Trystan Casey
Many electrical appliances continue to draw power even when they are turned off. This is known as phantom power, vampire power, or standby power. Appliances with LCDs, lights, or clocks, such as DVD players, cable boxes, televisions, microwaves, and coffee machines, often fall into this category. Devices with remote control functionality, such as TVs and sound systems, also consume energy while turned off as they wait for a signal to turn on. Computers, printers, and other devices in sleep or hibernation mode continue to draw power to keep programs active. Even chargers draw power when plugged in, regardless of whether a device is attached or not. These small amounts of electricity can add up over time, increasing your energy bill and contributing to energy wastage.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Electricity used when turned off | Phantom load, phantom power, standby power, vampire load, or vampire electricity |
| Amount of electricity used | Minimal, but can add up over time |
| Examples of appliances that use electricity when turned off | Computers, TVs, routers, modems, printers, scanners, video game consoles, sound systems, microwaves, coffee machines, mobile phone chargers, computer speakers, air fryers, ovens, washing machines, stereos, cable boxes, monitors, refrigerators, freezers |
| Ways to reduce electricity usage | Unplugging devices, using power strips, turning off monitors, dimming screens, using surge protectors or smart sockets |
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What You'll Learn
- Devices with LCDs, lights, or clocks continue to use electricity when turned off
- Routers and modems remain connected to the internet and broadcast a WiFi signal even when no device is plugged into them
- Computers don't power down completely and instead go into hibernation or sleep mode, continuing to draw power
- Devices with transformers, such as chargers, continue to use power even when the device is not attached
- Devices with remotes, such as TVs, consume energy while off as they passively wait for a signal to turn on
Devices with LCDs, lights, or clocks continue to use electricity when turned off
Many appliances continue to use electricity even after they have been switched off. Appliances with LCDs, lights, or clocks, such as DVD players, DVR players, cable boxes, televisions, microwaves, and ovens, consume electricity even when turned off. This is because they never reach a complete state of shutdown and instead go into standby mode.
Televisions, for example, continue to consume energy after being switched off as they wait for a signal from the remote to turn back on. Modern televisions may also have listening functionality to respond to voice commands, which also requires electricity. Similarly, video game consoles keep consuming electricity even when not in use, especially if a game is left running so it can be quickly resumed.
Microwaves require energy to keep their electric clocks running and to display the time. Other appliances that utilize an external power supply, such as mobile phone chargers, will also continue to use electricity when plugged in, even if the device they are meant to charge is not connected.
This "phantom power" or "standby power" can add up over time, increasing your energy bill and impacting the environment. To reduce this, it is recommended to unplug devices when not in use or to use surge protectors that cut off power when devices are inactive.
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Routers and modems remain connected to the internet and broadcast a WiFi signal even when no device is plugged into them
Even when they are not in use, many electrical appliances continue to draw a small amount of electricity when plugged in, known as "phantom power" or "standby power". This happens when electrical devices are plugged in but do not reach a complete state of shutdown. Appliances with LCDs, lights, or clocks, such as DVD players, cable boxes, televisions, microwaves, and mobile phone chargers, are examples of devices that consume electricity even when turned off. Routers and modems are also examples of devices that use electricity even when no devices are plugged into them.
A modem brings internet service into your home from internet service providers (ISPs), while a router delivers that internet connection to your devices, allowing them to connect wirelessly via WiFi or through Ethernet cables. Even when no device is plugged into them, routers and modems remain connected to the internet and continue to broadcast a WiFi signal. This means that they use energy to perform the necessary processes, such as keeping the router's external antennas tightly connected and pointing upwards for the best wireless coverage and performance.
To save energy and reduce your energy bill, you can unplug devices when you are done using them or use surge protectors that cut off the power when devices are not in use. You can also use an electricity monitor to measure how much power is being pulled and how much the device costs to run. If you are concerned about power outages interrupting your internet connection, you can invest in a battery backup or a home generator to keep your modem and router running.
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Computers don't power down completely and instead go into hibernation or sleep mode, continuing to draw power
Computers and other electrical devices don't always power down completely, even when turned off. This is because they often go into a type of hibernation or sleep mode, which allows them to continue drawing a small amount of power while they are not in use. This is known as "phantom power" or "standby power", and it occurs when devices are plugged in but are not in a complete state of shutdown.
In the case of computers, a small amount of power is still drawn to keep the motherboard running and to keep programs active, allowing for an easy restart when needed. This can be a convenient feature, as it enables a quick resumption of work or play, but it also means that the computer is never truly off. While the amount of electricity consumed by a computer in this mode is minimal, it can add up over time and contribute to your power bill.
