup is the same as it is in your profile then you have "0" to worry about...i have a phenom II 9950 with a 4870 VC i built almost 2 years ago and a 700 watt OCZ power supply...at max on a tester i've used no more than 250 watts at any one time..it idles at 138 or 150 i believe...that 250 was with gaming and thats it...sure those xTra HD's will use some power but very minuscule for you to notice any difference

[imdaman]

the reason I asked was because I'm trying to save money on the bill. i have quite a few comps in my house so it uses a lot of power. So I was just wondering if I should use a external enclosure to put the HDDs to only use power when needed or just keep it running on my comp.

[edDV]

the reason I asked was because I'm trying to save money on the bill. i have quite a few comps in my house so it uses a lot of power. So I was just wondering if I should use a external enclosure to put the HDDs to only use power when needed or just keep it running on my comp.

The 600W is a max spec. Power draw from the wall depends on devices in use. The CPU will draw power proportionate to usage as will the display card. Power is converted to heat so when you feel heat, power is being drawn.

An additional drive adds about 10W or less when running. It draws more amps when spinning up.
You can use power management software to spin the drive down during periods of non-use.

If the computer is going to be left on anyway, the power draw is probably less than an external enclosure.

PS: My 500W spec Core2 Quad tower (4 drives) draws about 137W when idle and even when encoding 100% with CPU, the average draw doesn't exceed 250W. Also, in winter the computers add to heating the house so net draw is less. In summer the opposite happens. The computer heat adds to the A/C load causing the net load to more than double.

[redwudz]

I have a couple of video servers with about 9 HDDs in each. They use about 140W running. About 300W momentarily at startup. My other PCs with just two or three drives use just a few watts less. The video card and the CPU probably uses the most power in the average PC. Then maybe the optical drives when they are burning a disc.

Just turning off the PC when it's not in use is the easiest way to save kilowatts.

BTW, 140W ( 0.14KW) X $0.11 (My total KWH rate) X 24 HRS = ~ $0.37, or times 30 days, about $11 a month, assuming 24/7 operation. I wouldn't worry about it much. (Your KWH rate may vary.) Hopefully my math is correct or someone will tell me.

[Moontrash]

BTW, 140W ( 0.14KW) X $0.11 (My total KWH rate) X 24 HRS = ~ $0.37, or times 30 days, about $11 a month, assuming 24/7 operation. I wouldn't worry about it much. (Your KWH rate may vary.) Hopefully my math is correct or someone will tell me.

thats about what i pay a month...it runs 24/7...correct math mr. redwudz

[imdaman]

Thanks a lot for the help guys. I have one last question. I've read it somewhere either from the HDD manufacturer site or retail store site that list the lifespan of an HDD in a large number of hours (can't remember but somewhere ~5 years or so). So I was wondering if connecting the HDD to the comp would drain the life of the HDD (considering that the HDD is healthy)

[classfour]

Likely 10,000 hours - about 5 years. Using them or not, hard drives are hard drives.

[Wile_E]

I have a high-end BFG Tech 800W power supply in my system, and my APC UPS is showing about 150w usage for both my computer (Intel Q6600 CPU), Nvidia 9600GT, 8GB DDR2, and 22" LCD monitor and some other devices hooked up to it. I have 6 HDD's in this system. This is at idle, while I'm typing this message. Usually the larger power supplies are more efficient and use less electricity, because they can handle more power efficiently and lower wattages is very easy for them to handle. I've seen 400w cheapo supplies use way more than my current one. Plus if you use a cheapo lower wattage supply, they usually don't last as long, and run hotter because of the higher load you put on them. If you want to save more $$$ in the long run, it's better to get a higher wattage energy efficient model.

[redwudz]

The average HDD can last for years. Or die the day you install it. It's always a 'crap shoot'. But I have HDDs that have ran almost continually for more than five years. These days, it's hard to find a clear brand winner for longevity. I favor WD and Samsung lately, but you can go with a brand that has a longer warranty, then at least you can get a replacement further down the line. If you always back up your important data, no problems. But never depend on a HDD to always work correctly.

Just a personal opinion, but most times a good quality ~500 - 600W PS is good for about any system. It's not always true that a 1000W PS will be more efficient. PS makers may not always be honest with their specifications. I would recommend staying with the major name brand PSs. Antec, PC Power and Cooling, Thermaltake, OCZ, and a few others.

With any PS, a couple of quick checks: See how hot the exhaust from the fan is. If it's hair dryer hot, it may not last long. Second, how much does it weight? Heavier PSs generally are better built. I've seen 600W cheap PS's weigh in at the same as a cheap 300W PS. Heavier is generally better most times. Other than that, stick with name brand popular PSs. JMO.

The PS is the lifeblood of your PC. A PS failure can destroy the whole PC, MB, drives and all. I've learned that the hard way.

End of rant.

[imdaman]

just for clarification, the watts displayed on the PSUs, is that the amount of power it uses or the maximum amount of power it can provide?

[jagabo]

Yes, the power listed for a PSU is the total power it can provide to the computer, not the maximum it sucks from the wall. The amount it consumes at the wall varies depending on how efficient the PSU is and how much hardware you have installed. But be aware, cheap PSUs usually cannot provide anywhere near their claimed rating. Anandtech recently ran in interesting article comparing some different quality PSUs:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3985/three-550w-psus-for-different-prices

Regarding hard drive MTBFs: that number is nothing like what you think of as the lifetime of a drive. For example:

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/perf/qual/specMTBF-c.html
http://www.dailytech.com/Study+Hard+Drive+MTBF+Ratings+Highly+Exaggerated/article6404.htm

MTBF includes things like replacing drives after their "service lifetime" which could be less than the warranty. And what the manufacturer includes as failures may not be the same thing you consider a failure. For example, a manufacturer might not consider one of four read/write heads dieing a failure (you can still use the other three!), infant death may also not be considered a failure (it's a "manufacturing defect"), etc. -- but you certainly will consider those failures when you find your computer won't boot and all your data is inaccessible.

[imdaman]

very interesting articles. thanks for the share jagabo