Do electrical devices use electricity whe . . .?

Question

the item is not attached?

For example, if I have my cell phone charger plugged into the wall, but the cell phone is not attached to the charger, am I still using electrcity?

Answer 1

very little because there is nowhere for the electricity to go but what is used will be to light the LED indicator light if it has one. You can save waaaay more on your electric bill, in contrast, by replacing one 60 watt bulb with a 40 watt bulb in a lamp that you may use for just a few seconds a day.

Webmaster is correct. For example, an extension cord plugged in uses no electricity if there is nothing plugged into it. There is nothing 'drawing' the electicity as it is considered an 'open circuit'. Does a lamp plugged in but turned off use electicity? No.

My dad was an industrial electrician for over 40 years.

Answer 2

Energy can neither be created or destroyed (outside of fission and fusion) it is merely converted from one kind to another normally all energy ends up as heat (When you consider machines that vent fluids, here the system should be defined to consider the other room.) A TV set will heat up a room,as will a PC as will the radiant or fan heater. The heater is just better at doing it. Heaters are more efficient and quicker. For the fan heater a small amount of electrical energy is used to transport the hot air directly onto the person creating a thermal gradient and heating the person up faster, for the fan electrical energy is changed into kinetic energy, which in term is converted into heat. While in a TV the electrical energy will mainly be converted to heat, some will be converted to light, when the light hits a wall and is absorbed it will be converted to heat, some will be converted to sound and then to heat. The TV will vent the heat out of the back protecting the workings but not heating any people efficiently. As the heating is not directed much more energy is lost to the environment so the perceived heating effect is much less. So two TV sets will warm up a room but your perception would be that the heater would do it much faster, and as less heat would be lost so higher temperature would be reached.

Answer 3

Yes, the transformer is drawing a slight amount of power. Your microwave, with its digital clock, is drawing power when you are not using it. Your cable or satellite box is drawing power, even if you are not watching TV. Your computer is drawing power to keep the chron working, even if you are not surfing the net. On the other hand, a table or floor lamp is not. I recently read an article about all the electrical vampires our homes have and how much extra electricity we use having these types of things plugged in. I have my cell phone transformers plugged into a power surge strip that I turn off when I am not charging my phones.

Answer 4

I believe only if it has an LED. Any lights still on (even when not in use) like VCR's etc. waste electricity. Best advice from Energy conservationists is to plug all such type items into surge protector and then flip the switch off when not in use. Especially while at work all day or at night while sleeping.

Answer 5

Yes the transformer of the charger is still using electricity.

Answer 6

Not until the cell is in the charger, a contact must be made from the charger to the contacts on the cell phone before any electricity is used.

Answer 7

Yes. You are wasting electricity. Unplug the charger when you aren't charging your phone.

Answer 8

Yes even your
T.V. uses electricity when shot off, the longer a cord the more it waste. electricity is like a river always moving the extra goes into the air, as water vapors do off a river/.

Answer 9

Yes Dear, every t.v. radio or appliance that comes on instantly is useing power. In alternative energy terms its called phantom loads. When your cord less phones laying around not on its stand, the stand is still useing power.
Most t.v. use about $ 3.00 a year not playing.

Answer 10

yep. even when nothing is plugged in the wall electricity is being wasted through the air.