Using Electricity

[glide]

Is it true that phone chargers,scanner chargers ,portable electric drill etc will use electricity even when the devise being charged is disconnected. I know for a fact that a florescent light ballast will draw some current even with the bulbs out.

 

[captclint]

Is it true that phone chargers,scanner chargers ,portable electric drill etc will use electricity even when the devise being charged is disconnected. I know for a fact that a florescent light ballast will draw some current even with the bulbs out.

YES!!

 

[Thayne]

If you want to save about a dime in a month, unplug em all--

 

[hoser147]

I read somewhere in the last month they stated that the charger pluged in for a cell phone is 40 bucks for the year..............Hoser

 

[gmclam]

For example, if you leave the wall wart for your scanner plugged into the wall, then take the scanner portable, you might notice the wall wart is warm to the touch ("some" warmth). That's an indication it is drawing power.

Most of these things don't draw a lot of power, we're usually talking milliwatts; but when you consider how many people are drawing these extra milliwatts, it adds up. These days it is not about the cost, it is about the energy usage and contributions to the environment.

 

[kb2vxa]

Unless unplugged or power is interrupted by a mains switch it's on and drawing current. DUH?

 

[Big_Ears]

While you're at it. Don't forget to unplug your unused television sets, DVD and VHS decks/recorders, clock radios that are sleeping in any spare bedrooms, dens, utility rooms, attics or basements. The accumulative draw may be up to 100 watts or so.

 

[kb2vxa]

I believe I already said that. (;->)

 

[JnglMassiv]

I know for a fact that a florescent light ballast will draw some current even with the bulbs out.

Most (all?..) fluorescents I've encountered (CFLs, office tubes, industrial tubes, etc) are switched in such a way that no power reaches them when off. If you flip a lightswitch off, that breaks the circuit and there's no chance for ballast parasitic draw.

 

[n3tg33k]

jngl,

Your correct when there is a switch in the mix for lighting there is a switch which cuts all power but anything that needs a DC conversion will draw amperage. All those little black boxes AKA Wall Warts will draw some current because they are taking AC current and converting it to DC current via the use of a transformer. This transformer is what draws the amperage.

N3t

 

[kb2vxa]

Uh, not exactly. An unloaded transformer still draws some current, that which is required to excite the core so naturally it's known as excitation current expressed as Ix.

DC conversion has nothing to do with Ix but when you include the slight DC leakage through the electrolytic filter capacitors and AC capacitive hysteresis currents you have a small but significant draw under no load conditions.

 

[CAPTLPOL1]

Thanks to Congress everyone will have to get used to the dim light that a fluorescent puts out. Hope you get used to them. Anyone know if anyone is hoarding incandscent lights yet?

 

[n2mdk]

Thanks to Congress everyone will have to get used to the dim light that a fluorescent puts out. Hope you get used to them. Anyone know if anyone is hoarding incandscent lights yet?

Huh what, either your buying cheap bad CFs or the wrong Color Temp,mine are anything but dim. 3 13W 5500K bulbs put out more light than 3 60W incands do.

 

[57Bill]

I'll start a "black market" for them.

 

[gmclam]

Thanks to Congress everyone will have to get used to the dim light that a fluorescent puts out. Hope you get used to them.

You're crazy. I've ONLY used CFLs for several years now. Much MORE light per watt than incadescents. Incadescents tend to be a "yellow" light and flourescents are more white, which some say is more harsh. But as far as brightness is concerned, CFLs win hands down.

The issues I see with CFLs are that they don't work with dimmers, and they don't work with cheap photodetectors.

 

[UFEMTFF]

You're crazy. I've ONLY used CFLs for several years now. Much MORE light per watt than incadescents. Incadescents tend to be a "yellow" light and flourescents are more white, which some say is more harsh. But as far as brightness is concerned, CFLs win hands down.

The issues I see with CFLs are that they don't work with dimmers, and they don't work with cheap photodetectors.

http://www.gelighting.com/na/business_lighting/faqs/cfl.htm

See #1 and #3. They answer both of your complaints.

 

[Sonar]

Cable and satellite companies need to make more efficient boxes. If you remove power from them, the boxes lose all settings. Stupid design I say. Then the next time you power up, you get to wait 5-30 minutes for the box to reset.

 

[Thayne]

Those boxes have some non-volatile memory, but just like your computer they need to boot up after a power failure. They are designed that way on purpose. They need to be able to adapt to whatever could cause them to go offline.

 

[pogbobo]

Thanks to Congress everyone will have to get used to the dim light that a fluorescent puts out. Hope you get used to them. Anyone know if anyone is hoarding incandscent lights yet?

I AM!!!! i hate CFL with a passion ... i get enough of that while im at work ... i dont need it at home too ... ahhh!!!!

 

[Just_Me]

I AM!!!! i hate CFL with a passion ... i get enough of that while im at work ... i dont need it at home too ... ahhh!!!!

So get halogens.