Are you wasting over £700 a year on electricity? We were - not any more.

almillar

Yeah, don't think of it as being a tightwad or a treehugger, but as screwing these companies with huge profits! That's the ethos of the site. Anyway, just a wee note on computers. My desktop computer doesn't do 'Sleep' mode very well (think of sleep as trickle power, keeping everything frozen). The Power supply stays on to provide this trickle, so not great, newer computers will deal with this better. I have set Vista up to Hibernate when I press the power button on the PC. Hibernate isn't advertised as much as it used to be, and it was pretty unreliable in XP, but it's one of the things that Vista does right. It basically saves the RAM to the hard drive, and switches off. Using no electric. Then when you switch on, instead of the normal startup, it just reloads the RAM from the hard drive, much quicker than a normal startup. I can go for over a month without 'booting' my computer. IMO hibernating desktops is ideal, whilst sleep for laptops is ideal.
HTH

brysiewysie

almillar wrote: »

Yeah, don't think of it as being a tightwad or a treehugger, but as screwing these companies with huge profits! That's the ethos of the site. Anyway, just a wee note on computers. My desktop computer doesn't do 'Sleep' mode very well (think of sleep as trickle power, keeping everything frozen). The Power supply stays on to provide this trickle, so not great, newer computers will deal with this better. I have set Vista up to Hibernate when I press the power button on the PC. Hibernate isn't advertised as much as it used to be, and it was pretty unreliable in XP, but it's one of the things that Vista does right. It basically saves the RAM to the hard drive, and switches off. Using no electric. Then when you switch on, instead of the normal startup, it just reloads the RAM from the hard drive, much quicker than a normal startup. I can go for over a month without 'booting' my computer. IMO hibernating desktops is ideal, whilst sleep for laptops is ideal.
HTH

But it will use around 20w or more in anything other than being turned off at the wall.

James123_2

You PC monitor is probably supplied by an external transformer which will continue to consume electricty whether the monitor is off or on. This will typically be of the order of 11-15w. Some appliances, like my amp, still draw electricity even when switched off from standby - amazingly. The only way to be 100% is to turn off the socket. (I notice that someone suggested an appliance could still then draw electricity which, to me, is nonsense). I have ugly electricity extensions with individiual switches to make life easier ... previously worked-out that we had some 15 appliances on 24/7 standby each drawing around 11w ... do the maths!

Doorbell, alarm, laser printer, amp, TV, Sky+, computer, chargers etc ...

kitschkitty

Hi please could someone confirm that turning of at the socket is as effective as removing the plug from the socket. (and means you don't need to).

If the plug in the socket is cold is this a good indicator that an item left plugged in (and on at the socket) is unlikely to be drawing any energy e.g my kettle or my microwave (manual - no clock in it)?

I have few sockets in the house so most require extension leads, do these draw much energy e.g I have one with a fan, a hair dryer and a lamp in it, none of which are on.

Also several sockets in my house do not have a switch, but only 1 that is really -
I have a 10 way extension lead with about 6 appliances in it at the moment (TV etc) and I have to pull out the plugs for the VCR and Freeview box if I want to turn them off. I would like to know if a remote socket control like this : http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=98630 will work for me.

Sorry for so many questions, but I really want to make sure I'm getting all this right.

Cardew

kitschkitty wrote: »

Hi please could someone confirm that turning of at the socket is as effective as removing the plug from the socket. (and means you don't need to).

If the plug in the socket is cold is this a good indicator that an item left plugged in (and on at the socket) is unlikely to be drawing any energy e.g my kettle or my microwave (manual - no clock in it)?

I have few sockets in the house so most require extension leads, do these draw much energy e.g I have one with a fan, a hair dryer and a lamp in it, none of which are on.

Also several sockets in my house do not have a switch, but only 1 that is really -
I have a 10 way extension lead with about 6 appliances in it at the moment (TV etc) and I have to pull out the plugs for the VCR and Freeview box if I want to turn them off. I would like to know if a remote socket control like this : http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=98630 will work for me.

Sorry for so many questions, but I really want to make sure I'm getting all this right.

Turning off the switch at the socket will ensure that it is drawing no electricity.

Every 13 amp plug should be cold! If it is hot, get it looked at!

There is no way to tell(without testing) if an appliance is drawing electricity when it is plugged in to a live socket but the appliance is switched off.

Many electronic appliances will use a very little power, most electrical appliances(heaters, irons, hair dryers) won't.

Extension leads themselves do not draw power, only the appliances plugged in to the extension.

Your best bet is to buy a cheap power measuring meter and check individual appliances. IMO far too much fuss is made about the problems of standby consumption.

The remote socket you linked to is of no use to you as you use an extension. All it will do is switch of all appliances on that extension, or just one on the extension.

kitschkitty

Hi, thanks for the reply, backed up what I thought having just found another thread (took a while to search the forums), and it seems that there is a bit too much hype over switching everything off!

lol yah I know the plugs should be cold, I just didn't really think properly before typing that question, I was actually thinking about the games consoles, lap top cable and the mobile charger, because they all get warm (not the 13 amp plug bits though). Sorry, It's late and my brains going to sleep!

If that socket can turn everything off in one go that would be useful, as I realise I didn't make my post clear! I would like to be able to turn everything off, but at the moment the 2 I mentioned don't turn off when the rest are off so I have to unplug them if I want them off (can't easily reachthe main socket to just pull it out you see).

Alternatively might just get one so I can turn the bedside lamp off at night as it's actually across the room not at my bedside!!!