Image by This can reduce your energy bills considerably, especially if you normally have things like TV on standby, air conditioning on low, water cooler still on etc - there's loads!
This can reduce your energy bills considerably, especially if you normally have things like TV on standby, air conditioning on low, water cooler still on etc - there's loads!
I applaud energy awareness, but please get things in perspective.
With the exception of glass screen TVs, standby power is minimal for most electronic and other devices (LCD TV, CD players etc). A couple of Watts here and there add up to maybe 20W or so in an average household.
You'd do better at power saving by drinking two less cups of coffee a day and saving the energy needed to boil the water.
Of course, individual circumstances will vary.
in July 2008
I think the point is to make every watt count. After all a watt is a measurement in time (one joule of energy per second).
People shouldn't feel as though it's OK to waste energy. Any amount of energy. Multiplied by millions of homes it all adds up.
Interesting site here on stand-by power from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the U.S.
in August 2008
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in August 2008
You can purchase a variety of power meters that plug into your power outlet, then plug your appliance into them to check what the standby power use is.
I recently got one from my local hardware store and was astounded to see what my appliances are up to when I thought they were switched off! The washing machine has been sucking us dry! (To use that lovely 'energy vampire' analogy.)
The other big surprise was the small radio we have in the kitchen. When left plugged in, it consumes something like 20 watts of power, even when we thought it was turned off.
in March 2009
"According to the U.S Department of Energy, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off"
Kelly B: I really struggle to believe that. Where did you get that from?
in April 2009
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