Standby power = 1/3 of air travel !

Capt'n Midnight

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Watt_Initiative

The IEA estimates that standby produces 1% of the world's CO2 emissions [3]. To put the figure into context, total air travel contributes less than 3% to global CO2 emissions [4].

In the UK all sockets have switches on them , here they don't but you can buy extension leads with switches - so you can turn off all the stuff at the wall - or get some remote control sockets if you are really lazy

Reasons not to turn off stuff
some electronic kit has a higher failure rate when switched on / off
Sky boxes receive updates over the air - how often do you need them on at night ?


Standby power for many devices could be provided by a small solar panel on the device /recharegable battery (when the battery runs low the device would allow power in to recharge it, a pair of standard NiMH AAA's would do ) - the amount of power you need if designed properly could be no more than that required to power a watch and the leakage current of a pair of thyristors

An LED uses about 10mW depending on brightness - so there isn't any real need to allow devices to use more then 100mW ever.

From radionics.ie web site
2N6504 Series
Preferred Device
Silicon Controlled Rectifiers
Reverse Blocking Thyristors

Forward up to 25A
reverse at 25 Degrees, 10uA (5.75 mW)
reverse at 125 Degrees ( device just switched off maximum possible, 0.46w)


As for battery backup - I really hate the way Cookers and Microwaves won't cook until you set the clock after powering off :mad:

Mellor

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Standby power for many devices could be provided by a small solar panel on the device /recharegable battery (when the battery runs low the device would allow power in to recharge it, a pair of standard NiMH AAA's would do ) - the amount of power you need if designed properly could be no more than that required to power a watch and the leakage current of a pair of thyristors

Give this a bit of thought, if you are gathering power with a solar panel, it is a waste to allow this to keep a unit in standby, granted its better than using main electricty. But not having it in standby at is is even better.

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

An LED uses about 10mW depending on brightness - so there isn't any real need to allow devices to use more then 100mW ever

I imagine when an appliance is in standby, it is doing alot more than just powering an LED at the front. And im not sure how you arrive at the figure of 100mW. For reference, a Large (56") Sony LCD HDTV uses .3W while in standby.

10-10-20

I think that the LED reference is misleading as not all standby power is used to maintain an LED and it's power circuitry. In computer systems, the PCI bus and systems management run off 'flea-power' and this is maintained with power when the system is off but still plugged in, to allow devices to wake the system when required (i.e. Faxes, WuOL management updates etc..).

There are new specifications being released which will limit the amount of power that a device uses in 'standby', but the deviation between devices is shocking.

The dreaded Sky Plus box uses 8w in power-on mode, and uses 7w in standby mode!
A newer (2003) set of speakers I have uses 20w when not in use - but has no standby mode!
A typical computer uses ~90W in power-on mode, 1.2W in 'sleep' or low-power mode, and 2.3W when off!
http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/corporate/environ/Opti_GX620_DT.pdf

A battery isn't a simplistic way of reducing this standby current. The battery will still require a charge period when the device is on, and the consumption of this will be greater than the energy stored in the batteries! The batteries will also require recharging when off/drained, and depending on how you look at it, that will incur a big penalty too.

There are methods and means to work around this, by using smart devices with active power management and well designed power supply units ($$) you can control the power consumption in an off state to the point of reducing it below 1W - an acceptable figure to most.

I havene't done enough reading on Reverse Blocking Thyristors, but I suspect that these are incorperated into most PFC SMPS power supply units.

Mellor

10-10-20 wrote:

A battery isn't a simplistic way of reducing this standby current. The battery will still require a charge period when the device is on, and the consumption of this will be greater than the energy stored in the batteries! The batteries will also require recharging when off/drained, and depending on how you look at it, that will incur a big penalty too.

I dont think he was suggesting that the batterys be charged from the mains, as this would be stupid and use MORE power.
I think, or at least I hope, he was suggest that the batterys be maintained by the solar panel system.

10-10-20

Oh maybe...
Stored PV solar would be ideal for standby devices.
You could run them off a dual supply - 230VAC for the ON period and 12VDC for the stand-by.
This would reduce the conversion losses of the PV 12v/230v inverter and then the additional step down in the unit/system from 230VAC to 12v or 5v...

Hmmm...!