Does charging things via Computer/USB save on Electric?

Not sure whether this is true or not.

My OH says if we charge things via our computer (obviously when the computer is being used anyway), it will save on electric.
i.e Charging our mobile phones etc. via the USB - rather than plugging them into our regular mains plug points.

Will this save on electric? Seems feasible i suppose:confused:, but just thought i'd ask for some other views on this.
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Comments

  • Totality
    Totality Posts: 1,909 Forumite
    I always charge my mobile via USB rather than using the mains charger.
  • KimYeovil
    KimYeovil Posts: 6,156
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    The fractions of a penny per hour that are involved will be totally swamped by the whole pennies per hour that are wasted when you are not using the computer (you will NOT be using the computer "anyway" every minute it is used as a recharger).
  • thefenman
    thefenman Posts: 238 Forumite
    Not sure whether this is true or not.

    My OH says if we charge things via our computer (obviously when the computer is being used anyway), it will save on electric.
    i.e Charging our mobile phones etc. via the USB - rather than plugging them into our regular mains plug points.

    Will this save on electric? Seems feasible i suppose:confused:, but just thought i'd ask for some other views on this.

    No! The power has to come from somewhere.
  • KimYeovil wrote: »
    The fractions of a penny per hour that are involved will be totally swamped by the whole pennies per hour that are wasted when you are not using the computer (you will NOT be using the computer "anyway" every minute it is used as a recharger).

    Eh?????:huh:
  • KimYeovil
    KimYeovil Posts: 6,156
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    Eh?????:huh:

    Eh? Computers run on electricity, not homonuculi on treadmills.
  • basmic
    basmic Posts: 1,043 Forumite
    My computer is on very much 24/7, but I'd have to buy a USB charger for my mobile phone if I wanted to charge it with a USB lead. This would obviously negate any of the positive financial gains.

    That said, I do use my computer's USB ports to charge devices that come with a USB charging cable.
    Everybody is equal; However some are more equal than others.
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036
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    Do people seriously think you get something for nothing?

    Turn on your interior light in a car and you increase your fuel consumption - probably by 0.00001%

    If your mobile takes 1 watt to charge, plugging it into your PC will cause the PC to use more power.

    The point Kim was making is that it costs tiny fractions of a penny to charge a mobile phone from the mains.
  • Cardew wrote: »
    The point Kim was making is that it costs tiny fractions of a penny to charge a mobile phone from the mains.

    OK, i understand now you've explained it in English. (Really don't know what she was wittering on about).:D

    The reason i asked this is,we charge many phones & PDA's in our household. I have 2 Mobile phones, my partner has 2 mobiles plus a PDA and my daughter has a mobile too and our Electric bill has been pretty high, so obviously i'm trying to find a way of cutting costs & just wanted to know if charging via USB would make a difference.

    But you've answered my question simply enough. Cheers for that.
  • KimYeovil wrote: »
    Eh? Computers run on electricity, not homonuculi on treadmills.

    Keep taking the tablets luv. :D
  • Magentasue
    Magentasue Posts: 4,229 Forumite
    our Electric bill has been pretty high, so obviously i'm trying to find a way of cutting costs

    We've found the most effective ways of cutting costs are to minimise use of things that heat (dishwasher, washing machine, tumble drier) or use of cheapest programmes and cut energy used by things used for hours a day (A rated appliances like fridges when you replace them and energy saving bulbs for lights used a lot).
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