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If you haven't heard of vampire power, you may think it has something to do with turning into a bat, a wolf or a thick, white mist. In reality, where the dead don't stalk the living, vampire power is the energy sucked by plugged-in appliances that are on standby mode or otherwise turned off.
Imagine a super-vampire, a day-walker if you will. Now think of the metaphorical super-vampire in home energy terms. These home-energy super-vampires would be the appliances and electronics left on for extended periods of time, even though no one is using them.
Some people run their TV all day or leave their computer screens on. This is wasteful. How wasteful? Let's find out. (Remember different brands and sizes of appliances will use different amounts of energy.)
All figures are per hour.
- TV
A TV on standby mode burns 10 watts in standby and 100 watts while on per hour. - DVD player
DVD uses 7 watts in standby. (Is it blinking 12:00 all day?) It uses 12 while turned on. - Modem
Your modem uses 14 watts an hour whether you are using it or not. - Computer
Your PC, including all the peripheries, drinks 15 watts on standby and 130 when left on. The monitor is the largest energy-gulper, scarfing down 11 in standby and 70 when in use. (Turn them off.) - Laptop
Laptops are a bit better. 2 watts in standby and 29 while in use. - Phone Charger
A phone charger takes one watt an hour whilst in standby, 5 when in use. - Ceiling Fan
A small-to-medium ceiling fan uses .1 kWh per hour. - Space Heater
About .09 kWh per hour on approx. average.
Some figures from the Sustainable Girton Project.
Some figures from Michael Bluejay.com.
Don't leave those appliances on. All this wasted energy adds up. Save money and reduce carbon emissions by taking the time to turn off these appliances and devices when not in use.
Save $250 when you unplug these appliances.
More on Saving Electricity:
Landscape Your Way to Energy Savings
Shade Your Air Conditioner
Work Online? Save Energy by Working on the Weekend
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