+Faicuai #1 Posted July 8, 2017 (edited) ...I always wondered how much power these machines drew, whether on stand-by, powered-up idle, booting, SIO active, etc. Moreover, I also wondered how much my IndusGT/Ramcharger drives ever consumed, also relative to their host computer... Well, here's a first look at how much power these computers draw, along a multitude of different stages / tasks... Results are quite interesting: Part I: HW Configuration [UPDATE: Atari 1050 now included): Atari 800 + Incognito//SIDE (Sandisk Extreme-III) IndusGT // Ramcharger 64K RAM module (extra RAM not used by SDX or any test) Atari 1050 Disk Drive (STOCK) NUXX Drive (Sandisk Ultra SD). (x1) Atari AC Power Supply (large) for Atari 800. (x1) Indus DC Power Supply (large) for IndusGT drive In-line, AC-to-AC digital watt-meter (INDIVIDUALLY measuring each device, except NUXX, which got on/off via SIO). NOT MEASURED: [Viewsonic VP930b monitor] & [DVDO iScan HD video processor] (maybe at a later stage). All measures from 120 Vac / 60Hz mains. RESULTS: [Atari 800=OFF]: 1.9w (static draw from Atari A/C-to-A/C power supply, regardless of system activity). [Atari800=ON] & [NUXX Drive=OFF] (disconnected from A800 SIO port): Incognito BIOS screen: 10.6w - 11.2w (just moving along BIOS menu ALTERS power consumption!) Side Loader screen: 10.6w Side Loader-AtariBlast: 11.0w - 11.4w AtariBlast Auto-Demo: 11.2w (across most screens & scenarios) SDX Boot + SIDE: 10.2w - 10.7w SDX si2.24 (CPU/-DMA): 10.2w - 10.4w SDX si2.24 (HD/-DMA): 10.2w - 11.2w (Resulting Speed: solid 106 KB/sec via OS, all tests) [Atari800=ON] & [NUXX Drive=ON] (telepowered from A800 SIO port): Incognito BIOS screen: 11.7w - 12.2w (just moving along BIOS menu ALTERS power consumption!) Side Loader screen: 11.8w Side Loader-AtariBlast: 12.6w - 12.7w AtariBlast Auto-Demo: 12.3w - 12.4w (across most screens & scenarios) NUXX boot (PBI off): 10.7w - 11.8w NUXX MyDos (PBI off): 11.0w - 11.4w NUXX rwTEST (PBI off): 10.7w - 11.4w. [Atari800=ON] & [NUXX Drive=OFF] and [IndusGT // RAMcharger=ON]: [UPDATE: Format Operation, CPM boot] IndusGT powered OFF: 3.7w (wow! 3.7w watts just the power supply, doing NOTHING!). IndusGT powered ON: 16.6w (no disk on tray, no spin, system ready and head parked on Track 39) IndusGT looped-seek: 23.8w - 24.2w (diskette in, disk spin, full-stroke head-seek, from T0 to T39) IndusGT free-spin/T=0: 25.7w (head on track zero, disk on free-spin), no I/O RPM acquisition / Index: 25.3w (index-pulse, from Indus GT diagnostics, NOT the DOS GTRPM version) SDX hispeed/DD format: 21.3w - 24.0w SDX multi file read/write: 22.0w - 30.0w SDX CPM boot / load: 16.8w - 19.9w (during CPM boot and loading "STAT" utility). SDX rwTEST (-DMA): 30.0w (!!!, during write stage, ~30 kbps) // 19.9w (during read stage, ~60 kbps) NOTE: power draw specifically measured off IndusGT power-supply (all other items isolated) [Atari800=ON] & [NUXX Drive=OFF] and [indusGT // RAMcharger=disconnected] & [Atari 1050=ON]: 1050 powered OFF: 1.9w 1050 powered ON: 12.7w - 13.2w (no disk on tray, no spin, system ready and head parked on Track 39) 1050 looped-seek: N/A (could not run from IndusGT diagnostics. NOT provided with 1050 Diagnostics disk) 1050 free-spin: 28.9w - 29.2w (right after disk insert), no I/O RPM acquisition: 28.7w - 29.4w (from Indus GTRPM utility) SDX ED format: 29.2w - 31.0w SDX multi file read/write: 29.2w - 29.7w SDX CPM boot / load: N/A (not supported by 1050) SDX rwTEST (-DMA): 28.3-28.9w (during write stage, ~11 kbps) // 28.5-28.9w (during read stage, ~11 kbps) NOTE: power draw specifically measured off 1050 power-supply (all other items isolated) Part II (UDPATE: now with 800XL, Side-II): HW Configuration: Atari 800XL (Rev.C, fully socketed) + SIDE-II (Sandisk ULTRA) NUXX Drive (Sandisk Ultra SD) (x1) Atari DC Power Supply (silver-label, good) for Atari 800XL (x1) Atari AC Power Supply (large) for 1050 drive In-line, AC-to-AC