Would you ask him how empty sockets are using power? I'm genuinely curious as to what he thinks is happening. Perhaps he misunderstood something he heard about leaving things plugged in on standby (although £50 a year seems like too much for the cost of stuff on standby).
Can a switched on empty mains socket use power?
- Thread starter Phil2008
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It's true. I left an empty socket switched on once and came home to find electricity all over my kitchen floor.
About the only sockets that I can think of that might use power when switched on, but nothing plugged in are the ones with the little neon indicator (IIRC the original kitchen socket in our house had one), or a switch to something like the gas boiler that normally has an indicator light on it.
Otherwise, as has already been said there is no completed circuit if the socket is switched on, but nothing plugged in.
Otherwise, as has already been said there is no completed circuit if the socket is switched on, but nothing plugged in.
As others have said: absolutely impossible. The electricity has no where to flow. Its not possible to have a "leaky" socket (unless the live/neutral are touching, but that'd just cause a short circuit). A tap on the other hand....
I hope for the gas engineer's sake that he was talking about leaving chargers and the like plugged in. Even without a standby light they still draw a small amount of current (as they're transformers, so theres a completed circuit).
I hope for the gas engineer's sake that he was talking about leaving chargers and the like plugged in. Even without a standby light they still draw a small amount of current (as they're transformers, so theres a completed circuit).
The gas engineer said that unused mains sockets that are switched on could be costing about £50 a year extra
Should've told him to stick the gas engineering and leave the electric stuff to someone who know what they're talking about
The gas engineer said that unused mains sockets that are switched on could be costing about £50 a year extra
Heh engineer... 'Fitter'.
Made me laugh in a train full of people. They're still looking at me weirdly.
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Yeah, Though only power lost from resistance in the form of heat on the cable to the plug sockets, and around the ring.
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It's only heavy electricity that can leak out though. Basically it's like being hit with a tonne of invisible lead soup.
I know this because celebrities said it's so, so it must be true.
http://www.gefafwisp.org.uk/
I know this because celebrities said it's so, so it must be true.
http://www.gefafwisp.org.uk/
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That was probably negative electricity that dribbled out of an unplugged kettle, in fact positive electricity is lighter than air so if you did leave a socket unplugged it would be all over your ceiling.
That's why sockets are always near to the ground, so that electricity can rise up the cable and into your TV or fridge.
The gas engineer said that unused mains sockets that are switched on could be costing about £50 a year extra
That's why he's a gas engineer. Don't take electrical advice from a gas engineer.
OMG... The electricity must be puring out, and there's no switch!!
Only one thing to do, stick screwdrivers in the holes to block them up, that should do it..
Warning (under no circumstances EVER stick screwdrivers into a mains socket!!.. It will let all the gas out)
Only one thing to do, stick screwdrivers in the holes to block them up, that should do it..
Warning (under no circumstances EVER stick screwdrivers into a mains socket!!.. It will let all the gas out)
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