Switching Unused Sockets Off: Settle The Argument!

[charliegolf]

Wifey is a PITA for doing this, citing 'they', as in, 'they say you should...' Who says so, and why? Apart from the little red light on some sockets (and the danger of kiddies poking their fingers in them), is there a power usage if you leave them on when no appliance is attached to them? Thanks.

CG

 

[AndyPRK]

Well TVs certainly use a bit of power in standby.

And if the washing machine is only used once a week, may as well turn it off.

 

[charliegolf]

I meant 'empty' (for a better description) sockets. What about those?

 

[mattylad]

I guess the only benefit of that is that when you plug something in, it will already be turned off so your not plugging it in under load.

 

[AndyPRK]

no power usage.

It's only about OCD really

 

[JohnW2]

... Apart from the little red light on some sockets (and the danger of kiddies poking their fingers in them), is there a power usage if you leave them on when no appliance is attached to them?

The short answer is ... No.

Kind Regards, John

 

[charliegolf]

Cheers everyone, that's exactly as I thought.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I meant 'empty' (for a better description) sockets. What about those?

Oh God - turn them off immediately, or the electricity will leak out and run down the wall.

 

[charliegolf]

Oh God - turn them off immediately, or the electricity will leak out and run down the wall.

How much in an hour. Roughly?

 

[EFLImpudence]

About a foot.

 

[Nozzle]

There was a time when wall socket did not have switches. Imagine all that wasted power!!!

And any way, turning it off at the switch just makes the electric leak out the innards of the switch rather than the socket, right?

Nozzle

 

[JohnD]

the danger of kiddies poking their fingers in them

UK sockets have inbuilt safety features to prevent that.

What country are you in?

 

[big-all]

any modern item on standby must be no more than 1w
a socket red light may consume perhaps. .01w max or .1w every 10 hours or .25w per day or 90w a year a massive 1-1.2p a year so every 9 sockets 10p a year
could be a bit less or a bit more but pence a year

 

[JohnW2]

any modern item on standby must be no more than 1w ... a socket red light may consume perhaps. .01w max or .1w every 10 hours or .25w per day or 90w a year ...

Your argument might be even stronger if you got your units right.

In terms of the figures, one issue is obviously that not all items are 'modern' - I certainly have a good few that consume very much more than 1 W on standby.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

There was a time when wall socket did not have switches.

... and 'that time' is still with us for a good few sockets!

Kind Regards, John