HDTV/DVD power pack

Joined
10 Jul 2009
Messages
609
Reaction score
1
Country
United Kingdom
How many sockets would I need my sparki to install in the TV area or is it more cost effective to buy the 8 way socket set that they sell in Comet etc. One of the assistants claimed you would save its cost price £99 in one year in electricity costs, but I think this was waffle.
 
What kind of an 8-way socket was this?! And it can save you £99 a year?! This sounds too good to be true, BECAUSE IT IS! It never fails to amaze me the lengths these salesmen will go to to get a sale. Idiots. If I were you, I'd write to their head office and complain about the person in question.

8-way sockets are less than £5. 4-way about £1.50. And perfectly safe, provided you dont go plugging heaters etc into them.
 
Was it one of those multi-sockets that switches everything off when it detects one of the loads going into standby, or has a remote which makes it easy for you to switch off rather than standby?

Standby power consumption can add up to a surprising amount, but £99pa seems very unlikely. That's 150-200W, assuming an average of 16 hours standby per day.
 
Yes it was one that does exactly that and had all the markings for DVD, HD TV etc on it. I said to him its alot of money and his reply was 'yeh but you'll save that much in bills'. Is it better to get my sparki to install more sockets instead?
 
Worth investing in one of those multi way extension sockets with surge arresters for your expensive items.
Don't forget to also protect phone and aerial connections
 
More sockets is probably not necessary, as all of the items will be low power (a few hundred watts at most).

To save money, have the sockets on the wall at a height where they can be reached easily, then just use a normal 8 way lead for the whole lot.
Money is saved by switching the whole lot off at the socket when not in use. You have also saved the £90+ which would have been wasted on the silly overpriced lead.
 
Comet have always liked their monster garbage. You can get something that'll do exactly the same for about a fiver.

I wonder if they're still up to their old trick of connecting a blu-ray player to a tv via a cheap 50p composite cable and another via a "super dooper £80 monster hdmi cable" and getting people to compare the difference in picture quality...
Yeah, I wonder why there's such a huge difference in picture quality... I must buy the super expensive cable... :roll:
 
I always remember visiting PC World a few years ago when printers first started having USB connection. The printer we wanted didnt have a USB lead with it (WTF?) and PC World's cheapest USB lead was £14.99. This was a basic USB lead. But wanting to get the printer set up that day, and having no other USB leads, I had no choice but to buy it. :roll:

While ever there are gullible people knowing nothing about the products they are being offered, there will be people making a profit from this gullibility.
 
Oh, and @ the OP, I have a EON standby saver that I can send you for a fiver. It cost me nowt. I use those switches on the wall next to the sockets, I find this works quite well in shutting things off.

But Dont forget, your Sky box should be left on standby and connected to a phone line if you have a multiroom contract. Or they will bill you two full subscriptions.
 
The mains filtering in these "surge suppressing" multiblock includes capacitors between Live and Earth and between Neutral and earth.

The currents through the capacitors to earth are not equal which creates un-balanced earth "leakages" on Live and Neutral and this will affect the RCD. it may not trip it on its own but when added to other small and acceptable leakage in other appliances and wiring be enough to trip the RCD.
 

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Back
Top