Vampire power, sometimes known as phantom power, is the energy used by your electronic gadgets and devices that are switched off or not even in use. Just by being ‘plugged in’ these hidden phantoms are
sucking power and cash from your pocket even as you sleep!
Although it may be just a trickle it adds up over time. The grinningplant.com website outlines “the cost to consumers and businesses for all the electricity lost to vampire power in the US is estimated to be $4 billion annually.”
How does this translate to our every day use? Turned off and plugged in, some devices still draw power. Below is a sample of some annual ‘vampire’ costs related to a few common household items [source: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, aceee.org]:
Home Office
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Desktop computer: $3.96
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Printer: $1.98
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Fax: $ 3.96
Household
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Coffee maker: $1.12
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Microwave oven: $3.05
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Cordless phone: $1.98
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Answering machine: $1.99
As you can see individually they do not seem like much but add them up and it makes a significant contribution to your overall spending. Climbing over the televisions to unplug it while not in use is unrealistic so implementing an alternate strategy is necessary. Using a power bar to bundle the TV, DVD, DVR and then turning off the power bar is a simple way to reduce the electricity draw. Like wise for the computer and related peripherals. Plug them into the same power bar and turn the bar off when they are not in use. You can help eliminate your vampire power and save money on your electricity bill by:
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Testing the efficiency of your appliances. By using a gadget called the Kill-a-Watt you can see the amount of current the appliance is using. This handy device simply plugs into your wall outlet. You then plug in the appliance and a display shows you the consumption of electricity. With this device you can determine which of your electrical devices has the most vampire power. As it says on their website “you’ll know ‘Watts’ killing you”.
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Using a ‘smart’ Power Bar. The WattStopper Plug Load Control and the Smart Strip Power Strip know when power is being used or when the power is idle and reduces the electricity draw when the electronic devices are not in use.
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Implementing the Mini Power Minder. It is simple to use and it is very practical. When your computer is plugged into the Mini Power Minder it has the intelligence to shut down your computer and peripherals when the computer itself is shuts down.
Taking these few simple steps could save you money which can be put to better use elsewhere in your budget.
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