wrote:
I dont have a clamp on ammeter (wish I did). I basing it on this from
my battery backup:
http://www.terry.uga.edu/~craigw/images/poweridle.jpg

I guestimated the amperage based on idle and what that screen reports
when I close a game (around 340watts, but i can't screen shot before
it starts dropping) and dividing by 10 (Turns out the formula is
watts/ volts=amps, so 2.2A at idle and 3.0A when playing?). My
monitor (lcd) is plugged into the same battery backup, so that load
is for CPU and monitor.

So get one. About $17 from Harbor Freight. Also get a Kill-A-Watt: a plug-in
power monitor (voltage, amps, KW, KWH, etc.). About $25 on Ebay.