The little red light

HydeRoad

We are all told not to leave things on standby all night. Switch off the telly, the dvd, the dishwasher, all those appliances with the little red light that gleams in the darkened room, dribbling away all the energy from the grid.

But what about the Sky box? We are told not to switch it off or unplug it, it will disconnect the signal. Where does it's standby power come from?

What about radios and cd players that have a little green led clock when plugged in? How harmful are they?

muggyog

The LED (Light Emitting Diode) is only an indication that the equipment is in standby mode. There is a tiny amount of electricity used ( hence new LED light/torch equipment ) and the colour of the LED is also irrelevant. The power used in standyby differs from device to device and that is the issue not the LED indicator.

I suggest your fairly safe switching off the SKY box at night, only heart/lung machines need to be on all the time:)

CJhaughey

I got an Intellipanel, this allows you to turn the TV off and a short time later everything connected to this will be turned off completely.
The only exceptions are the skybox and the HD recorder, the HD recorder needs power constantly to retain its time.
The sky box will be switched into standby mode.
I find it a great system just one button on the remote turns everything off.

Cabaal

Don't sky charge you for voiding your contract if your sky box is disconnected from the phoneline during the first 12 months of contract, would powering it off maybe have the same affect during the night when it trys to dial
#

HydeRoad

I think the point I want to make is that we should all be striving to disconnect everything that isn't a 'heart & lung machine'. Yet new appliances, i.e. Sky boxes, are being introduced which are recommended NOT to be disconnected. Surely that goes against the grain of modern environmental thinking?

It would make much more sense if some of this kit that needs "standby" capability was designed with small batteries that "hold up" the necessary services while on standby, would waste less energy than having psu's trickling small amounts of energy constantly into the box.

Alun

Deleted User wrote: »

It would make much more sense if some of this kit that needs "standby" capability was designed with small batteries that "hold up" the necessary services while on standby, would waste less energy than having psu's trickling small amounts of energy constantly into the box.

How would that work? If they're rechargeable batteries, the power to recharge them would have to come from somewhere, i.e. the exact same place that the power comes from now to power the thing in standby mode. The net result would be exactly the same.

Once you eliminate the losses in the power supply, there would be a net gain (or less loss overall).

crushproof

we always plug out the sky box when not in the house, doesnt make a differnence to the signal or anything, just takes a minute to reload when you switch it back on!!

Problem solved

astrofool

Deleted User wrote: »

Once you eliminate the losses in the power supply, there would be a net gain (or less loss overall).

Getting electricity from the grid is always going to be less intensive than charging and using a battery, especially as these devices would be on standby during off peak hours when there is less demand anyway.

There are new directives to make appliances use <1W when on standby, Samsung TV's for example follow this, but it is usually listed on the appliance's specs.

LED's by themselves consume very little energy.

badolepuddytat

The issue here is the technology to bring the voltage from 230v to 5 v for the LED. Traditional appliances had a large iron core transformer that counsumed quite a bit of power when on at all, even if the only power consumed was a little red led (20mW - 500 mW).

Most modern appliances are much better, but as stated the EU directive will ensure a all appliances will be much better.

I did an analysis last year using a relatively sophisticated power monitor and the base load for all the random appliances around my house was in the order of 60w. (105 Euro per year for nothing!!)

14w - the motorised valves on my heating system
12w the router for my PC
8w Clock in my bedroom
10w oven clock
remainder were various entertainment bits and pcs... which no longer exist!

SO switch them all off, specially the old ones.

rameire

Cabaal wrote: »

Don't sky charge you for voiding your contract if your sky box is disconnected from the phoneline during the first 12 months of contract, would powering it off maybe have the same affect during the night when it trys to dial
#

ive had sky for 2 years now, ive had it connected once to the phoneline, that was installation, it has been disconnected since then.
and i switch it off at the plug every night or when not in use, it only takes about 30 seconds to get the signal back, but sky dont penalise you.

McSandwich

I use an 'Intelliplug' on the TV and computer. These have a master socket (e.g. for TV) which cuts the power to secondary devices (DVD player etc.) whenever the TV is in standby or off.

Switching unused devices off to save energy is a good thing but on it's own does feck all in terms of saving energy. It amazes me that some people who go to the effort of always plugging out phone chargers and installing efficient light bulbs don't know if their attic is insulated and have no problems with running a 4KW patio heater for 10 hours!

mumhaabu

I've been through 6 Sky boxes in 7 years and since I stopped plugging out they last longer, it is the same with alot of other electronics, the constant strain of starting and restarting takes its toll.

I only ever plug out my Sky+ box when RTÉ Aertel gets jammed up around every 10 days and I a quick 90 second restart does the trick and I only plug out the rest of my electronics when there is a Lightning storm as lightning can destroy anything!. PC plugged every night too though. Power is cheap and there is no such thing as Global Warming, before ye all run to the hilsl with cans of spam.

mumhaabu

mumhaabu wrote: »

I've been through 6 Sky boxes in 7 years and since I stopped plugging out they last longer, it is the same with alot of other electronics, the constant strain of starting and restarting takes its toll.

It is usually temperature cycling that kills 'me, if the equipment is designed to run cool, then this issue is unlikely to affect them - it could also be said that if they run cool then there is no need to power it down as it isn't wasting much energy.

Unfortunately the kit that wastes the most energy is the same kit that "should" be left on to preserve it's life. :rolleyes:

badolepuddytat

McSandwich wrote: »

I use an 'Intelliplug' on the TV and computer. These have a master socket (e.g. for TV) which cuts the power to secondary devices (DVD player etc.) whenever the TV is in standby or off.

Switching unused devices off to save energy is a good thing but on it's own does feck all in terms of saving energy. It amazes me that some people who go to the effort of always plugging out phone chargers and installing efficient light bulbs don't know if their attic is insulated and have no problems with running a 4KW patio heater for 10 hours!

Too right, Irish times article last friday: top ten things to do to save energy, No.1: Unplug your mobile phone charger, not install proper thermostats in your house, or insulate attic, etc. My biggest energy saver in terms of cost was a good thermostat. 30% red in heating oil use in first year.

But i will add, a bit of everything is a what's required.