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{{ | [[File:IMG 4207.jpg|thumb|A CRT TV and a wall wart plugged into power strip]] | ||
{{TOC|right}} | |||
'''Phantom loads''' sometimes referred to as standby power or leaking [[electricity]], are a truly scary animal, they are the power sucked (aka consumed) by supposedly switched off devices. | '''Phantom loads''' sometimes referred to as standby power or leaking [[electricity]], are a truly scary animal, they are the power sucked (aka consumed) by supposedly switched off devices. | ||
Many of the appliances in homes today consume power when they are turned off. These include microwaves, stereos, VCRs and television sets. | Many of the appliances in homes today consume power when they are turned off. These include microwaves, stereos, VCRs and television sets. The phantom load can be caused by inefficiencies in converting AC into DC [[electricity]], by indicator lights like clocks on VCRs, or by standby power use such as that used for electronic memory or a remote. | ||
For any single appliance the phantom load is never that large (the most inefficient designs draw 15-20 [[Power and energy basics|watts]] [http://www.sustainability.ca/index.cfm?body=SourceView.cfm&ID=440]), however when factored over all of the appliances in a country like the U.S. the load can come to billions of watts. | For any single appliance the phantom load is never that large (the most inefficient designs draw 15-20 [[Power and energy basics|watts]] [http://www.sustainability.ca/index.cfm?body=SourceView.cfm&ID=440]), however when factored over all of the appliances in a country like the U.S. the load can come to billions of watts. | ||
==Examples== | == Examples == | ||
=== Anything with a wall wart === | |||
A wall wart is an AC/DC transformers, commonly used for: | A wall wart is an AC/DC transformers, commonly used for: | ||
===Anything with a clock=== | * Chargers | ||
* Phones | |||
* Miscellaneous electronic toys | |||
=== Anything with a clock === | |||
Do you really need to know that it is 12:00, over and over again (it is only right twice a day)? | Do you really need to know that it is 12:00, over and over again (it is only right twice a day)? | ||
===TV=== | === TV === | ||
A standard digital HD cable box uses about 28 watts in the off/ standby mode. <ref>http://ase.org/resources/day-life</ref> | Back in the 80s people had to wait 5, 10 sometimes even 30 seconds for their TV image to fully appear. That might have been okay back in those slow days, but life is quicker now. In order for a [[CRT]]{{w|CRT}} image to appear immediately the CRT voltage (and sometimes heat) is often kept high and waiting, and in the process often consumes 15 W. That means that some households pay more to have their TV off, than on. | ||
A standard digital HD cable box uses about 28 watts in the off/ standby mode.<ref>http://ase.org/resources/day-life</ref> | |||
An HD DVR unit from major cable companies can use between 30 - 48 watts when in the off/standby position, if your DVR unit is on standby for 12 hours a day this would mean yearly that your DVR is consuming between 131.4 and 191.4 kWh a year, or 20-26 dollars a year! | An HD DVR unit from major cable companies can use between 30 - 48 watts when in the off/standby position, if your DVR unit is on standby for 12 hours a day this would mean yearly that your DVR is consuming between 131.4 and 191.4 kWh a year, or 20-26 dollars a year! | ||
===Desktop=== | === Desktop === | ||
=== Laptop === | |||
== Costs == | |||
=== | === Financial === | ||
Phantom loads are 24 hours per day. So a 15W phantom load plugged into a grid connected house in California paying $0.12 per kWh [http://tdworld.com/news/electricity-price-rises/], would pay: | |||
Phantom loads are 24 hours per day. | |||
15 watt * 24 hours/day * 365 days/year = 131,400 watt-hours/year | 15 watt * 24 hours/day * 365 days/year = 131,400 watt-hours/year | ||
