TV standby

in TV MoneySaving
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CacranCacran Forumite
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My tv is left on standby along with my Virgin Tivo box and internet modem.
As we are looking to save on energy bills, can I switch them all off at the wall overnight, or will it cause any harm?
Keep on trucking!
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  • edited 29 April 2022 at 8:01PM
    Neil_JonesNeil_Jones Forumite
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    edited 29 April 2022 at 8:01PM
    TV yes.
    TIVO Box maybe, depends whether you schedule any overnight recordings.  If you power off, those won't happen.

    Internet Router - not worth powering off, it costs peanuts to run as it is.
  • Rodders53Rodders53 Forumite
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    A fairly modern TV is likely less than 0.5 W in standby. 

    Router: depends on Brand/model:  likely 6-10 Watts - power off overnight if you have no need of smart features overnight...  Say, 10 hours x10W = 36.500 kWh per annum x 30p = £10 a year saved.
    TV at 0.5 W for the same 10 hours a day, = 1.825 kWh per annum =  55 p at 30p/kWh.

    Tivo box in standby is relatively power hungry (like $ky boxes).  Later V6 boxes are better.  Tivo is in excess of 10 Watts... so the same £10 pa costing applies.  But do beware the issue of recordings being made if powering off overnight.
    https://hackingathome.com/2017/11/02/power-usage-of-virgin-tivo-v6-tv-box-and-superhub/

    Of course longer overnight off times could save more electricity and money.

    Switch items on and off at the mains regularly can cause electronic components to fail.  Ensuring they are powered to standby first is best practice.
  • gill5bluegill5blue Forumite
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    I decided to turn off my tv for the 20 hours a day I don't watch it, and have massively reduced my electric usage. My tv is supposed to used a small amount when it is on standby, but it uses a lot- I have a smart meter so can monitor the usage.
    I would suggest switch it off and compare your usage.
    gill5blue
    pay all debts off 2023-No 30 paid £1260.76/£7941
    Food (jan) Budget 2023- £239.45/£240
    Food(feb) Budget 2023- £252.78/£240
    Food (Mar) Budget 2023- £229.31/£300
  • SpiesSpies Forumite
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    gill5blue said:
    I decided to turn off my tv for the 20 hours a day I don't watch it, and have massively reduced my electric usage. My tv is supposed to used a small amount when it is on standby, but it uses a lot- I have a smart meter so can monitor the usage.
    I would suggest switch it off and compare your usage.
    gill5blue
    What's a lot then? If you have a smart meter you should be able to see exactly how much it shoots up by when its in standby?
    4.29kWp Solar system, 45/55 South/West split in cloudy rainy Cumbria. 
  • gill5bluegill5blue Forumite
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    so switching my tv on from off(not standby) my meter went from 0.02p per hour to 0.07p per hour
    and from72 kWh to 250 kWh 
    so switching my tv to standby my meter reads 0.04 and 130 kwh 
    hth
    gill5blue
    pay all debts off 2023-No 30 paid £1260.76/£7941
    Food (jan) Budget 2023- £239.45/£240
    Food(feb) Budget 2023- £252.78/£240
    Food (Mar) Budget 2023- £229.31/£300
  • SpiesSpies Forumite
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    60w standby power is nuts, however you do realise some TV's take about 5 minutes to enter true standby?

    My Panasonic does this.
    4.29kWp Solar system, 45/55 South/West split in cloudy rainy Cumbria. 
  • HumberFlyerHumberFlyer Forumite
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    My TV uses 0.3w on standby.....equal to 3300 hours (137 days on standby for 24 hours a day)  to use one unit of leccy
  • jon81ukjon81uk Forumite
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    EU law is it can't use more than 0.5W on standby, check the TV settings that it is going into full standby. Also its likely that turning it on at the wall doesn't go into standby, it turns it on, the TV boots up and then settles down into standby.
  • dave296565880dave296565880 Forumite
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    I have a BT Hub 6 which uses 9w when it is on. I currently switch it off at night and was wondering if there is an automatic way of switching it off.
  • giraffe69giraffe69 Forumite
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    Switching it off at night is likely to lower your speed when it is turned back on so for the tiny saving may not be worthwhile. You could always get a plug to turn it off at some time but it would take a long time to recoup the outlay.
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