Give yourself one month of free electricity with minimal effort

Contemporary electronics do not have the “hard” power switch characteristic of the electronics from the first half of the twentieth century did; they are not truly off when turned off. Other than unplugging the devices, there’s no way to ensure they’re absolutely off.

Incidentally, the invention of the remote control is chiefly responsible for this transformation. In order for the remote to switch the main circuit on, the remote-control receiver and processor in the activated device must remain powered at all times. In essence, the remote-control is not possible without a steady flow of electricity. Nevertheless, a remote-receiver’s power switch is independent from that of the main device to avoid consuming as much power as the device itself.

The appliances remote-controller receive needs a steady flow of power to permit the remote to power the main circuit on.

Soft control
This indirect power control has widened over the years, becoming a staple of most electronic devices, whether battery or line powered. The reason for this proliferation is not mere “comfort,” so to speak, but to permit an orderly powering-up and powering-down and to let the device’s microprocessor perform system checks that reduce unexpected behavior, system lockup and damage. The price we pay in return is a 10% increase in in our electric bill.

The number of household devices
Most consumers are unaware of the sheer number of household devices responsible for this vampire drain or leaking electricity. Televisions are not the only culprit, but the clocks and timers in microwave ovens, ranges and iPhone docks, Computers and their peripherals, battery chargers; in essence, most appliances with external power supplies.

As it stands, the external power supplies themselves are also dubious offenders due to fact that they are fitted with undersized transformers with lower primary inductance for the purpose of reducing size and cost. These transformers in turn draw excessive current of 10 or 20mA. Not a significant amount on its own, a hefty increase in the electric bill when multiplied by the dozens of these plugged in 24/7.

Government regulation steps in
Unplugging unused devices will not only reduce yearly consumption by anywhere between five to ten percent, but will reduce the need for new power plants. A 10% reduction in electricity consumption multiplied by the economies of scale is a huge reduction in power grid strain.
The vast impact of vampire power has been recognized by both government and industry since the 1990s and the latest regulations for 2013 are to further reduce power draw to less than half a watt. Again, when taken to the economy of scale, is a colossal reduction. Consider the implication of math: 10 devices per home x 100,000 homes x 0.5 watts per device.

Via Maxim Integrated