131,400 | 131,400 watt-hours/year * 1 kW/(1000 watts) = 131.4 kWh/year | ||
131.4 kWh/year * $0.12 per kWh = '''$15.77''' per year | 131.4 kWh/year * $0.12 per kWh = '''$15.77''' per year | ||
===Environmental=== | === Environmental === | ||
Extra CO<sub>2</sub> emission and extra energy (coal, nuclear, etc.) production are the most obvious. | |||
Extra CO<sub>2</sub> emission and extra energy (coal, nuclear, etc.) production are the most obvious. In addition all of these phantom loads add up to necessitating extra power plants. | |||
Continuing the example of the previous section, if the 131.4 kWh annual energy consumption comes from coal-fired electricity at 0.9 kg CO<sub>2</sub>/kWh, the annual CO<sub>2</sub> emissions are: | Continuing the example of the previous section, if the 131.4 kWh annual energy consumption comes from coal-fired electricity at 0.9 kg CO<sub>2</sub>/kWh, the annual CO<sub>2</sub> emissions are: | ||
: | :131.4 kWh * 0.9 kg CO<sub>2</sub>/kWh = 118.26 kg CO<sub>2</sub> | ||
== How to measure == | |||
Use a power meter (e.g. a [[kill-a-watt]]). | |||
Use a [[kill-a-watt | |||
Alternately, unplug everything, except the suspect appliance, from your house that is on the same circuit as the suspect appliance. | Alternately, unplug everything, except the suspect appliance, from your house that is on the same circuit as the suspect appliance. Turn off the breakers to all the other circuits. Then go read your meter. This will take a very long time, as the meter will be moving very slowly, and it will include any GFCI plugs on that circuit. ''This is a joke.'' | ||
Find your appliance on a list of Phantom loads: | Find your appliance on a list of Phantom loads: | ||
==What to do about it== | * [https://web.archive.org/web/20180602144848/http://standby.lbl.gov:80/summary-chart.html http://web.archive.org/web/20180602144848/http://standby.lbl.gov:80/summary-chart.html] | ||
*[[ | * http://www.efficientproducts.org/reports/plugload/Revised_Office%20Plug%20Load%20Report_PIER_500-06-007_RevApril2011.pdf. The list is on pp 52-56. It's a review of phantom loads in an office building, fairly comprehensive. | ||
** Automatic power strip http://www.smarthomeusa.com/ | |||
*Timer | == What to do about it == | ||
*Switched plug | |||
*Kill your TV (plug TV and related components into a power strip and turn off the strip when TV is not in use) | * [[Phantom power reducing power bars|Power strip]] (e.g. plug in all computer peripherals and turn off the strip when PC is not in use) | ||
*Unplugging/replugging (tedious) | ** Automatic power strip [https://web.archive.org/web/20160316104434/http://www.smarthomeusa.com/shop/hardware-cable/item/lcg1 http://web.archive.org/web/20160316104434/http://www.smarthomeusa.com/shop/hardware-cable/item/lcg1] | ||
*Consider standby power as part of your purchasing decisions | * Timer | ||
**Look for EnergyStar labels (http://www.energystar.gov) | * Switched plug | ||
**Look for small, light, switch-mode power supplies instead of heavy "wall warts" | * Kill your TV (plug TV and related components into a power strip and turn off the strip when TV is not in use) | ||
* Unplugging/replugging (tedious) | |||
* Consider standby power as part of your purchasing decisions | |||
** Look for EnergyStar labels ([https://www.energystar.gov http://www.energystar.gov]) | |||
** Look for small, light, switch-mode power supplies instead of heavy "wall warts" | |||
== Links to More Information == | |||
http://www.powerint.com/greenroom/faqs.htm | http://www.powerint.com/greenroom/faqs.htm | ||
==See also== | == See also == | ||
{{Page data}} | |||
[[Category:Electricity]] | [[Category:Electricity]] | ||
[[Category:Energy audit]] | [[Category:Energy audit]] | ||
[[Category:Television]] | [[Category:Television]] | ||
Latest revision as of 09:14, 26 April 2023
Phantom loads sometimes referred to as standby power or leaking electricity, are a truly scary animal, they are the power sucked (aka consumed) by supposedly switched off devices.