digital watt-meter (INDIVIDUALLY measuring each device, except NUXX, which got on/off via SIO) NOT MEASURED: [Viewsonic VP930b monitor] & [DVDO iScan HD video processor] (maybe at a later stage) All measures from 120 Vac / 60Hz mains RESULTS: [Atari 800XL=OFF]: 2.1w (static draw from Atari A/C-to-D/C power supply, regardless of system activity) [Atari800XL=ON] & [sIDE-II=out] & [NUXX Drive=OFF] (disconnected from A800 SIO port): Ultimate BIOS screen: 10.9w Side Loader screen: 10.9w [Atari800XL=ON] & [sIDE-II=in] & [NUXX Drive=OFF] (disconnected from A800 SIO port): Ultimate BIOS screen: 11.9w (moving along BIOS menu DOES NOT alter power consumption!) Side Loader screen: 11.6w Side Loader-AtariBlast: 11.8w - 11.9w AtariBlast Auto-Demo: 11.6w (across most screens & scenarios) SDX Boot + SIDE: 11.2w - 11.7w SDX si2.24 (CPU/-DMA): 11.2w - 11.7w SDX si2.24 (HD/-DMA): 11.5w - 11.5w (Resulting Speed: solid 100-103 KB/sec via OS, varying across tests) [Atari800XL=ON] & [sIDE-II=in] & [NUXX Drive=ON] (telepowered from A800 SIO port): Ultimate BIOS screen: 12.6w Side Loader screen: 12.3w Side Loader-AtariBlast: 12.5w - 12.9w AtariBlast Auto-Demo: 12.2w - 12.7w (across most screens & scenarios) NUXX boot (PBI on): 11.7w - 12.4w (if PBI off, system boots straight to SIDE-II embedded loader) NUXX MyDos (PBI on): 11.7w - 11.9w (if PBI off, system boots straight to SIDE-II embedded loader) NUXX rwTEST (PBI on): 11.7w - 12.2w (if PBI off, system boots straight to SIDE-II embedded loader) OVERALL results: SURPRISE: The old-and-sweet [Atari 800 // Incognito] combo consumes LESS power than [800XL // SIDE-2] combo in similar tasks (!) Side-II cart power consumption DOES make a difference on the results (as you can see above) ! As EXPECTED: IndusGT drive consumes SIGNIFICANTLY less power than 1050, while trouncing it with out-of-the-box speed. Cheers! Edited July 11, 2017 by Faicuai 7 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Nezgar #2 Posted July 8, 2017 Interesting! Sounds like the Indus GT is similarly inneficient as the 1050. It takes 9vac with a regulator to make 5vdc (making heat) and a voltage doubler to make 18vac, then a regulator to take it down to 12vdc (even more heat). Pretty inneficient, but I guess it allowed them to use a standard existing power supply. Just spinning a disk I noticed the 20-30 watt consumption in the 1050 - ill have to document thoroughly like you did since I do have a watts up meter. One more measurement you might want to try is a disk format, since erases take more power than writes. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Faicuai #3 Posted July 8, 2017 (edited) Interesting! Sounds like the Indus GT is similarly inneficient as the 1050. It takes 9vac with a regulator to make 5vdc (making heat) and a voltage doubler to make 18vac, then a regulator to take it down to 12vdc (even more heat). Pretty inneficient, but I guess it allowed them to use a standard existing power supply. Just spinning a disk I noticed the 20-30 watt consumption in the 1050 - ill have to document thoroughly like you did since I do have a watts up meter. One more measurement you might want to try is a disk format, since erases take more power than writes. I will check media-format (although I believe RWTEST is more demanding, as it runs at full SIO speed, supported by IndusGT BIOS). As for 1050... Well, I recall mine is WAY MORE inefficient than my IndusGTs. Runs way hotter, much noisier, etc. I will try to setup some measurements for it. Edited July 8, 2017 by Faicuai Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Faicuai #4 Posted July 9, 2017 Now updated with Format & CPM-load operations (INDUS GT). Will get to 800XL and 1050 in coming days... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Nezgar #5 Posted July 10, 2017 (edited) Did some quick tests on my 1050's. WST Happy, Tandon Happy, and Tandon USDoubler The biggest thing was that all tests would measure higher consumption initially when the drive was cold, then slowly drop down and settle after about 10 mins.. I found my WST/Hong Kong Mech takes about 5W less power compared to a Tandon/Singapore mech when the disk is spinning. Seems the WST 1050 is comparable to your Indus GT, except writes less than the indus. WST Happy 1050 1.5W OFF 13.5W Idle 25W Spinning 26.1W Format Single Density forward, 25.1w Format back (happy formats track 0-39, then does verify 39-0, stock and most other 1050 mods do format-verify of each track 0-39) 25.7W Format Double Density forward, 24.8w Format back - this was done a few minutes later, probably just due to drive warmed up more than SD format 24.5W RWTEST Single Density 24.5W RWTEST Double Density 13.1w Continuous Double Density Sector Read. used spartaDOS 3 RPM utility - (Interesting since Happy has a track buffer, this makes continuous I/O without the drive spinning) Tandon Happy 1050 14.5W IDLE 30.2W Reading DD Disk. after warmed up dropped to 29.2W 31.1W Format DD Disk Fwd, 29.9W format back 29.7W RWTEST Write 29.2W RWTEST Read USDoubler Tandon 1050 14.0W Idle 30.3W DD Read - 29.6W after warmup 31W Format Double Density 29.7W Write Double Density 29.7W Read Double Density my primary 130XE with 320K RAM, Brown XL style PSU CO61982 1.2W Computer DISconnected 1.4W Computer Connected, OFF (I have some OS Select LED's) 13.0W Computer ON, SIDE2 SDX. Idle vs Running applications and SI2 made no difference in consumption 12.1W Computer ON, no cart 13.0W Ultimate Cartridge Stock 800XL 12.2W SIDE2 SDX 11.4W No Cartridge 12.5W Ultimate Cartridge 11.8W Kaboom! Game Cartridge Cheers Edited July 10, 2017 by Nezgar 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rybags #6 Posted July 10, 2017 How about Atari 800 power supply, not plugged into anything? Does it use power in that config? I've also got an AC power meter but it's a pesky piece of crap which works when it feels like. An alternate and probably more accurate method might be to hook up a multimeter in series and measure the amperage. Though I suppose it could be a case where wattage draw is more useful since the PSUs probably suffer some voltage drop under load. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryan #7 Posted July 10, 2017 Any transformer plugged into the wall will use something because they're not 100% efficient. Linear supplies were definitely the way to go in the 70's and early '80s. Switching supplies were more expensive to build and probably would have failed much sooner. By the time the ST came out, they were getting much better, but my original 1040ST supply only lasted a couple years. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xebec #8 Posted July 10, 2017 (edited) Wow.. 15 and 30W for the 1050 drive.. All of these numbers are very interesting -- Thanks for measuring all of these!. I'm kinda curious how efficient/inefficient the original Atari power bricks are.. Edited July 10, 2017 by Xebec 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Faicuai #9 Posted July 11, 2017 UPDATE: Full 800XL and 1050 details included.. Results are REVEALING. Tomorrow (and finally), I will update with Mips / Watt figures, including my HP Z840 numbers (just for fun! ) Cheers! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Nezgar #10 Posted July 11, 2017 Based on power consumption, looks like you have a Tandon mech 1050 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Faicuai #11 Posted July 11, 2017 Based on power consumption, looks like you have a Tandon mech 1050 It's like the majority of 1050s out there. The rest is a lottery. The only reason I keep this 1050 is because I test-burnt it for long hours, and worked like a champ, with ZERO problems. On rotational-speed test (via 1050 diags. disk), it spins precisely on allowed threshold. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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