• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Do unused electronics raise power bill a lot??

If you have an older computer get rid of it. It uses bunches of power. My. old iMac used over 450 watts continuously. The new one a small fraction of that. Change from Quartz or incandescent lamps to LED. You'll save a fortune. Throw out the old florescent tubes and ballast and install LED tubes. Change your windows from single pane to gas filled twin pain, insulate your walls and remote your furnaces and Air-conditioners and install heat pumps cooling HVAC systems. Get off the grid and install windmills with solar panels. Let the electric company. pay you.
 
Last edited:
Grenadeslio said:
Tell your mom to look at the water heater, if electric it will state the average yearly usage. For most 30gal electrc water heaters it's close to $45/month. If she wants to save some real money forget investing in LED bulbs, the total savings will be miniscule in comparison to the investment unless you have 100's of lights.

Have a time clock installed on the water heater, give it two windows of time to heat the water. Say 1-2 hrs in the morning to heat whatever was lost during the night and allow for showers, and another around dinnertime for washing dishes and showers for anyone returning home from work.

With this approach she should see savings around $30/month, and the heater elements will last longer too.

The time clock is around $65 at Home Depot and can be installed in less than an hr. I usually charge $185 which includes the time clock and materials to connect.
Click to expand...
She leaves devices that are barely used plugged in year round , the wii no one uses due to dead remote batteries ... I was like wtf !?? Who uses this wiii
Hi don’t think she cares about power bills she just wants to Blame me. We use those power saving light bulbs . I told her buy a smart power block she wouldn’t .
 
twiiii said:
If you have an older computer get rid of it. It uses bunches of power. My. old iMac used over 450 watts continuously. The new one a small fraction of that. Change from Quartz or incandescent lamps to LED. You'll save a fortune. Throw out the old florescent tubes and ballast and install LED tubes. Change your windows from single pane to gas filled twin pain, insulate your walls and remote your furnaces and Air-conditioners and install heat pumps cooling HVAC systems. Get off the grid and install windmills with solar panels. Let the electric company. pay you.
Click to expand...
I’m using an old laptop think my coolmat not working to they burn lot of power ? 2000+ days obsolete
 
ultumax said:
She leaves devices that are barely used plugged in year round , the wii no one uses due to dead remote batteries ... I was like wtf !?? Who uses this wiii
Hi don’t think she cares about power bills she just wants to Blame me. We use those power saving light bulbs . I told her buy a smart power block she wouldn’t .
Click to expand...

Those bulbs suck. Make my head hurt. :)

Btw, grownups are just children that got older and taller. Do you thing.
 
polypetalous said:
Can totally appreciate your sentiment here, but what of “responsibility?”

Ben
Click to expand...
DaveVoorhis said:
All for that, as long as it's not at someone else's expense...
Click to expand...
yeah but I don't leave the tv all day on like they do . I haven’t barely been using my biggest system I been using smaller one hooked to downstairs tv .. haha :banana::bigok::beerchug::jump::lurk:
I’d rather be being using the cable upstairs but they would cry Over that , maybe when I find a job I can pay the $120 a year corn the extra box o_O??
 
Get a Kill A Watt meter and get some hard data. If you want to go nuts, you could get one for every piece of electronic equipment you use in the house, keep extensive logs, and time how long you leave any lights on. Then add it all up at the end of the month and calculate exactly how much you should contribute to the electricity bill.
 
+1 on the Kill A Watt!
I use mine all the time on the electronics bench and up at the house

I always try to whittle down our electric usage so I check the consumption of various appliances.

I found that the big screen LCD TV in the living room uses about 375watts when on,no big deal as it's only on maybe 1-2 hours a day if that.
I was shocked to find that when off it consumed 25watts per hour 24/7!
I put it on the switched outlets circuit that's also for the living room table/floor lamps.

Our 36" upright freezer(energy star rated) in the kitchen seemed like it was running alot even though I make sure the coils are clean.
I plugged it into the Kilawatt for 2 days and found that it only consumed 1.2kwh for the 2 days so basically peanuts.(10 cents/day)

I did find that for every TV,Cable box, Microwave,Oven,Convection Oven,WiFI router,etc.that each one uses at least 5-8 watts/hr 24/7.
So actual vampire usage of 80watts/hr x 24hr = 2Kwh/day which is more than our separate refrigerator and freezer combined.

Btw,
I converted every incandescent/CFL light in the house to LED long ago.


