How to measure GPU consumption

[hugolp]

Sorry if this has been asked previously (I used search with no success), but how do you measure the consumption of one graphic card?

[BombaUcigasa]

- Specific devices such as watt-measuring plugs that you put your PC power cable in and it reads-out your consumption
- Split the power cable wires and put an induction clamp on a wire and measure the amperage
- Put an ampere-meter inline with your power cable
- If you have a digital electrical power meter at your breaker-box, go see what values it shows for the last hour (pull out your refrigerator and only measure the PC and fixed users)
- If you have a mechanical electrical power meter at your place, count the disc spins with full load and no-load, and use the markings on it's face to determine power usage
- Trust already available power measurements provided by others, the manufacturer.

[hugolp]

- Specific devices such as watt-measuring plugs that you put your PC power cable in and it reads-out your consumption
- Split the power cable wires and put an induction clamp on a wire and measure the amperage
- Put an ampere-meter inline with your power cable
- If you have a digital electrical power meter at your breaker-box, go see what values it shows for the last hour (pull out your refrigerator and only measure the PC and fixed users)
- If you have a mechanical electrical power meter at your place, count the disc spins with full load and no-load, and use the markings on it's face to determine power usage

I have though of measuring the watts that go through the cables, but if I am not mistaken, the motherboard is also supplying power to the cards, so you would be missing that part, right? I was thinking that maybe there is a program that gives you a measure (even an aproximation). I have used gpu-z to get the current and voltage but for a overcloacked 5870 with 99% load it tells me that its using 100W, while this card should be taking around 200W, so Im obviously doing something wrong.

- Trust already available power measurements provided by others, the manufacturer.

Yes, but the point is to know how much an overclocked card is consuming.

[BombaUcigasa]

I have though of measuring the watts that go through the cables, but if I am not mistaken, the motherboard is also supplying power to the cards, so you would be missing that part, right? I was thinking that maybe there is a program that gives you a measure (even an aproximation). I have used gpu-z to get the current and voltage but for a overcloacked 5870 with 99% load it tells me that its using 100W, while this card should be taking around 200W, so Im obviously doing something wrong.

Measure when the miner is off and your screensaver is active: Base consumption
Measure when the miner is in full gear: Maximum consumption
Calculate GPU/NB/CPU/PSU/ETC Mining consumption: Maximum consumption - Base consumption


Effective mining watt cost: (Base consumption * extra time you keep the PC up) + (Mining consumption * total hours the PC is mining)

CPU-Z shows current values? Where?!

[hugolp]

I have though of measuring the watts that go through the cables, but if I am not mistaken, the motherboard is also supplying power to the cards, so you would be missing that part, right? I was thinking that maybe there is a program that gives you a measure (even an aproximation). I have used gpu-z to get the current and voltage but for a overcloacked 5870 with 99% load it tells me that its using 100W, while this card should be taking around 200W, so Im obviously doing something wrong.

Measure when the miner is off and your screensaver is active: Base consumption
Measure when the miner is in full gear: Maximum consumption
Calculate GPU/NB/CPU/PSU/ETC watt consumption: Maximum consumption - Base consumption

That's clever, at least I will know the extra-charge that the GPU adds from idle to 99% load, and what to expect from adding new gpu's.

CPU-Z shows current values? Where?!

Second screen, but I am probably doing it wrong as I said. There is the voltage and amperage and some forum posts found with google said that was the consumption.