standby mode

I've started shutting down when not in use lately - but that's more because my PC won't come out of hibernation properly.

On the other hand, I have read that if your TV is hooked up through your VCR, you have to leave the VCR on standby to watch TV, because the VCR probably won't pass the aerial signal through if it's completely dead.

let me explain the reason for my question.

My landlord came into my bedroom the other day when I wasn't in and unplugged everything that was on standby. Including my clock radio, for heaven's sake. I don't want this to descend into a landlord rant - after all, he was obviously out of order - but I am interested in finding out a bit more on the technical side just in case I need it.

Amplifiers on standby certainly use power - they have to keep the tubes warmed up. I unplug them when I'm not using them.

But an alarm clock? That is SUPPOSED to be on all the time, f*ckwit landlord.

i think they said a year. but for positive propaganda/scare-mongering purposes let's say EVERY DAY.

My Mum's friend, a Tibetan refugee, lost everything she had, including the few things she'd brought with her to this country, in a house fire started by her on-standby telly. Being a good buddhist, she says it's only material stuff and nobody was killed, so she's not really bothered.

26/10/2005
Britain has a costly habit of leaving electrical appliances on standby which is increasing the average household energy bill by £250 and is nationally emitting an extra 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions . Home computers alone emit 220,000 tons of carbon dioxide when left on standby.
The Energy Saving Trust wants the average person to try to reduce their energy consumption by 20 per cent with simple measures, such as switching off televisions, PCs and DVD players. One of the best ways of doing this is to use an extention lead and switch it off at the plug when not in use. A TV on standby uses still uses 90% on the energy it would do when fully turned on.

I switch most things off at the wall if I remember to. Not the alarm clock though, that is daft. I guess one answer is not to have a digital clock at all...

OFF ON

Somewhere between these points exists STAND-BY.

AND IT IS COSTING LIVES.

Arrrggh! I do this! And have thought recently, since starting paying mine own electricity bill that SOMETHING must be driving the green light of the charger.

You're effectively recharging the battery all the time, whether it's run down or not. For older laptop batteries (NiCd ones), this *will* kill your battery fairly quickly. For newer ones, it's not so much of a problem, but it will still shorten the battery life.

So I'd be wary of some of the figures that are banded about on this.

What about the theory that turning appliances and lights off and on uses more power than leaving them on (or, obviously, off) all the time? Is this even remotely true?

I just don't believe that.

On standby there's usually a little red LED and some logic sat here waiting to be turned on, but when it's actually on there's the receiver, the amplifier(s) for the speakers and the CRT or flatscreen.

My TV gets warm when it's on too, but not when in standby.

Fluorescent tubes do.

Yeah this figure does seem to be a bit on the high side. Other reports I've seen quoted it as 10%. Would totally depend on the model, I guess.

(And also, should I worry about my the cordless phone holder/recharger where the plug gets hot (according to the instructions, this is normal).

turn it off AT THE SWITCH ON THE SET?

Also hi-fis are meant to sound better when switched on all the time, allowing the circtui temperature to stabilise at an optimum level.

I will buy half a pint for anyone who can actually hear the difference. In a proper double-blind scientific trial of course.

http://www.macalester.edu/cit/faq/power_usage.html

eg Mac G5 1.6GHz/256MB 120w (idle) 6-7w (sleep/standy)

so about 5% of the energy when its on.

All transformers use *some* power. If they didn't, they'd be 100% efficient, which isn't really possible.

me too. which is why i turn stuff off, and unplug things if they're not going to be used for a while.

i do, however, tend to leave my laptop asleep and plugged into the mains. i didn't realise this could harm the battery: am i really better leaving it unplugged?

The thing that shortens the life of rechargeable batteries, especially older ones, is shallow cycling - not allowing the battery to fully discharge before recharging. Shallow cycling puts a "memory" on the battery, eventually preventing it from taking a full charge. This is not as much of a problem with newer lithium batteries as it is with NiCads.

What can cause problems for some electrical equipment is the heat-cycling and high inductive load on power-up. Turning things off and on stresses solder and components and can eventually cause connections to weaken and components to fail. High inductive load is what causes incandescent light bulbs to fail more often at power up - there is a surge of inductance, which actually causes torque on wires and components in addition to the rapid heat up. So what you may save in electric costs may cost you in replacement. It's hard to say though, because it's difficult to find testing data on consumer electronics, so you don't know if hardened components are used.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,1689996,00.html

"Here's the thing, though: a (vigorous) 60-second wind will give you an hour of FM radio, or three minutes of digital."

digital radio uses 20 times the electricity of fm?

AND IT IS COSTING LIVES

Fucking iTunes DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A STOP BUTTON. That's how intrinsic this culture is.

"And don't forget to unplug your set"
"Why??"
"Because it'll blow up, you silly boy"
"Great!!!"

when that 15 quid can be better spent on a POWERED SAW FROM HOMEBASE

for 15 quid it's just a tiny jig saw (no not a JIGSAW) but STILL. cutting things! that aren't bits of me! corrr!

(* - actually, no, I wouldn't. I'm working long hours and am I in the middle of moving house - what was I thinking?)