Do you know about "phantom" power? If so, what are you doing about it?

Question

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/10/30/vampire.electronics.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Answer 1

If you are looking for some information on myths, and energy saving ideas, here is a link to a space that will help and has many other links:

http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/general.html#phantom

Hope that this will help any who read. My wife and I are trying to use some of these ideas, within reason, to help with our utility bills. We have an all "electric " home.

Good luck and good hunting!

Answer 2

Yes I have, I did not know it was labelled phantom power, but I guessed by the name that it was the use of electricity by unseemingly small useage electronic gadgets, especially when they are on standby. we have so many in our homes that they account for some ridiculous % of our total energy useage. We think a TV on standyby is using nothing, when it is using a fair amount, especially when combined with all other appliances on standby.
I turn off everything, no more standby. I do not leave my computer on if I will be away for more than 20 minutes, and I tell other people to do the same - no more standby, if you can see a light on, it's using electricity.

Answer 3

I question that it is 5%. I say it is more like 1% or less. I can look at my electric meter and see how fast that disk is turning, and when I don't have some big power hog on, like an electric oven or air conditioner, it is barely moving. But turn on anything big, like the A/C, and it spins like a top. Way WAY more than 20 times faster. I turn off my computer when not using it, but I don't unplug it. I don't just leave my cell phone plugged into the charger when I am not using it, I just plug it in when it is low and take it off when it is full. But I don't do that to save power. I just do it.

Answer 4

Most of my electronics are plugged into power strips so when they are not in use I just turn off the whole power strip. I had an argument with some dimwits recently that told me what I'm doing is not considered conservation and that I'm just wasting my time.. how sad.

Answer 5

In the UK we've been talking about this for ages, phone chargers left on, TVs left on standby.

In the UK, if everyone turned thier phone chargers off when not using them then the national grid could do without one of thier nuclear power stations.

There is European legislation proposed to remove the standby function from TVs, if it goes through it wuld probably have a global effect. fingers crossed.

I've gone to the lengths of hiding Mum's remote! she is incapable of breaking the habit.

Answer 6

No, tell me about it, so I can do something.