Many of the appliances in homes today consume power when they are turned off. These include microwaves, stereos, VCRs and television sets. The phantom load can be caused by inefficiencies in converting AC into DC electricity, by indicator lights like clocks on VCRs, or by standby power use such as that used for electronic memory or a remote.
For any single appliance the phantom load is never that large (the most inefficient designs draw 15-20 watts [1]), however when factored over all of the appliances in a country like the U.S. the load can come to billions of watts.
Examples[edit | edit source]
Anything with a wall wart[edit | edit source]
A wall wart is an AC/DC transformers, commonly used for:
- Chargers
- Phones
- Miscellaneous electronic toys
Anything with a clock[edit | edit source]
Do you really need to know that it is 12:00, over and over again (it is only right twice a day)?
TV[edit | edit source]
Back in the 80s people had to wait 5, 10 sometimes even 30 seconds for their TV image to fully appear. That might have been okay back in those slow days, but life is quicker now. In order for a CRTW image to appear immediately the CRT voltage (and sometimes heat) is often kept high and waiting, and in the process often consumes 15 W. That means that some households pay more to have their TV off, than on.
A standard digital HD cable box uses about 28 watts in the off/ standby mode.[1]
An HD DVR unit from major cable companies can use between 30 - 48 watts when in the off/standby position, if your DVR unit is on standby for 12 hours a day this would mean yearly that your DVR is consuming between 131.4 and 191.4 kWh a year, or 20-26 dollars a year!
Desktop[edit | edit source]
Laptop[edit | edit source]
Costs[edit | edit source]
Financial[edit | edit source]
Phantom loads are 24 hours per day. So a 15W phantom load plugged into a grid connected house in California paying $0.12 per kWh [2], would pay:
15 watt * 24 hours/day * 365 days/year = 131,400 watt-hours/year 131,400 watt-hours/year * 1 kW/(1000 watts) = 131.4 kWh/year 131.4 kWh/year * $0.12 per kWh = $15.77 per year
Environmental[edit | edit source]
Extra CO2 emission and extra energy (coal, nuclear, etc.) production are the most obvious. In addition all of these phantom loads add up to necessitating extra power plants.
Continuing the example of the previous section, if the 131.4 kWh annual energy consumption comes from coal-fired electricity at 0.9 kg CO2/kWh, the annual CO2 emissions are:
- 131.4 kWh * 0.9 kg CO2/kWh = 118.26 kg CO2
How to measure[edit | edit source]
Use a power meter (e.g. a kill-a-watt).
Alternately, unplug everything, except the suspect appliance, from your house that is on the same circuit as the suspect appliance. Turn off the breakers to all the other circuits. Then go read your meter. This will take a very long time, as the meter will be moving very slowly, and it will include any GFCI plugs on that circuit. This is a joke.
Find your appliance on a list of Phantom loads:
- http://web.archive.org/web/20180602144848/http://standby.lbl.gov:80/summary-chart.html
- http://www.efficientproducts.org/reports/plugload/Revised_Office%20Plug%20Load%20Report_PIER_500-06-007_RevApril2011.pdf. The list is on pp 52-56. It's a review of phantom loads in an office building, fairly comprehensive.
What to do about it[edit | edit source]
- Power strip (e.g. plug in all computer peripherals and turn off the strip when PC is not in use)
- Timer
- Switched plug
- Kill your TV (plug TV and related components into a power strip and turn off the strip when TV is not in use)
- Unplugging/replugging (tedious)
- Consider standby power as part of your purchasing decisions
- Look for EnergyStar labels (http://www.energystar.gov)
- Look for small, light, switch-mode power supplies instead of heavy "wall warts"
Links to More Information[edit | edit source]
http://www.powerint.com/greenroom/faqs.htm
