[Hidden-tech] what uses electricity when it is plugged in?

[Tom Kopec]

get one of these: 
http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4460-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B000RGF29Q

then you can measure things for yourself.

while it is true that things can use "up to 85%" when turned off, most 
don't.

If your power strip has a power switch, you won't save anything by 
unplugging it when the switch is turned off. You almost certainly will 
save nothing by unplugging a lamp that is turned off. Unplugging your 
power-failure emergency lights will save a small amount of energy, but 
will also defeat the purpose of the lights.

A quick check is: if it feels warm after it's been turned off for a few 
hours, it's worth a look. Cable-TV set-top-boxes (STBs) tend to be 
power-hungry when off and will often fail this test. Unfortunately, many 
STBs will take a while to come back online if you unplug then, so its a 
tradeoff.

...tom

On 9/22/2011 5:12 PM, Robin MacRostie wrote:
> This may sound silly, but it's one of those little household details 
> that that create tension in a household.  An article on the internet said: