surge suppressor question

[jasong]

Here (http://pcworld.pricegrabber.com/search_techspecs.php/masterid=25611) is my surge suppressor. Here is the info I got from a magazine a while back:

Component Watts

AMD Athlon 64/64 FX 90-110
AMD THunderbird 50-60
AMD Athlon XP 50-80
AMD Duron 40-60
Intel Pentium 4 60-100
Intel Pentium III 25-40
Intel Celeron 30-60

Graphics Card Watts

Basic 25
High-performance 35-100+

Other Watts

Motherboard 18-28
Optical Drive 25-35
Hard drive 25
Memory module(each) 7-12
Unpowered USB/FireWire device 5-10
PCI sound card 5-10
Additional PCI card 5
Floppy drive 5
Fan 3
Keyboard and mouse 6


Now how do I correlate voltage to watts? Or am I missing something?

[PY 222]

If I remember correctly,

watts = volts x amps

Watt is just a unit of power that is consumed by the device.

If you have alot of devices on one circuit, then you'll have to look at the amount of amps that the devices consume to prevent a break in the circuit breakers.

[meep]

The usual way of working with those component figures is in PSU selection. You pick a PSU with a high enough wattage to cope with the componets it has to power....

However, all 3 play a part. Unless you are running A LOT of pc's or have really crap electrics, you have nothing to worry about.

But FYI:

Voltage in volts = Power in Watts / Current in AMP's.

PY is correct, AMP's will be the stumbling block if you are really really loading up a circuit. In the UK, most modern houses/flats have a 24amp mains fuse, to give you an idea of scale - you would do well to trip that with electrical devices... turning on 10 kettles, 10 irons and then 10 toasters (all burst devices) may do the trick :D

[rsbriggs]

Or to simplify, watts = volts*amps. Assuming 110 volt mains, then something that is burning 330 watts will be pulling 3 amps.

It is fortunate that power supplies don't draw at their full rating. I have one 15 amp circuit where I run 15 comps with 350 watt or better power supplies in them. If the power supplies were drawing full power, that would be 15*350 watts or 5250 watts.

Rearranging the formula above, the amps would be -> watts/volts == 5250w/110v = about 47 amps.

Since I don't trip the breaker, I have to assume that most of the comps are actually drawing under 110 watts. But the circuit is definately maxed out - attempting to plug another comp into that circuit trips the breaker. If I attempt to power up the entire rack at the same time, the breaker will sometimes kick out - I guess the hard drives all spinning up at once also puts it up over the circuit breaker limit.

I use one of these for every 5 computers:
http://www.apcc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=BR1500

[gopher_yarrowzoo]

FYI it's a 32Amp Breaker per Ring Main meep, with 6A for lighting, 16A for anything like heavy load single sockets such as heating.. overall 63A main double pole possibly with Earth Leakage protection built in... sometimes it's more depends on the layout..