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| Photo by grendelkhan |
Not all electronics fall into this category, but anything with an internal clock, timer, standby mode, memory, or a little light can be sucking power even when you aren't using it. In order to avoid this unwanted draw, you can unplug appliances when they aren't needed or put them on a power strip and turn off the red switch. Flipping the switch on a power strip breaks the circuit so no more energy is being drawn while simply turning the item off often still allows it to use power.
Some items, like a DVR, need to be left on continuously to work and others, like a microwave, have a clock that you don't want to always be resetting. You can get around this by plugging all the other components of your entertainment system into a power strip and plugging the DVR in separately so it doesn't get turned off with the rest. You could easily save 25 watts per hour with this simple step, or $20 per year on your entertainment system alone.
If you want to get advanced at identifying and eliminating phantom loads, you can use a little device called a Kill-a-Watt meter that you plug your electronics into to see how much they are drawing in real time. There are several available for check-out through the Whatcom Library system. If you're looking for a low-tech solution, here's a list of some of the biggest offenders to start with:
* Power supplies and battery chargers
* VCRs, DVD players, and most audio systems
* TVs, home cinema suites, and Set-top boxes
* Microwave ovens
* Computers, digital monitors, and printers
* Devices with "Instant on" functions, remote control receivers, or standby modes
* Devices with a stand-by light or clock
* Power adapters, whether they are powering a device or not
* Most home video game consoles
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