Standby Buttons on Household appliances

thescouselander

Cardew wrote: »

Well this is the official government website on electrical safety.

http://www.firekills.gov.uk/electrical/01.htm

There is nothing there about standby being a danger.

The potential danger from an electrical fire hazard point of view is the cabling and plugs - shorting etc.

We have 240 voltage wiring going to our light switches, and sockets which it is impossible to disconnect short(pun) of switching off all electricity to the house.

What about a fridge, freezer, burglar alarm, alarm clocks, video timers, cookers, mains powered smoke alarms, door bells, security lights etc etc.

A red herring methinks.

Thats a very good point. I have a mains powered smoke alarm so should I leave it on or should I switch it off in case it bursts into flames. Also, if it did suddenly burst into flames do you think it would still go off to alert me to the fire?

headcoat

This was even mentioned on Coronation Street last night!!!

Cardew

headcoat wrote: »

This was even mentioned on Coronation Street last night!!!

That settles it then! Ena Sharples or Ken Barlow?

If it was East Enders or Big Brother I might not be so convinced, but Coronation Street well!!

more_money_for_me

moonrakerz wrote: »

Wow ! a REALLY impartial person to pontificate on this subject.

From what I have seen he is a generally well respected figure in environmental circles. Can any of us claim to be "impartial", we all have a view. Perhaps what you meant is that you don't agree with his views?

Cardew

more_money_for_me wrote: »

From what I have seen he is a generally well respected figure in environmental circles. Can any of us claim to be "impartial", we all have a view. Perhaps what you meant is that you don't agree with his views?

Well respected or not, are his views are really relevant on this discussion?

The facts are quite simple. Standby consumption is tiny - pence per year on TVs. Armed with accurate information, as opposed to misinformation, it is simply a personal decision if people want to use that facility or not.

Al Gore is perhaps the most widely ‘respected’(loudest?) of those making a living from spreading the Green [STRIKE]hysteria[/STRIKE] message, yet he feels it appropriate to have a large heated swimming pool, a huge electricity bill for one of his many properties, and use private jets.

moonrakerz

more_money_for_me wrote: »

Perhaps what you meant is that you don't agree with his views?

If all he can suggest to save the planet is to ban Standby buttons and some of the other stupid statements I've heard him spout - no I don't agree with him !

dounome

ollyk wrote: »

Have you any statistics as to the number of fires caused by failed standby circuits? I would be interested to know whether the failed equipment was branded or not...

Apologies for not being up on the stats but i know from experience i personally have been to a fire on xmas day last year where the tv was left on stand by and over heated, (im told it uses 80% of popwer on stand by) the poor girls flat was gutted and she was in rented accomodation for about 5 months.

dounome

Cardew wrote: »

Well this is the official government website on electrical safety.

http://www.firekills.gov.uk/electrical/01.htm

There is nothing there about standby being a danger.

The potential danger from an electrical fire hazard point of view is the cabling and plugs - shorting etc.

We have 240 voltage wiring going to our light switches, and sockets which it is impossible to disconnect short(pun) of switching off all electricity to the house.

What about a fridge, freezer, burglar alarm, alarm clocks, video timers, cookers, mains powered smoke alarms, door bells, security lights etc etc.

A red herring methinks.

see previous post

dounome

dounome wrote: »

see previous post[/QUOTEIm no expert but i think all these things you mentioned are designed to be left on unattended for as long as is necessary with very little danger of overheating.
The problem with tvs on standby is that there is real risk of overheating and catching fire as happened to the girl on xmas day, the problem is not with using standby but with using it while unattended or going to bed which is what this girl did.
I can guarantee you if she hadnt woken up to go to the toilet we would have been recovering two bodies because her smoke alarm had the battery removed.
This is no red herring me thinks

more_money_for_me

moonrakerz wrote: »

If all he can suggest to save the planet is to ban Standby buttons and some of the other stupid statements I've heard him spout - no I don't agree with him !

Thats fair enough, but what I haven't seen on this thread is any better suggestions for how we might improve things.