Sounds like an obvious question, but I have had many different answers. Is it wasting energy? Is it giving out stray current? Would it be dangerous if water was accidentally splashed onto thesocket? Is it still contributing to global warming and the melting of the polar ice caps?
2007-01-26 23:15:06 · 23 answers · asked by The Global Geezer 7 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
It is not wasting energy unless it is powering something, either something switched on connected to it, or a light to say it is on.
If water was spilt onto it, and water connected the positive and negative, it would make a connection, as water is a conductor, but this should trip the switch, or blow the fuse normally near your meter, breaking the fuse, or tripping the switch, would prevent energy reaching any socket on the same loop, until either the fuse was replaced, or the tripped switch was switched on again.
2007-01-26 23:39:23 · answer #1 · answered by DoctressWho 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Respectfully, you have to have a source for the electricity to pass through. With no plug, there can be no electricity going through the socket. Since there is no action until you plug it into the plug, there is no possibility of stray current and you haven't contributed to global warming and the melting of the polar ice caps.
2007-01-26 23:27:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
All circuits effectively use no current when switched off. However in reality the resistance between poles or to earth must never be less than half of one meg ohm (0.5 M Ohms) in any standard house wiring installation.
So assuming you have the minimum Resistance an following ohms law Volts = Current X Resistance. we know the voltage and the Resistance so V/R = current. you have a small leakage current of 0.00048A.
This Means a wattage can be calculated by Volts x Current = Watts. so 240 x 0.00048 = 0.1152Watts of leakage current whether the switch is on or off for your whole installation.
Which finally means worst case scenario you use 1 Unit on your electricity meter every 8680.5 Hours or per year.
Finally don't put water in a socket unless its distilled water which does not conduct because it contains no salts which are the current carrying component of water ( they also give the taste)
2007-01-26 23:47:58 · answer #3 · answered by hoegaarden_drinker 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It relies upon on the using. some abode equipment at the same time as plugged in (which contain TVs) will eat a small quantity of electrical energy in stand-by technique of mode. notwithstanding some thing like a basic, received't eat any electrical energy except that's switched on. commonly in the adventure that your equipment isn't became on no electrical energy will bypass, inspite of the activate the plug being on.
2016-12-03 02:46:31 · answer #4 · answered by duperne 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The circuit is still a open circuit at the socket. Put a finger, a light bulb, water, anything which conducts electric into the socket, closes the circuit. Then the current will flow. Your light will light or you will get shocked.
2007-01-26 23:31:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No - no completed circuit - no current drain. Therefore no contribution to global warming, no contribution to the melting of icecaps.
However water poured on to it could create a circuit with it and whatever else in in contact with the water - dangerous indeed.
2007-01-26 23:20:09 · answer #6 · answered by stgoodric 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There is no electricity going any further than the socket. On or Off..It is good practise and safer to keep unused or not used at present time sockets turned OFF...Also Water and Electricity doesn't mix..
2007-01-26 23:22:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No it is not using electricity, it requires an additional item to be plugged in and switched on to complete the circuit, pouring enough water on it would probably blow a fuse and cut of the supply.
2007-01-26 23:22:22 · answer #8 · answered by BobC 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If it has a neon type light in it ,it is using power other wise no.If you leave a phone charger plugged in but its not charging a phone it is still using a fraction of power ,and water slashed into socket ,a big NO.
2007-01-26 23:26:33 · answer #9 · answered by gaffey1711 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not quite an answer to your question, but possibly amusing.
When No.1 son was at university he rang me late one night. He was doing some sort of power consumption survey. He told me he'd turned off and unplugged everything but the wheel on the meter was still going around. Did I have any idea why?
When I asked if he was using a torch, he said "No, I . . ." then there was a pause while the penny dropped, followed by "Ah . . ."
2007-01-27 01:44:18 · answer #10 · answered by champer 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