Can a switched on empty mains socket use power?
- Thread starter Phil2008
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Soldato
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Your right I knew it wasn't historically LEDs butfor the life of me I couldnt think what it was.
Its possible they use more wattage that neons and the 30-60p per year thing is right I am not sure what amount of energy they require?
and wheres it going to go?
Soldato
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ball lightning will form and hadoken strike you to the face
people seem to think electricity can just flow into the air or something.
if theres nothing to conduct it and create thermal resistance then I don't see it going anywhere
until you plug something in theres no circuit? its like taking a battery and strapping to wires to each end, nothing happens unless you put those 2 wires together and then they start to become very hot.
try it with a paper clip and an aa battery
Soldato
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No, but still, there's no reason for an empty socket to be on. It's just another safety feature.
Its estimated that standby devices cost UK house holders approx £650 million a year and and generate approx 3 million tonnes of C02. Hardly efficient or a good use of our money. Knowing this doesn't stop me leaving my TV on standby, although it probably should.
A similar thing annoys me in my house. The others turn the toaster off at the socket, as it 'uses electricity' when not used. Does my nut in when I try to turn the toaster on and it won't click in place.
They don't understand the thing on the side of the toaster is a big electrical switch.
They don't understand the thing on the side of the toaster is a big electrical switch.
Assuming that's a sarcastic comment... Actually, turning off your gas supply at the meter could save gas. The internal gas pipes in your house aren't required to be 100% gas tight!!
source: I put in all the gas pipes when i refurbished my house and when a gas fitter came round to do a drop test he explained that new pipework must not leak more than 5% and existing must not leak more than 10% - mine leaked 0%
(i think the figures were actually millibars dropped during a 2 minute test, but the percentages are roughly equivalent from memory)
Plenty of 'true engineers' who are idiots, we had one in here last week.
Considering the amount of businesses that leave massive amounts of lights on, I'm personally not concerned about the amount of CO2 produced by leaving my stuff on standby.
Not to say I'm wasteful, I turn off lights all round the house when I'm not using them and I don't have everything running all the time (it costs money, after all) but I'm not going to start reaching round the back of desks, TV units etc to turn things off just to save a few pennies.
Not to mention the fact that most TVs, set-top boxes, routers etc all rely on being on standby overnight so they can get firmware/software updates.
I'm the same, but two wrongs don't make a right
However I do know I should turn all this stuff off, I'm just to lazy to do it and saving £100 a year doesn't seem to make it worthwhile.
Perhaps companies should put more effort into turning off power consuming devices.
I also think your last point is a little bit flimsy.
Because it could easily download updates at any time, hardly worth wasting a nights worth of energy for the unlikely event a software update may happen.
And being to lazy/can't be bothered/not worth my time/etc is not at all legitimate its the truth.
And if your sole reason for not turning off this stuff is not wanting to reach around desks etc get yourself one of these.
http://www.mygreenerhome.co.uk/stan...nel-427.html?zenid=jlmilm1eo7hfbo516ut1sj5ne4
I dont believe OCuK sell them so link should be OK
http://www.mygreenerhome.co.uk/stan...nel-427.html?zenid=jlmilm1eo7hfbo516ut1sj5ne4
I dont believe OCuK sell them so link should be OK
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