Body & Soul1 min ago
Electricity Standby Costs
25 Answers
I always switch my tv off on the set, to save electricity. However I heard on the radio today that other things left plugged in also use electrcity. I mentioned microwave ovens and mobile phone chargers, laptop chargers, etc. I also have paper shredder, electric 800W fire kettle, washing machine, tumble drier, dishwasher. Can anyone tell me if any of these things actually addd to electricity costs. I always assumed that it was only on tv standby that could use electricity.
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Ah yes, Vampire devices (google it). Some good advice in No 8 here:
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'ere, I've done it for you:
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There are 24 x 365 hours in a year = 8760.
A device using 1 watt (typical TV on standby) will use 8.76 units (KWH) a year. Check the cost of electricity from your supplier and multiply that by 8.76 to see how many pence per year it will cost you.
Devices which have a display (eg, microwave) will use a tiny amount of power, things such as phone chargers even less. Things like paper shredders, washing machines will use none.
I don't know where some of these people estimating the annual cost are getting their numbers from.
A device using 1 watt (typical TV on standby) will use 8.76 units (KWH) a year. Check the cost of electricity from your supplier and multiply that by 8.76 to see how many pence per year it will cost you.
Devices which have a display (eg, microwave) will use a tiny amount of power, things such as phone chargers even less. Things like paper shredders, washing machines will use none.
I don't know where some of these people estimating the annual cost are getting their numbers from.
The report suggests up to 25% of the UK's power consumption is "Vampire power".
My leccy consumption is about 3,600 kWh annually. Going on the report, around 900 kWh of this could be vampire power. This means I have devices which are not being used but which, between them are drawing around 100w of power, all day, every day. I don't think I have.
My leccy consumption is about 3,600 kWh annually. Going on the report, around 900 kWh of this could be vampire power. This means I have devices which are not being used but which, between them are drawing around 100w of power, all day, every day. I don't think I have.
As bhg481 indicates, the savings to be made from not leaving appliances on standby are actually quite minimal, often only adding up to a pound or two per year for each device.
However, even though it's not on your list, one device that tends to be on 'standby', even though it appears to be 'off', is an inkjet printer. Simply placing a portable radio next to a printer when it's theoretically 'off' can result in a lot of interference on the radio, showing that there's electrical activity from within the printer. (i.e. even though it appears to be 'off', it's actually only on 'standby').
While I'm mentioning radios, it's worth noting that receiving DAB stations typically uses 14 times the power of receiving FM ones. So, if you're really trying to save money and you can choose between listening to your favourite station on FM or DAB, always go for the FM option.
However, even though it's not on your list, one device that tends to be on 'standby', even though it appears to be 'off', is an inkjet printer. Simply placing a portable radio next to a printer when it's theoretically 'off' can result in a lot of interference on the radio, showing that there's electrical activity from within the printer. (i.e. even though it appears to be 'off', it's actually only on 'standby').
While I'm mentioning radios, it's worth noting that receiving DAB stations typically uses 14 times the power of receiving FM ones. So, if you're really trying to save money and you can choose between listening to your favourite station on FM or DAB, always go for the FM option.
^^^ I think the point here is, Paigntonian, that simply 'switching something off' doesn't always result in it ceasing to use electricity.
In my inkjet printer example above, for example, I'd be prepared to bet that nearly everyone who owns one thinks that it's not consuming any power when it's notionally 'off'. However the 'portable radio test' shows that many (most? all?) such printers actually only go into standby mode when they're 'turned off'. So the only way to prevent them from using any electricity at all (even if it's only a small amount) is to unplug them.
In my inkjet printer example above, for example, I'd be prepared to bet that nearly everyone who owns one thinks that it's not consuming any power when it's notionally 'off'. However the 'portable radio test' shows that many (most? all?) such printers actually only go into standby mode when they're 'turned off'. So the only way to prevent them from using any electricity at all (even if it's only a small amount) is to unplug them.
^^^ Yes, Sharon, routers constantly use energy but not a lot. At a typical 6 watts, they'll use 0.006 x 24 x 365 kWh per year = 52.56 kWh. With each kWh costing around 30p on a typical tariff, that's £15.77 per year for a typical router.
However there can be quite a bit of variation in the power requirements of routers. Most TP-Link models, for example, use under the 6 watts that I've used in my example above. Many TP-Link routers only cost around a tenner a year to run, with some costing not much more than two quid per annum.
Given that it takes an ISP's system quite some time (often several days) to adjust the signal it sends out to a router to the best possible speed, it's definitely best to leave a router permanently plugged in and connected to the internet.
However there can be quite a bit of variation in the power requirements of routers. Most TP-Link models, for example, use under the 6 watts that I've used in my example above. Many TP-Link routers only cost around a tenner a year to run, with some costing not much more than two quid per annum.
Given that it takes an ISP's system quite some time (often several days) to adjust the signal it sends out to a router to the best possible speed, it's definitely best to leave a router permanently plugged in and connected to the internet.
Best Option - easy to manage and printer will handle the details:
Leave the printer on and let it take care of itself. Energy Saving Mode uses so little power that you likely won't detect the load unless you are using an application to track by kilowatt (yes, this is a thing and some people track power usage by each partial kilowatt).
Occasionally, particularly if the printer is not being used on a regular basis, the printer must perform self-maintenance to keep the ink system healthy and ready to use.
Leave the printer on and let it take care of itself. Energy Saving Mode uses so little power that you likely won't detect the load unless you are using an application to track by kilowatt (yes, this is a thing and some people track power usage by each partial kilowatt).
Occasionally, particularly if the printer is not being used on a regular basis, the printer must perform self-maintenance to keep the ink system healthy and ready to use.
a microwave, at £16 a year, seems particularly expensive to leave on and is probably one of the easiest to turn off.
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