Other devices that commonly exhibit this behaviour include those with digital displays, LCD screens, lights, or clocks. For example, modern televisions often have listening functionality to respond to voice commands, which requires them to remain partially active even when turned off. Similarly, video game consoles may continue to draw power to enable quick game resumption or to install automatic software updates.
To fully power down a device and prevent it from drawing any standby power, it is necessary to unplug it from the power source or use a surge protector that cuts off power when the device is not in use. This can help save energy and reduce your power bill, although it may be less convenient when it comes to restarting your devices. Overall, being mindful of phantom power and taking steps to reduce it can benefit both your wallet and the environment.
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Devices with transformers, such as chargers, continue to use power even when the device is not attached
Many devices continue to draw power even when they are turned off. This is known as "phantom power" or "standby power". It occurs when electrical devices are plugged in but do not reach a complete state of shutdown. Devices with transformers, such as chargers, fall into this category.
A wall charger consists of three main components: an AC-DC converter, a step-down transformer, and a regulator. The step-down transformer reduces the high input voltage from the main power source to a lower output voltage. It decreases the voltage while increasing the current it passes on to the 'load'. The input voltage in a wall charger is AC, but the output must be DC to charge the batteries of electronic devices. A typical smartphone charger has an output of a bit over 5 volts.
While the power draw of a phone charger is very low, it still consumes power even when it is not charging a device. This is because the charger requires a tiny, milliwatt-level power draw to detect when a device is plugged in and start the charging process. The power draw is so low that it is nearly impossible to measure without sensitive tools. However, the cost of this idle power consumption can add up over time, especially when multiple chargers are left plugged in.
To measure the power consumption of chargers and other devices, one can use a power meter such as the Kill a Watt or WattsUp? PRO. These tools can measure the raw energy (in watts) a device uses and, when inputting the cost of electricity, can show the cost of running the device per day, month, and year.
Unplugging devices when they are not in use is an effective way to reduce phantom power and lower energy bills.
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Devices with remotes, such as TVs, consume energy while off as they passively wait for a signal to turn on
Many electrical appliances continue to draw power even when they are switched off. This is known as "phantom power" or "standby power", and it occurs when electrical devices are plugged in but do not reach a complete shutdown. Appliances with LCDs, lights, or clocks, such as DVD players, cable boxes, televisions, microwaves, and coffee machines, fall into this category.
Televisions are a prime example of devices that consume energy while turned off. When you press the 'off' button on your TV, it does not turn off completely. It remains in a passive state, waiting for a signal from the remote to turn on. Modern TVs also have listening functionality to respond to voice commands, which requires a constant power supply. This passive state is a form of standby power, and it can contribute to your energy bill over time.
Other devices with remotes, such as video game consoles and sound systems, exhibit similar behaviour. Game consoles continue to draw power even when you are not actively gaming, especially if you did not fully shut down or exit a game. Automatic software updates also contribute to the phantom load as the console needs electricity to detect and install updates. Sound systems, particularly those with clocks or multiple components with remotes, can also be significant contributors to the phantom load in your home.
While the power drawn by a single device may seem insignificant, it is important to consider the cumulative effect of multiple devices. Over time, the energy consumed by devices in standby mode can account for a notable portion of your energy bill. To mitigate this, you can unplug devices when not in use or use surge protectors that cut off power when devices are inactive.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, many appliances continue to draw a small amount of electricity when they're turned off. This is known as "phantom load", "phantom power", "standby power", or "vampire electricity". Appliances with LCDs, lights, or clocks, such as microwaves, cable boxes, televisions, and coffee makers, often fall into this category.
While the electricity consumed by individual appliances in standby mode is usually minimal, these small amounts can add up over time, potentially increasing your electricity bill and contributing to energy wastage. Research by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that vampire energy accounts for about 5% of all residential electricity use, which is equivalent to a month's energy bill for a single-family home.
You can unplug devices when not in use, use power strips to turn off multiple devices at once, or invest in smart power strips that automatically turn off devices when you leave the house or office. You can also use electricity monitors to measure the power consumption of your appliances and identify which ones are using the most electricity.
Appliances with remote control functionality, such as televisions, need to be able to detect a signal from the remote to turn on, so they continue to draw power when turned off. Devices with digital displays or clocks, such as computers and coffee makers, also require power to keep these features running.
