Typical energy use for a home 'on standby'

JohnB47

I've just been away for five days and recorded the electricity reading before leaving and on returning. While away, the only things running were the fridge freezer (typical family size) and gas central heating, on for one hour per day.

All other items were on standby - router, TV, HDD Recorder, table top Hi Fi unit, cooker, microwave, printer.

The energy used for that period averaged 2 units per day. I did a similar exercise a few weeks ago and the average per day that time was 2.33 units. (I think I had the central heating on for longer per day that time - we were having a cold snap).

My electricity meter does not have a decimal point, so I realise that the readings aren't very accurate.

Anyway, is 2 or 2.33 units of electricity normal for that sort of usage? 2Kw per day seems a bit high to me.

Not worried, just curious.

ajbell

A fridge and freezer could use 1 -2 kwh per day.

PennineAcute

I rack up between 2 and 2.5 when I am on holiday.

This was from last year's holiday.


[IMG]https://andylittlewood.co.uk/images/Screenshot from 2019-02-21 16-36-56.png[/IMG]

Swipe

Around 2kwh is pretty normal

[Deleted User]

Why even leave anything on standby ? I always switch the lot off at the plug, even router.The health n safety people suggest TV s on standby are a fire hazard.
https://www.cotswoldjournal.co.uk/news/8238978.leaving-tv-on-standby-increases-fire-risk-householders-warned/

matelodave

Our standby is around 3kwh a day in the summer when we go away. Thats for a large upright fridge, upright freezer, router, Sky box plus some powerline units, a security camera and couple of electric clocks.

Everything else is shut off - nothing on standby, not even the cooker or microwave

Cardew

Houbara wrote: »

https://www.cotswoldjournal.co.uk/news/8238978.leaving-tv-on-standby-increases-fire-risk-householders-warned/

What rubbish some of these articles contain. For instance from the above:

The county fire service says that not only will turning off your TV save you money - standby uses 80 per cent of a TV’s power - but will help protect families from fire.

A TV will use typically around 100 watts and on standby less than 1 watt; my latest TV uses 81watts and 0.3watts on standby. Every TV set I have had for the last 30 years(including CRT) had a standby consumption of less than 1 watt. The 80% figure might have applied to TVs 50 years ago when they had valves that needed to warm up.


I suspect most people leave on their PVR e.g Sky box when on holiday, increasingly modern TVs have an internal PVR.


By all means switch off your TV when on holiday but electricity goes to many other destinations that could be a 'fire risk'. e.g. doorbell, all light switches and sockets, fridges, phones, burglar alarm, outside security lighting, Central heating boiler, electric garage door, etc etc

wavelets

Cardew wrote: »

What rubbish some of these articles contain. For instance from the above:


A TV will use typically around 100 watts and on standby less than 1 watt; my latest TV uses 81watts and 0.3watts on standby. Every TV set I have had for the last 30 years(including CRT) had a standby consumption of less than 1 watt. The 80% figure might have applied to TVs 50 years ago when they had valves that needed to warm up.


I suspect most people leave on their PVR e.g Sky box when on holiday, increasingly modern TVs have an internal PVR.


By all means switch off your TV when on holiday but electricity goes to many other destinations that could be a 'fire risk'. e.g. doorbell, all light switches and sockets, fridges, phones, burglar alarm, outside security lighting, Central heating boiler, electric garage door, etc etc

To be fair, that article was written in June 2010
It was only in 2010 that the law was changed to reduce power consumption of new products left on standby to a maximum of 1 watt.. By the figures you quote, my guess is that your TV was built after 2013 when the requirements were made even more stringent.

[Deleted User]

https://www.thegreenage.co.uk/the-cost-of-leaving-appliances-in-standby-mode/
plenty of people have got aging tellys, me included . This "load of rubbish " from the Energy Saving Trust suggests that from a typical electric bill of £500 as much as 9-16% is wasted with leaving appliances on standby..approx £80
They also say a Sky HD box and a 10 year old TV uses 12 w on standby ..

wavelets

Houbara wrote: »

https://www.thegreenage.co.uk/the-cost-of-leaving-appliances-in-standby-mode/
plenty of people have got aging tellys, me included . This "load of rubbish " from the Energy Saving Trust suggests that from a typical electric bill of £500 as much as 9-16% is wasted with leaving appliances on standby..approx £80
They also say a Sky HD box and a 10 year old TV uses 12 w on standby ..

The article itself is almost 6 years old now.

Swipe

Houbara wrote: »

Why even leave anything on standby ? I always switch the lot off at the plug, even router.

Not a good idea switching off your router as it will slow down your broadband speed. The exchange will lower your IP profile thinking there are problems on the line every time the router goes off.