Vampire Electricity

shawn_gg

Anyone has done any research or any information the hidden costs of 'vampire electricity'? I heard that appliances continue to draw power from the mains even though they are switched off.

shawn

4$£&*(£$&*(!

You don't need to do any research at all, the term you use is just another way of saying products on standby.

Turn the appliance off with a hard switch, or switch it off at the wall, and it stops consuming. Job done. If you want to know how much it costs, plug in a power monitor then switch the product on standby, there's your cost.

robredz

Some appliances, not all, use up to 3 watts on standby, so having 10 on would be equal to leaving a couple of energy saving bulbs on. The cost mounts up over a year. problem with some plasma and LCD tellys, and set top boxes, is that they lose their settings if you pull the plug. manufacturers should use memory like flash RAM in usb pendrives so that they don't do that. Top Up TV Freeview recorders *HAVE* to be left on standby 24/7 in order for the top up programmes to download, these can, along with other PVR machines use anything from <1 - 20 watts whilst on standby, in effect some can use as much as when switched on and in use.

Interesting info here regarding annual costs on standby:

http://www.sust-it.net/energy_saving.php?id=55&title=TVonics%20DTR-Z500

PlutoinCapricorn

I always turn everything off at the mains. It can be a pain, but it's not so bad once you get into the habit of switching off immediately.

It is difficult to estimate how much I save by this: probably small amounts from one appliance in a day, but adding up over the months and years. Even a few pounds saved is worth it I think.

Luckily it does not seem to have hurt the TV and laptop, and I haven't got anything that needs to be kept on standby.

Wasn't there a device on Dragons' Den that switched off for you?

Barneysmom

They do the sockets at Argos.......
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500001801&productId=1500513399&langId=-1&engine=froogle&keyword=Standby+Saver+6+Gang+Lead&_$ja=tsid:11527%7Ccc:%7Cprd:0461742%7Ccat:Leads+And+Sockets


I don't know how they work?

MothballsWallet

PlutoinCapricorn - I take it you're not advocating switching off your freezer and./or fridge overnight as they can defrost, affecting your food and also leaving a large amount of water on your floor.

I've had this happen to me when I switched off the wrong socket in the kitchen

PlutoinCapricorn

I meant everything except essential appliances such as the fridge/freezer! But don't forget to adjust the temperature dial when the weather gets colder.

I have pulled out the wrong plug myself on occasion.

supermonkey

robredz wrote: »

Interesting info here regarding annual costs on standby:

http://www.sust-it.net/energy_saving.php?id=55&title=TVonics%20DTR-Z500

Not sure I trust the accuracy of this. Looked under Nintendo Wii. States in use 17w, standy 11w. But then states in use daily cost less than 1p on standby 3p. Doesn't add up!

Cardew

supermonkey wrote: »

Not sure I trust the accuracy of this. Looked under Nintendo Wii. States in use 17w, standy 11w. But then states in use daily cost less than 1p on standby 3p. Doesn't add up!

11w on standby(24/7) is 0.264kWh so approx 3p

Presumably the don't think you will be using the Nintendo Wii all day. At 17w in use you can use it 5 to 6 hours a day for 1p.