this may be a bit of a silly question..

domesticgoddess789

but I've been wondering whether appliances such as a microwave or kettle, for example, use electricity if plugged in at the wall and the switch on the socket is turned on? I don't mean that the kettle is boiling or that the microwave is heating up food, just that they are plugged in and on at the wall.


Would this be using electricity?

Many thanks for any knowledge and sorry if this is a stupid question!

Hayley

BigMan

Although minute amounts, anything that plugs in and has a display or a light will use some electricity, always worth turning everything off.

BallandChain

Not a silly question at all! This has been discussed on the Utilities forum and from what I remember there is electricity being used if your appliances are plugged in and switched on at the wall. Funny you should mention this as my radio is left plugged in at the wall and I found out today even though the radio itself is switched off the radio feels warm!

Stephen_Leak

A Big Man says, if the microwave has a clock, then this will use a very small amount of power to work.

If it is a really basic one without a clock, or a kettle (which don't usually have things like clocks built in), then it won't use any power at all.

B&C's radio is probably a bit more complicated. I suspect that the heat its coming from a transformer, which drops the mains voltage down to a safe level for the electronic components in it. As energy cannot be created or destroyed, the left-over energy is converted to mostly heat and also some vibration, ie. the humming noise they make.

I also suspect that, to save costs, the on/off switch is on the low voltage side of the transformer. The transformer is therefore working as long as it is plugged in. It's just like a mobile phone charger with no phone plugged in.

keeleyw24

So glad I saw this as I've been wondering the same thing myself and driving OH mad flicking everything off 'just in case'!!! Hahaha! :rolleyes:

I shall now stop being so OCD about it! Thanks!

K xx

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Premier_2

Get yourself a plug in energy monitor and see just how much each appliance uses when plugged in but not switched on - you'll be amazed and will probably save the ca. £10 spent on the monitor vey quickly by taking actions to save the electricity you are otherwise wasting.

DGJsaver

Premier wrote: »

Get yourself a plug in energy monitor and see just how much each appliance uses when plugged in but not switched on - you'll be amazed and will probably save the ca. £10 spent on the monitor vey quickly by taking actions to save the electricity you are otherwise wasting.

Or simply turn off appliances you dont need to leave on and save the £10 you would have spent on the monitor :rolleyes: