Does keeping an electronic item on standby consume a lot of power?
By Pitstop
@pitstop (15551)
Australia
March 13, 2008 9:15pm CST
I read somewhere that leaving TV sets, microwaves, music systems on standby ends up consuming a lot of power in the long run and causes a lot of electricity wastage.
I did an internet search and found this article in BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4620350.stm
Also some more interesting links
http://www.powerint.com/greenroom/faqs.htm
http://www.aceee.org/pubs/a981.htm
I stopped using the standby mode and actually found my electricity bill a little lower.
You should do that too.
I hope this discussion helps to reduce power consumption and lessens wastage!
1 person likes this
3 responses
I'll unplug all unnecessary appliances when they are not needed. It would surely be beneficial to save even by a bit 
@msmargo (361)
• United States
14 Mar 08
This post is very timely what with all the talk about conservation. The power drain of unused appliances is called "vampire". Kind of creepy. Who knew that a turned off TV is still on the grid. I am all for saving energy because I hate giving my hard earned $ to the greedy utility companies. My live in bf just does not get it. I am always following him around unplugging phone chargers, coffee makers, hair dryers, etc. I was thrilled when those new light bulbs came out. Thought it was a relatively easy way to save energy and I have been able to find them relatively inexpensively. I have even warmed to the funky look. Anything to save a buck and energy. But bf read somewhere on the internet that the new bulbs are dangerous because of the mercury. I have found several articles refuting the danger, but he is not convinced. Does anyone else have a drama queen in their life? That's another subject.
3 people like this
@mnsrwt123 (2057)
• India
18 Mar 08
Well, i think it doesn't consume a lot of power, but it just a waste of electricity if you are not using it... And you can easily find out the rating in each of the electrical appliances, its just shown in the manual that how much it require when its in standby mode, and when its in use,,,
Keep posting!!!
2 people like this
@drknlvly6781 (6246)
• United States
15 Mar 08
Something else you may not know, appliances that don't have a standby mode can take up electricity too. Like the toaster or the coffee maker, even though they are off, they still take in a small current of electricity. Even your cell phone charger, even if the cell phone isn't currently charging, will take a small current, so its best to unplug everything after using it, if it isn't necessary to have it plugged in.
1 person likes this
@drknlvly6781 (6246)
• United States
16 Mar 08
Yeah, don't I know it. I get yelled at at least once a week for the cell phone charger lol.
1 person likes this
