Phantom Power Loads: "Sneaky" Electricity Consumption

Posted by Nicole

Our upstairs room is now ready for a spackler/taper to finish it. Aas my father says, I hope he has a sense of humor, because boy, are there a lot of seams! We also have 7 outlet receptacles throughout the room, which I find strange. In comparison, the room I use as my office only has two, but other than the office and the dining room, the rooms are covered in outlets. Apparently, the previous owners just couldn’t get enough of their electricity!

The electric panel has more than enough circuits in it to accommodate all of the appliances we use without tripping anything (as compared to our last apartment, where we couldn’t use the toaster and the microwave at the same time for fear of blowing one of the glass fuses. The electrical in that building was so old that when I took down the kitchen light fixture, we could see the old gaslight lines running up there!

Our electricity usage hasn’t been too bad since moving into our home last year, which I find surprising because it’s by far the largest place I’ve ever lived. Our bill hovers between $50-$60 a month outside of the winter months, when we occasionally use our oil-filled space heaters to spot-heat certain rooms.

But what about all of the things we have plugged in that aren’t actively being used? Off the top of my head, this includes our paper shredder, my computer, printer, coffeemaker, DVD player, TVs/cable boxes in other rooms, lamps, microwave, and the hand vacuum. But how much do they affect our electricity consumption?

Phantom Power Loads

Even when not powered on, certain appliances and electronics cost you money. That’s because although they’re technically powered off, plugged-in appliances still draw a small amount of electricity.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “75% of the electricity used to power home electronics and appliances is consumed while the products are turned off. This can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.”

The DOE also suggests up to 20% of your energy bill comes from these appliances. So 75% of 20% is 15% — I’d be happy to save 15% off our bill. So how to address phantom power loads? I’m going to try to unplug what I can without Mr. Saver freaking out.

I’ve started with the TV in the basement, which we rarely use. Next, I’ll try to remember to shut off the power strip in the office, which has a number of electronics plugged in to it. Then there’s the radio/iPod charger. But I don’t think I can get away with pulling the plug on the microwave — that would just be too much of a pain in the butt, since it gets used fairly often. Mr. Saver also keeps his cell phone charger plugged in at all times, which drives me nuts as it is — but I’ll drive him just as batty if I continually unplug it when he’s not looking!

Perhaps this will make a difference, but I’ll be hard-pressed to tell, since our bill fluctuates so much as it is.

Here’s a neat chart that outlines how much appliances/electronics use on standby mode (when they’re plugged in).

Product/Mode	Average (W)	Min (W)	Max (W)	Count
Air Conditioner, room/wall
Off	0.9	0.9	0.9	1
Charger, mobile phone
On, charged	2.24	0.75	4.11	4
On, charging	3.68	0.27	7.5	23
Power supply only	0.26	0.02	1	32
Clock, radio
On	2.01	0.97	7.6	23
Computer Display, CRT
Off	0.8	0	2.99	21
On	65.1	34.54	124.78	21
Sleep	12.14	1.6	74.5	14
Computer Display, LCD
Off	1.13	0.31	3.5	32
On	27.61	1.9	55.48	31
Sleep	1.38	0.37	7.8	30
Computer, desktop
On, idle	73.97	27.5	180.83	63
Off	2.84	0	9.21	64
Sleep	21.13	1.1	83.3	52
Computer, notebook
Fully on, charged	29.48	14.95	73.1	13
Fully on, charging	44.28	27.38	66.9	8
Off	8.9	0.47	50	19
Power supply only	4.42	0.15	26.4	19
Sleep	15.77	0.82	54.8	16
Fax, inkjet
Off	5.31	0	8.72	3
On	6.22	2.89	14	8
Fax, laser
Off	0	0	0	1
On	6.1	6.1	6.1	1
Ready	6.42	6.42	6.42	1
Heating, furnace central
Off	4.21	0	9.8	16
On	339.71	70.5	796	14
Hub, USB
Off	1.44	0.95	1.81	5
On	2.06	1.06	3.55	7
Modem, DSL
Off	1.37	0.33	2.02	16
On	5.37	3.38	8.22	20
Modem, cable
Off	3.84	1.57	6.62	8
On	6.25	3.64	8.62	16
Standby	3.85	3.59	4.11	2
Multi-function Device, inkjet
Off	5.26	0	10.03	23
On	9.16	3.9	17.7	24
Multi-function Device, laser
Off	3.12	0	4.7	3
On	49.68	5	175	4
Night Light, interior
Off	0.05	0	0.34	10
On	4.47	0	27.97	19
Ready	0.22	0	1.2	8
Phone, cordless
Ready, handset	2.81	1.05	4.89	35
Ready, no handset	1.58	0.59	3.09	35
Active (talking)	1.9	0.59	3.38	33
Off	0.98	0.54	1.8	10
Phone, cordless with answering machine
Ready, handset	4	2.15	7.4	20
Ready, no handset	2.82	1.72	4.7	20
Active (talking)	3.53	2.2	6.5	21
Off	2.92	0.9	7.4	11
Power Tool, cordless
Ready, charged	8.34	1.82	14	5
Active	29.53	1.39	66	16
Ready	1.74	0	4.7	23
Printer, inkjet
Off	1.26	0	4	25
On	4.93	1.81	22	25
Printer, laser
Off	1.58	0	4.5	7
On	131.07	1.7	481.9	5
Range, gas
Ready	1.13	0.7	1.7	4
Scanner, flatbed
Off	2.48	0.27	8.2	6
On	9.6	1.71	15.6	10
Security Systems, home
Ready	2.7	2.7	2.7	1
Set-top Box, DVR
On, no recording	37.64	25.95	49.2	4
On, recording	29.29	27.27	31.3	2
Off	36.68	23.3	48.6	4
Set-top Box, digital cable with DVR
Not recording, TV off	44.63	44.38	44.87	2
Not recording, TV on	44.4	44.2	44.6	2
Off by remote	43.46	43.3	43.61	2
Set-top Box, digital cable
On, TV off	24.65	14.2	74.74	18
On, TV on	29.64	14.1	102.23	18
Off by remote	17.83	13.24	30.6	14
Off by switch	17.5	13.7	26.3	16
Set-top Box, satellite with DVR
Not recording, TV off	28.35	25.8	30.9	2
Not recording, TV on	31.37	24.2	36.3	3
Off by remote	27.8	22	33.6	2
Set-top Box, satellite
On, TV off	15.95	7.69	33.2	33
On, TV on	16.15	7.69	33.2	33
Off by remote	15.66	6.58	33.05	25
Off by switch	15.47	6.58	32.7	31
Speakers, computer
On, no sound	4.12	0.69	9.84	21
Off	1.79	0	5.6	19
Stereo, portable
CD, not playing	4.11	1.29	6.83	15
Cassette, not playing	2.42	1.16	5.92	13
CD playing	6.8	3.96	9.2	15
Off	1.66	0.7	5.44	19
Radio playing	3.3	1.36	8.25	20
Television, CRT
Off by remote	3.06	0.3	10.34	38
Off by switch	2.88	0	16.1	58
Television, rear projection
On	186.09	186.09	186.09	1
Off by remote	6.97	0.2	48.5	16
Off by switch	6.6	0.2	48.5	15
Timer, irrigation
Off	2.75	1.5	5.9	14
Ready	2.84	1.5	5.9	16
Tuner, AM/FM
On, not playing	9.48	5.08	16.4	3
On, playing	9.92	5.07	17.7	3
Off	1.12	0	3.37	3
Amplifier
On, not playing	33.99	21.4	70.93	6
On, playing	39.16	21.11	69.3	6
Off	0.27	0	1.8	7
Audio Minisystem
CD, not playing	13.99	1.67	36.95	28
Cassette, not playing	13.85	1.67	33.14	24
CD playing	19.09	5.2	41.2	24
Off	8.32	0.3	24.58	27
Radio playing	14.41	2.98	38	28
CD Player
On, not playing	8.62	4	25.7	7
On, playing	9.91	5.8	25.6	7
Off	5.04	2	18.4	7
Caller ID Unit
Ready	1.27	1.27	1.27	1
Cassette Deck
On, not playing	4.53	4.36	4.7	2
On, playing	5.72	5.2	6.25	2
Off	0.54	0	1.08	2
Clock
On	1.74	0.99	3.61	21
Radio playing	2.95	1.7	4.2	2
Coffee Maker
Off	1.14	0	2.7	12
Copier
Off	1.49	0	2.97	2
On	9.63	3.6	14	3
DVD Recorder
Off	0.75	0	1.5	2
DVD Player
On, not playing	7.54	0.24	12.7	33
On, playing	9.91	5.28	17.17	33
Off	1.55	0	10.58	33
DVD/VCR
On, not playing	13.51	8.48	20.5	21
On, playing	15.33	9.43	22.37	19
Off	5.04	0.09	12.7	21
Game Console
Active	26.98	5.4	67.68	24
Off	1.01	0	2.13	26
Ready	23.34	2.12	63.74	24
Garage Door Opener
Ready	4.48	1.8	7.3	34
Low-voltage Landscape
Ready	1.13	1.1	1.17	2
Microwave Ovens
Ready, door closed	3.08	1.4	4.9	18
Ready, door open	25.79	1.6	39	17
Cooking	1433.	966.2	1723.	18
Musical Instruments
Off	2.82	1.2	4.2	9
Receiver (audio)
On, not playing	37.61	17.1	65.2	18
Off	2.92	0	19.7	18
Subwoofer
On, not playing	10.7	5.8	20.6	7
On, playing	12.42	5.9	20.6	6
Surge Protector
Off	1.05	0	6.3	6
On	0.8	0	6.92	43
Telephone Answering Device
Off	2.01	1.31	2.55	7
Ready	2.25	1.42	2.83	7
Television/VCR
Off by remote	5.15	2.15	13.3	6
Off by switch	5.99	2.15	13.11	7
Turntable (audio)
On, not playing	6.01	1.72	12.8	3
Off	0.2	0	0.6	3
VCR
On, not playing	7.77	3.8	11.62	14
Off	4.68071	1.2	9.9	14

