Photo Courtesy of SmartHomeUSA.com
With all the talk about lessening your carbon footprint, one of the suggestions is to unplug your computers, televisions, and VCRs. Even when you shut off these electrical appliances, they are still drawing power.
“These ‘phantom’ loads occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances. In the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. This can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance,” according to the Department of Energy.1
Although we all know better, how many people remember to turn off the power strip to their computers when they leave the room? Don’t all raise your hands at once. Even though we are trying to be more environmentally conscious, we just forget. It happens.
Well, some brilliant inventor realized this and created the ultimate energy saver called the Smart Power Strip which is a surge protector and energy saver in one. As its name implies, it know when to power down your electrical appliances so they are no longer drawing power. I saw this handy device on Alternative Consumer, a great consumer oriented website featuring diverse green products ranging from clothes to helpful products for your home. The blog posts are short and sweet and feature some great products. A must read.
Just to give you an example if you leave your computer and assorted peripherals on, according to the product information contained on SmartHomesUSA.com,
“The public has a vast amount of computer peripherals available to them. Most computer systems now have at least a monitor, scanner, printer, DSL/Cable modem and a USB hub. While the computer is turned off, each peripheral still draws an idle current of 50 mA to 400 mA per hour. Multiply that by the number of peripherals you have, and the number of hours you leave them plugged in (usually 24 hours a day, 7 days a week), and you can see how that ‘idle current’ can really add up on your bill! Just a printer and a monitor can draw as much in idle current as a 60-watt light that is on 24/7. Would you leave a 60W or greater lamp on 24 hours a day? …you shut everything off:
If you shut everything off, you will enjoy the benefits of the Smart Strip even more.
1. No more waiting for the computer to turn off.
2. No more bending over to turn off your power strip.
3. All those peripherals that do not have a power switch can now also be turned off.
4. Did you know that all those plug-in transformers have a leakage current? Even if the device that they are attached to is turned off, a transformer has a leakage current of more than 4 watts. The Smart Strip stops leakage current.” I realize after reading this that my DSL/Cable modem is in the basement, and I would never remember to turn it off every night. What about the TV, VCR, and all my other electronic equipment? How much energy am I wasting? Take the smart strip tour to see how this device works. Note, there are different type of smart strip options such as a fax and modem protection and small 7 outlet with phone line protection. Why fret about your energy bill when you can do something about it without lifting a finger?
Source:
1 http://www.energy.gov/applianceselectronics.htm
Next up a UK version that only requires wrist power
Catherine says
June 3, 2008 at 3:10 amGreat advice!!
Peter says
August 1, 2008 at 5:31 pmAn important reminder about a key tool for promoting energy conservation. Thanks for sharing this info!
Costa Mesa Home Electronics says
February 25, 2009 at 3:45 pmThose are some really good tips for people who are trying to go green, I would bet that most people don’t know that their chargers are drawing power ever when they aren’t charging something but it does.
nadine anddanes says
March 14, 2009 at 8:33 pmwhich reminds me, i haven’t watch tv in months, I should go unplug it from the power point. I had no idea 75% of electricity usage was from idle appliances, that’s crazy.