Can I use processing power to turn a light blub on?

[MakeBelieve]

I would loved to do this just for the fun even if I would have to link up multiple computers up to each other just to get the processing power enough to light it up. Is this possible or am I not understanding something?


If this is possible how would I go about doing this?

[KonstantinosM]

I would loved to do this just for the fun even if I would have to link up multiple computers up to each other just to get the processing power enough to light it up. Is this possible or am I not understanding something?


If this is possible how would I go about doing this?

It is a pointless venture. Processing power is a very general term. A processor can burn as much electricity as a bulb however what comes out is a bunch of data that is getting manipulated and moved around billions of times a second with many simple operations.

So you try to suck energy out of those wires, eventually with enough wires you may get some energy in a usable form, however what you have is not processing power being turned into electricity.


The true way that processing power can be turned into electricity is profitable mining through hardware (difficult), selling coins for fiat or electricity, buying electricity and using it.

Also, using complicated calculations to run a model for nuclear fusion, figuring it all out, generating electricity. It could then be argued that the electricity was generated thanks to the computer power behind the models, at least in part.


I'm sure my perspective is very general so I may be missing something. I'm no expert.

[Brewins]

You need electricty charge to do that, heat can't turn on a buld.

Unless you make some kind of thermal power plant using the heat of the processors, but it would be biggst waste of resources I can think

[Katarina]

Answer is no, need electricity...

[jaberwock]

Answer is no, need electricity...

But you can get electricity if you have heat. That is what thermal power plants do.

[devonne]

You know electricity and heat works together.

[DjPxH]

I would loved to do this just for the fun even if I would have to link up multiple computers up to each other just to get the processing power enough to light it up. Is this possible or am I not understanding something?


If this is possible how would I go about doing this?

Ummm How to you want to do this? Do you want to put a lightbulb on top of a computer? Do you intend to connect it to one with some wires?? I just don't get how you intend to do that. Please indulge us in understanding what you're up to!

[Kipsy89]

I would loved to do this just for the fun even if I would have to link up multiple computers up to each other just to get the processing power enough to light it up. Is this possible or am I not understanding something?


If this is possible how would I go about doing this?

Hahah, what an interesting question? But you would need to connect the light bulb to the computers, wouldn't you? I mean this can't work without any wires or anything. Is there such a thing as wireless electricity?

[catlinhappy]

My answer is no because is very impossible.

[MakeBelieve]

I wasn't really concerned if it was efficient or not I wanted to do it just for the fun and to show some of my friends I thought by utilizing the heat I could be able to turn that into electricity and probably would of used a LED light but I wasn't quite show it was possible and it sounds like after some research that it would be difficult and probably to much work for the end result.

[montello]

I'm not an electrical engineer or expert on what you're suggesting so sorry no can't help.

[some1]

I would loved to do this just for the fun even if I would have to link up multiple computers up to each other just to get the processing power enough to light it up. Is this possible or am I not understanding something?

If this is possible how would I go about doing this?

Yes, it is possible but very very uneconomic.

Computing power is not a form of energy, is a way to consume electric power transforming it in heat (which is a disordered form of energy).

A bulb is just another machine that transforms ordered energy (electric power) in disordered energy (light and heat). Not so different from your CPU.

You can get ordered energy back from disordered energy (with a thermal power plant) but only wasting most of it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy

[Decksperiment]

I would loved to do this just for the fun even if I would have to link up multiple computers up to each other just to get the processing power enough to light it up. Is this possible or am I not understanding something?


If this is possible how would I go about doing this?

Simple, make a usb connection to a 12 to 240 volt (I'm in scotland, check your volts) inverter, add light to 240 output.. simple.

[MakeBelieve]

I would loved to do this just for the fun even if I would have to link up multiple computers up to each other just to get the processing power enough to light it up. Is this possible or am I not understanding something?

If this is possible how would I go about doing this?

Yes, it is possible but very very uneconomic.

Computing power is not a form of energy, is a way to consume electric power transforming it in heat (which is a disordered form of energy).

A bulb is just another machine that transforms ordered energy (electric power) in disordered energy (light and heat). Not so different from your CPU.

You can get ordered energy back from disordered energy (with a thermal power plant) but only wasting most of it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy

I know that it's not efficent I'm not looking to be powering it for a long time but just to know that it can be done and I think it would be a cool thing to do.

[Decksperiment]

I would loved to do this just for the fun even if I would have to link up multiple computers up to each other just to get the processing power enough to light it up. Is this possible or am I not understanding something?

If this is possible how would I go about doing this?

Yes, it is possible but very very uneconomic.

Computing power is not a form of energy, is a way to consume electric power transforming it in heat (which is a disordered form of energy).

A bulb is just another machine that transforms ordered energy (electric power) in disordered energy (light and heat). Not so different from your CPU.

You can get ordered energy back from disordered energy (with a thermal power plant) but only wasting most of it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy

I know that it's not efficent I'm not looking to be powering it for a long time but just to know that it can be done and I think it would be a cool thing to do.

One way or another you will require the inverter.. and the shortest route to take without blowing anything is usb..