2006-12-19 05:31:42 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment
I just got my third electricity bill! When i first moved here I had a cot and a tiny black and white TV. Nothing else. Now a have lamps and a TV in every room including the kitchen. Sometimes ...well..I never turn anything off when I leave the room. My first and second bill were $23.00 give or take a few cents. This months bill is $84.00! What the heck happened!
2006-12-19 05:37:55 · answer #1 · answered by Adrienne C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The last episode of mythbusters that I saw measured the power consumption of lights over an hour and the consumption when the lights are turned on.
They tested a bunch of lightbulbs, did some math, and came up with lengths of time for the "break even point" of energy use.
For most of the bulbs it was under 1 second, ie if you were going to be out of the room for 0.5 seconds, leave it on. For the big giant fluorescent tubes, it was 20 seconds. The take home point was that you're not saving energy by leaving them on.
They also measured the effect on the life span of the bulbs by turning them on and off every 2 minutes. It still took 6 weeks for the bulbs to blow from that stress, bringing us back to just turn them off when you're not in the room.
2006-12-19 13:53:56 · answer #2 · answered by John V 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Five years ago California had an energy crisis and they asked everyone to conserve and I did. I unplugged everything that would maintain a small lite even when you turned the item off. Micro waive, TV Box etc. I plugged everything back in only upon use. The energy crisis lasted just long enough for me to of acquire a habit. This was around Christmas and I did have a Tree that year so I decided 2 hour limit for the lights and basically sat by the light of the TV after that Christmas.
In April my escrow finally closed on my house and I did myself a favor and went out and bought a bunch of the energy saving lights bulbs that are suppose to last for five years. It will be 5 years this April and only one recently has burned out.
I am saving $$$
2006-12-19 14:09:08 · answer #3 · answered by Plain Jane 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have always gotten into the habit of turning everything off when I leave a room. I know the electric bill is not going down that much, but have just gotten into the habit over the years. I even do it at work, and I don't pay that bill at all.
2006-12-19 13:40:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turning lights off when you leave a room simply saves electricity. There is no surge of power if that's what you have heard. However you've probably noticed that lights only burn out when you turn them on. Depending on when type of bulb you have you may save your bulb by leaving it on. Flourescent and mercury vapor lights last longer if they are left on.
2006-12-19 13:43:10 · answer #5 · answered by Save the Fish 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are using ordinary tungsten bulbs it is always better to turn them off when you leave a room, as no extra power is taken up on turning them back on again. The arguments arises when you discuss fluorescent tubes. I have heard it argued both ways - that since it takes power to warm them up, it's better to leave them on and vice versa, that the power used to turn them on is not equaled by that wasted when they are left on.
2006-12-19 13:43:46 · answer #6 · answered by rdenig_male 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
saw it on mythbusters, you are ALWAYS better off, and its ALWAYS cheaper to turn them off, even if you are only leaving the room for a few seconds.
2006-12-19 13:54:58 · answer #7 · answered by fighterace26 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