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joetaxpayer

June 20th, 2010 at 3:59 pm · Reply

50-60/mo? Wow! Our electric bill averages $350 over the year. I started to change bulbs to CFL, but I’m sure these phantoms are a bigger issue.

Mike - Saving Money Today

June 17th, 2010 at 2:02 pm · Reply

Hey Nicole, cool post! I wrote one about phantom energy a few months back, but your chart is a real eye opener. Weird that a DVR uses less energy when recording than not recording. And uses more with the TV off?

There’s a cool tool that’s been on my wish list for ages…the P3 Kill a Watt. You plug it in and then plug different appliances in and it tells you exactly how much energy they are using. If you pull your electricity rate from your bill and punch it in the Kill a Watt will breakdown how much it is costing you by day, week, month, etc.

Andy Hough

June 17th, 2010 at 11:24 am · Reply

Looking at the Department of Energy Website you linked they say appliances and home electronics make up 20% of a typical energy bill. So by turning off your appliances you will only save 75% of that 20%. Other sources I’ve read put phantom power at 5-10% of household energy use. I just did a post on this same thing yesterday so I found the numbers interesting.

In our household we keep items plugged into a power strip which can be switched off. Flipping a switch is pretty easy, it boggles my mind that anyone would think that is too much trouble.

Nicole
June 17th, 2010 at 12:21 pm · Reply
@Andy: Thanks for pointing out my math error — that’s what I get for writing posts late at night. It is easy to switch the power strips off, which has been one of my first steps to see if there’s a difference in our utility bill.

ctreit

June 17th, 2010 at 5:31 am · Reply

I have read that we have all this hidden electricity consumption but your list blows my mind. What to do about this? Is this just part of life these days?

Nicole
June 17th, 2010 at 10:24 am · Reply
@Ctreit: I can’t imagine we can unplug everything, every day, so yes, it’s probably something we just need to accept!

FinancialBondage

June 16th, 2010 at 9:58 pm · Reply

I can’t see how a toaster uses power when not in use. but some appliances do because they have timers, lcd’s etc.

Nicole
June 17th, 2010 at 10:24 am · Reply
@Financial Bondage: I don’t think it uses anything much, either — I unplug it because it’s a fire hazard.

ally

June 16th, 2010 at 7:24 pm · Reply

I keep hearing about this, but honestly, I can’t imagine running around unplugging everything and switching off power cords.

Cathie

June 16th, 2010 at 2:50 pm · Reply

I did this in my old house, and I couldn’t believe how my electric bill went down! My current house is one like you described-we have to turn off the A.C. to use the microwave, or else we have to go down in the scary basement to flip a breaker.

Budgeting in the Fun Stuff

June 16th, 2010 at 1:48 pm · Reply

I would love to see how this works out! We leave a bunch of things plugged in and I haven’t even thought about unplugging to save some money. My hubby wil also get ticked if I unplug the microwave, but I might be able to get away with unplugging the cell phone chargers and the toaster…

Nicole
June 16th, 2010 at 2:08 pm · Reply
@BITFS: It will be hard to accurately gauge the savings, but I’m willing to see if we save some money! My toaster is always unplugged, it makes me nervous if it’s plugged in all the time.

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June 17th, 2010 at 1:09 am · Reply

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The Green Kitchen

June 16th, 2010 at 1:40 pm · Reply

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