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Reducing PC energy consumption

Reducing PC energy consumption

Reverse engineering an off the shelf home electricity monitor to log data to a Raspberry Pi, replacing PCs with lower power devices and using software to monitor computers left on when not needed.

James Singleton

September 02, 2013
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  1. Reducing PC Energy Consumption
    James Singleton
    Shutdown Scanner
    shutdownscanner.com
    unop.co.uk

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  2. Introduction

    How to reduce computer energy consumption

    Replace with low power devices
    – Good for always on machines

    Use them less
    – How to measure waste

    Projects
    – Electricity monitor hacking
    – Digital signs and display screens
    – Computer power monitoring

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  3. Electricity Monitor Hacking

    £13 from Maplin

    Download data feature

    www.maplin.co.uk/wireless-electricity-monitor-611581

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  4. Reviews

    “This is the worse item I have ever bought from
    maplin, on the box it seems high speck but in
    reality it a compliant waste of time, have spent
    over a HOUR working out how to change the
    default settings if you unplug the unit from the
    computer All your usage data is lost, and there
    is no way of stopping the display from
    constantly scrolling.”
    – gary

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  7. Looks like this...

    Windows only (and not very good)

    PC power consumption negates benefit

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  8. And this...

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  9. And this...

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  10. And this...

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  11. And sometimes like this...

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  12. That makes socket sad

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  13. Options

    Better hardware
    – Current Cost
    – CurrentCostHacking.com

    Give up
    – Not likely

    Hack it until it works
    – Reimplement on a Raspberry Pi
    – Running Linux (standard Raspbian distro)
    – Code in Python, HTML5 and JavaScript

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  14. Linux

    Windows requires a driver install

    And it's buggy (causes BSOD)

    USB serial driver included on Raspbian

    Just plug it in

    And you can talk to the device

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  15. That makes socket smile

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  20. More Info

    unop.co.uk
    – Talk video

    Reverse engineering technical details
    – Blog post

    Code on GitHub
    – github.com/jpsingleton

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  21. Digital Signs

    Originally PCs with very long VGA cables
    – Lots of noise and poor quality image
    – Browser toolbars/login prompts etc.
    – High power consumption (always on)

    Raspberry Pi is much better
    – Better quality signal (local digital connection)
    – Much lower power consumption
    – Some issues found and fixed
    – ShutdownScanner.com/Blog

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  22. Computer Power Monitoring

    How many of you know if your staff are leaving their
    computers on overnight and at weekends?
    – How many?
    – How much does it cost?

    Shutdown Scanner
    – Service to automatically measure how much power/money
    is wasted by inactive computers left on overnight or at
    weekends
    – ShutdownScanner.com
    – Lots of lovely graphs
    – Shows you the waste

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  29. Status

    Currently in beta testing stage

    Launching full service soon
    – Possibly re-design look and feel
    – Core technology works well

    Interested in trying it out?
    – Got an office?
    – Bills too high?
    – Get in touch
    – Take a card

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  30. Thanks
    Looking for help with...

    Branding & copy writing;

    Marketing; and

    Promotion
    Get in touch
    Tweet @shutdownscanner
    Email [email protected]

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