INTL 3:770/1 3:770/3   
   REPLYADDR tnp@invalid.invalid   
   REPLYTO 3:770/3.0 UUCP   
   MSGID:  99eeae9f   
   REPLY: <6vte6l-5k02.ln1@q957.zbmc.eu> d7460195   
   PID: SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
   On 25/01/2025 11:19, Chris Green wrote:   
   > I have a 2Gb Pi 4B which I run headless and it has a collection of   
   > little Python scripts and such which gather data.  It also runs   
   > syncthing so the data gets copied to my desktop machine (and others).   
   >   
   > When idle (or doing not much) it consumes just 316mA which, according   
   > to my sums is just over 1.5 watts.  That's a whole lot less than the   
   > seemingly always quote value of 2.7 watts.   
   >   
   > This does have some significance for me as I'm considering upgrading   
   > the Pi B+ that runs all the time on my little boat in France using   
   > the batteries on the boat.  The batteries are kept charged by solar   
   > panels, during the winter there's not much power to spare.   
   >   
   > One of the many sites that shows 2.7 watts for an idle 4B is this one:-   
   >   
   >      https://www.pidramble.com/wiki/benchmarks/power-consumption   
   >   
   > But the figure seems to be that same just about everywhere.  I suspect   
   > this may be the 'idle' figure when running a GUI, mouse, keyboard,   
   > etc.   
   >   
   Indeed you are most likely right., The power consumption of such a   
   machine is utterly dependent on what exactly it is doing. Throw some USB   
   disk drives on and you may see up to 25W...   
      
   I am not speaking from facts, but only from general experience, that   
   video processing takes power and no GUI will be a huge drop in power. I   
   doubt that a keyboard or mouse takes much. But WiFi certainly does and   
   so does, to a lesser extent, Ethernet.   
      
   Also it is surprising how many 'authoritative sources' merely cut and   
   paste each others data. Without checking.   
      
   E.g once many years ago I was interested in the power to weight ratio of   
   WWII fighter aircraft. One German fighter had its power quoted in kW and   
   bhp. But they did not match. Clearly someone had transposed two digits .   
   Because they then *did* match.   
      
   I attempted to rectify this, but the original text was reinstated. As   
   the figures had been copied from yet another 'authoritative source' and   
   in academia, 'authoritative sources' are more true than the real world.   
      
   As with most things in the real world, if you want real facts, measure   
   the thing yourself. Don't necessarily rely on 'experts' and 'authorities'   
      
      
      
   --   
   Gun Control: The law that ensures that only criminals have guns.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: Agency HUB, Dunedin - New Zealand | Fido<>Usenet Gateway (3:770/3)   
   SEEN-BY: 19/38 105/81 106/201 128/187 129/305 153/757 7715 154/110   
   SEEN-BY: 218/700 840 220/70 226/17 30 100 227/114 229/110 111 114   
   SEEN-BY: 229/200 206 275 300 317 400 426 428 470 550 616 664 700 705   
   SEEN-BY: 266/512 267/800 291/111 292/854 310/31 320/219 322/757 342/200   
   SEEN-BY: 396/45 460/58 633/280 281 418 420 509 2744 712/848 770/1   
   SEEN-BY: 770/3 100 330 340 772/210 220 230 902/26 2320/105 5020/400   
   SEEN-BY: 5075/35   
   PATH: 770/3 1 633/280 229/426