Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Control Your Phantom Power Usage

A big way to save on your hydro consumption is to watch your phantom power consumption. What is phantom power? The drawing of power off your grid by electronic components that are not in use but yet still plugged in. There are many culprits which draw phantom power, including but not limited to:

• Digital photo frames
• Televisions
• Set-top boxes for your digital tv
• DVD players and recorders
• Computer speakers
• Printers (especially laser)
• Stereos and Home Theatre Components
• Video game consoles

One way to combat phantom power is to unplug electronics that are not in use. Another way is to put these items on a power bar and simply flick the switch when you are done. It's advisable to check the operating manuals on your equipment regarding unplugging or turning off to see if it affects your setup. The biggest downfall for me is resetting time displays when turning equipment off and on to use but other than that the savings add up over time! 

Some households have reported a savings of 10% when they reduced their phantom power consumption. Can you do better on your hydro bill? We want to know what you do about phantom power!

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