Subscribe by EmailStandby power: Electronics that drain your wallet, even when they’re off
October 20, 2008 by Geeks are Sexy | 6 comments
Some electronic devices keep on drawing power, even when they’re “off.” While some of them have a function, like displaying the time or offering remote control functionalities, most don’t. Typical “vampire” appliances can consume up to 25 watts each, an amount that could make a significant difference in your electricity bill by the end of the year.
To help you understand how much “vampire energy” could cost you, and how you can stop draining useless energy from the power grid, Good Magazine, in association with Nigel Holmes, produced this interesting video explaining everything there is to know about “standby power.” Video after the jump.
[Picture: Good Magazine]
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After looking at the picture posted at the top of the post, I did some research on my model of plasma TV.. On standby power, the Panasonic TH50px75 consumes around $150 of electricity per year…. and my PS3, around $25.
I also noticed that all Plama TVs consumed similar amount of electricity on standby mode..
That’s a good reasons to put your home theater system on a power strip.. just turn it off when you’re done watching your movies.
That is very true. I am thinking about getting the ‘wattson’ to plug in every piece of electronics in my house.
Can you recommend a powerbar that cuts electricity usage when things aren’t on?
Well, a powerbar in itself won’t cut the usage… but you can turn off the powerbar anytime you want, which will prevent power from flowing into your equipment…
What I don’t understand is how useful is unpluging the VCR, TiVo, rechargeable toothbrush, and cordless phone.
Well, For the Tivo and Cordless phone, yes, you’re right.. but once a rechargeable toothbrush has been recharged, the charger doesn’t need to be plugged in anymore.. same for the DVD player or VCR, if you’re not recording or watching anything, no need to have it on.
imagine the amount of saving we would be doing if people were educated, the manufacturers a lil more hard working in implementing small things to reduce power consumption. and most importantly, its up to us individuals to go the last mile.