Pre-Release | Power Consumption

Made on a Glowforge
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There a couple people were wondering about avg. power consumption on a glowforge.

I did a sample cut on non-proofgrade cedar (1/4") and metered the process.

Now, this is a moving target. This is equal to trying figure out the exact amount of prints you can get from a ink jet cartridge. There are a lot of variables. With that said this is a ‘rough average’ of what the consumption ‘could’ be like.

And the usual disclaimer about the fact this is a pre-release and the final could be different goes here.

The values were pulled from a power metering sensing z-wave outlet. I’ve setup my HA (Home Automation) setup poll it every second.

So with the machine on an idle (Powered up and doing nothing)

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This is the measurement of it doing the depth sensing (Moving the gantry to the center and probing)

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This op was a two parter. One cut, bunch of engraves. I broke the engraves apart so I can have time to take pictures while this is going on. Otherwise it would have zipped thru this too fast.

Cutting (90% power - 20in/min)

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Engraving (8% power - 225in/min)

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Second part of the engraving (same power levels as above)

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End results

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Welp since I had it all hooked up… Mind as well.

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@chadmart1076 a use has been found for Alexa other than knock knock jokes!

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We have to get an outlet that goes with our system.

Also, did you know that our Fire Stick has Alexa built into the remote?

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Nice! Using a remote was becoming a real hassle :wink: Although as cranky as our Alexa is she’ll have me watching cartoons and civil war documentaries regardless of what I ask for!

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Thanks for the numbers well well below what we have been told In The past

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Previous number were peak power. Usually when you turn electrical stuff on the power demand spikes and then settles out very quickly. You have to spec most electrical components for peak power.

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You know you’re a geek when you communicate with your spouse via a forum posting…:wink:

You know she is too when she replies. :grinning:

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Sounds kind of normal to me…hubs sends me emails with requests for design work from the kitchen.

(Really screwed up getting him that laptop…) :smirk:
Chuckle!

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This is the first time we’ve been in the same online community (aside from Facebook).

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What is the app and device you are using for measuring the power consumption?

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SmartThings (requires a hub) & GE Z-wave wall outlet /w power metering.

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Isn’t that proving my point? Or are you suggesting you’re not a geek? :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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Oh no…I’m definitely geeky! :laughing:

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With that powermetering, can you set it up to turn another outlet on when a certain power leveling is reached? E.g. turn on booster fan in vent piping if power to gf is larger than x watts?

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This exactly what I am doing. Anything over 80W turns it on. <79W it waits 45 secs then shuts it off.

With the added bonus of if the smoke detector in the office goes off. It kills the power to the glowforge and sets the booster to full power until I address the trouble code.

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Sweet. At some point need to look into that. My initial temp location is well under 8 ft, but my final spot is likely closer to 12 ft of vent line…

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I promise we talk in person too!

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This is absolutely filed in the DO NOT TRY AT HOME category. Nor I or glowforge will provide any support for this configuration. But in testing the glowforge under its own power was able to push open both blast gates and the veins on the exterior with ease. My interior to exterior ‘piping’ totals out to 20.5 ~ 21.5’

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I would have to put on a Star Trek outfit whenever I did that!

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