Unplugged!

We are so used to plugging things in and leaving them there, but even off, plugged in items draw energy. We need to unplug appliances, electronics, etc., as much as possible to conserve energy. What I've done is do what I can an electronic audit, going room and room and deciding what needs to be plugged in and what doesn't.

I have a lot of stuff on a surge protector. When I don't need the items, I switch off the protector.

I hear you. We have surge protectors plugged into every used outlet in the house, and no appliances directly in the wall except for the freezer, stove, and fridge. Everything else, from computers to small electronics, gets shut off from the grid at bedtime. Every room gets shut off when we go to bed, no excuses.

Makes a pretty big difference in the utility bill too. *smile* Depending on your lifestyle, just doing that one thing can save an average of $50 a month! My average savings was about $30 a month, but we don't ave much plugged in all the time to worry about.

[QUOTE=WaffleStomp;872]I have a lot of stuff on a surge protector. When I don't need the items, I switch off the protector.[/QUOTE]

That's a pretty good chunk of change there Dementyia! I was brought up to unplug things that aren't in use in the house. It seems to me that I'm the one who is always going around and unplugging the toaster and etc., and then of course shutting off all of the lights, closing the doors to rooms no one is in and things like that. I'm glad you brought this tip up Orry'!!

I was pretty amazed to find out how much I would save that way as well.

There's a power strip that does something similar for you automatically called the SmartStrip tat plugs into the wall and has a control slot where your main machine plugs in, and all the extras that work with that machine plug into the other plugs. When the "control" appliance shuts off, it automatically shuts off everything else on the strip.

Kind of handy if you have family that will forget to flip a switch on a normal power strip, and still lets the main appliance draw it's phantom load, but it's better than having everything on all the time. *smiles & shrugs*

Really? I never knew it would still draw power, I always leave my cell phone charger plugged in behind my bed, this way I ccan have the cord to it on my nightstand always, but I will not unplug it at night!

Wow, that is good to know. I will start unplugging my small appliances to see if it makes a difference, I have my coffee maker, toaster oven, and microwave always plugged in.

I can't see how appliances would draw power if they are not being used? Wouldn't all that power just cause a short or something? If you did not use your coffee maker for a week, what would happend to all that power that it has drawn?

Almost all devices still draw power when plugged in, even when not doing anything useful. Normally the amount of power they consume is quite low though until you actually dock the device and start charging from it.

Switching to power stips that you shut off nightly even draw power, its still plugged into the wall!

The amount of power that something small, like a cell phone charger, uses is minimal. Expect a 3-5 cent difference per month

From what I remember in my technology class, without anything plugged in its not making a cirtcuit, and thus uses 0 power so I don't know if these claims are true. It would also depend if its AC or DC power too.