Bob
 
wlhd1610 said:
LCD TV in the living room uses about 375watts when on,no big deal as it's only on maybe 1-2 hours a day if that.
I was shocked to find that when off it consumed 25watts per hour 24/7!
I put it on the switched outlets circuit that's also for the living room table/floor lamps.

Our 36" upright freezer(energy star rated) in the kitchen seemed like it was running alot even though I make sure the coils are clean.
I plugged it into the Kilawatt for 2 days and found that it only consumed 1.2kwh for the 2 days so basically peanuts.(10 cents/day)

I did find that for every TV,Cable box, Microwave,Oven,Convection Oven,WiFI router,etc.that each one uses at least 5-8 watts/hr 24/7.
So actual vampire usage of 80watts/hr x 24hr = 2Kwh/day which is more than our separate refrigerator and freezer combined.
Click to expand...

This is totally in line with the energy star specifications ;)

For instance, your amplifier is watts = 0.1 x outputPower

so if you have a 400w amp, energy star compliance means it consumes consumedWatts = .1 x 400, or 40w/hr at idle state.
 
dysmike said:
This is totally in line with the energy star specifications ;)

For instance, your amplifier is watts = 0.1 x outputPower

so if you have a 400w amp, energy star compliance means it consumes consumedWatts = .1 x 400, or 40w/hr at idle state.
Click to expand...
Sony is 175 watt energy star not sure what lcd tv is .
My dad runs a duel 21” monitor . Hp desktop all day long too . And his 55” led tv that is going bad.
On when no one is in there too .6-7days a week
 
Last edited:
Grenadeslio said:
Tell your mom to look at the water heater, if electric it will state the average yearly usage. For most 30gal electrc water heaters it's close to $45/month. If she wants to save some real money forget investing in LED bulbs, the total savings will be miniscule in comparison to the investment unless you have 100's of lights.

Have a time clock installed on the water heater, give it two windows of time to heat the water. Say 1-2 hrs in the morning to heat whatever was lost during the night and allow for showers, and another around dinnertime for washing dishes and showers for anyone returning home from work.

With this approach she should see savings around $30/month, and the heater elements will last longer too.

The time clock is around $65 at Home Depot and can be installed in less than an hr. I usually charge $185 which includes the time clock and materials to connect.
Click to expand...

That's really good advice. Old-timey HWHs waste tons of energy, and I find that I still get HW 12-18 hrs after switching mine off, because it's reasonably well-insulated.

Another big energy hog is the electric clothes dryer. I find that a lot of people overdry their clothes and/or use the automatic moisture sensor which also overdries their clothes. Clothes will dry themselves hung on a line, although in my previous 'hood the HOA prohibited clothes lines. Along with a hundred other things, some of which I did appreciate.
 
Do more job hunting and less dumpster diving for broken televisions.

Audio gear burning lots of electricity when turned off? Nope...Never seen that one.
 
z-adamson said:
Do more job hunting and less dumpster diving for broken televisions.

Audio gear burning lots of electricity when turned off? Nope...Never seen that one.
Click to expand...
I don’t go near dumpsters and none are near were I live , what can’ you make out if a defective cracked screen a light ?bulb haha
 
Kick your mom a Ben Franklin every week & she wont care,that little hifi aint using enough juice to light a pin joint,shes using the power bill to tell you its time to leave the nest man ,theres no way shes digging on her 30 year old son loafed up in the same beedroom he was in at 16 years old ,put that smart phone down & go see people face to face & youll be working in a week,if you want to work tomorrow be at the nearest roofing company office at 6 am & youll be working full time immediately !
 
PanheadXR290 said:
Kick your mom a Ben Franklin every week & she wont care,that little hifi aint using enough juice to light a pin joint,shes using the power bill to tell you its time to leave the nest man ,theres no way shes digging on her 30 year old son loafed up in the same beedroom he was in at 16 years old ,put that smart phone down & go see people face to face & youll be working in a week,if you want to work tomorrow be at the nearest roofing company office at 6 am & youll be working full time immediately !
Click to expand...
If I could do a standing job I’d be working already .
Your correct I need to help pay something, need a desk job ASAP.
Wish the condition of my knees and back , I don’t got 100 grand for a military exoskeleton haha

. I hope you never have to deal with this now , I gotta take apartment my laptop the fan Ian overheating . be doing applications on my iPhone.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom