Thread: Using Smart Power Strips to reduce standby power loss

It goes by many names -

standby power, phantom load, leaking power, or vampire power.

This refers to the electric power used by devices while in standby mode. There are several articles about how much power is really used by devices in standby mode. With advances in modern electronics this number is really low for devices in households today. However when all household say in the US are considered collectively, this is a significant amount of power wasted.

Power in standby mode is used by everything from clocks on devices to that little red light that shows the device is on standby mode.

To get a true value of how much power is used by a device while in standby mode, the best place to check is the manufacturers website.

I realize it is more convenient to leave a tv or any other electronic device on standby for a quick resume. I am not saying we are lazy, but hey! this is the reason remote controls were invented right? Some devices also take a while to sync back up when powered on from a complete shut down, for example cable boxes. Now that I think about it, many devices are now built to remain on standby and ideally not power off completely. And we are not talking about just modems and other devices that need to stay on.



Speaking of remote controls, a remote controlled power strip could offer the convenience of powering on devices from a distance, while allowing you to completely power off your electronic devices thus not using any power.

There are a few products on the market worth looking into. A simple Google search of smart power strips, or remote controlled power strips should yeild some results. Some products even promise a ROI within weeks.

If you are serious about saving a much money on your electric usage and do not want to contribute to the waste. If you have a The Energy Detective (TED) device, you can even do a before and after view of your power savings with the use of a smart power strip that reduces "vampire power" in your household.