Power On Lights

[cecil39]

I have been told that if I unplug all appliances with a "power on" light when not in use I could save £30+ in a year, rather than do that every time (which I forget to do) is there any reason why I can't take out the little bulbs that provides the lights? I have taken the top off an extension plug today and the bulb looks simple to get out, but would the plug still be using electric even though the bulb is gone? may seem a silly question but I would like your opinions please.

[rojash]

I think you may have misunderstood. When it says "appliances that have a power on light when not in use" it means appliances that remain on standby and therefore may be consuming current. The saving is not in the lights themselves, which are usually LEDs, and consume minute amounts of power. An extension lead is not an appliance. The indicator in an extension lead is normally a neon. These use such a small current that we used to test them by sticking one end in the power socket, holding the other end, and touching an earth point (not that I'm recommending you try it).

[cecil39]

thanks rojash, yes looks like I got it wrong again, so that means that I have to turn everything off at the plug? but will I have to retune my telly each time? or will it just start up like it was when turned off?

[Teddio]

I wouldn't advise fiddling with neon lamps and LEDs. A device on standby uses a small amount of power. I'll do a calculation for you for a DVD player with a stand-by power of 1 Watt.
Hours in a year = 24 X 365 = 8760
Power = 1 Watt = 0.001 Kilowatt
Energy consumed in a year = 8760 X 0.001 = 8.76 Kilowatt-Hours

Cost per Kilowatt-Hour = 12p (typically)

Cost per year = 8.76 X 12p = 105p or just over £1

[VHG]

£30 a year is about 50p pence a week.

Surely there is easier ways of saving £30 over a year than unplugging all your devices every night.

[Hopkirk]

If you unplug the Sky box, it will have to go through the 'searching for listings' routine every time you power it up.

[Clanad]

Why not plug it into a 'power strip' as we would call it here in the U.S. A slim box like device that has about 6 to 8 plug-in outlets and has an on-off switch on the box. When not in use one could flip the switch and every outlet on the strip goes off... It also has a light that tells you if it's on or off...

[johnk]

Unpluging saves money and reduces the fire risk, I always do it. My TV and recorder always come back as normal

[woofgang]

Do you never want to record anything after you have gone to bed?

[cecil39]

thank you, you have all been very helpfull, I go to bed quite late so I very rarely need to record at night so may try turning off and see how it goes, at least I now understand a bit more about how it all works, thanks again.

[mjwman]

£30? I would rather keep everything on and ready than save £30 a year

[mjwman]

I intended to continue but it froze...
I can save £30 by switching energy suppliers. also by renegotiating insurances renewals
, which I do. I have saved £70 each year over previous years car insurance 2 years running by not accepting renewal quotes.
Given that, I choose to spend my savings on convenience.

[Toureman]

http://standby.lbl.gov/cutting.html