CATEGORY - STAND-BY & ENERGY SAVING DEVICES

From in-built systems (or not) to add on plugs, the power electric and electronic devices draw down is a pretty significant aspect of our energy demand.

I've dabbled a bit to now, but in answering a question put together a reply that is worth kicking this of with:

While topical and important, it is surprising how little actual info there is.

There's what allows power to get as far as the box, and what the box
needs power for, and does with it, if and when it gets to it.

Most standby systems are just remote switches, doing no more than
cutting off the juice as you would simply by clicking off.

So in-box. there's keeping settings and there's updates.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6076658.stm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3118713.ece

These need some power reserve. Can't imagine it's a lot, so why it
could not be some temporary storage system I can't imagine.

This looks fun: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Watt_Initiative

I also met a very interesting chap at the Sky Big Idea (he was the
people's choice winner) and Geneva Invention show, called Karl Dorn - http://www.karldorn.com/

He had invented a plug that I recall allowed a trickle though,
which was enough to keep the clocks ticking. I also recall a Dragon's
Den where all five got excited about the same thing, though the IP was
in doubt - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6913848.stm . The BBC
News was full of it when 'hot', but I guess dropped it. You'd have
thunk the researchers and the Dragon's might have checked a wee thing
like that before taking it to full national exposure, winning and PR
mode.

I guess it's down to money and consumer preference, as per usual.

For more info you could do worse than ask these guys: http://www.intellectuk.org/

Standby, me?

Pull the plug on standby

I don't do pledges. But if it did, I suspect it would just one of many pointless ones I could make today.

But I also don't do standbys. Costs money. Silly to do do. Hurts planet.

All off, bar the Skybox, which still has a red light glowing. I guess I could unplug it at the mains, but that may hurt it and in any case it's a bit tricky to get at twice each night by being lost in the back there. Maybe these winners of all sorts of green awards can help me with that?

Or maybe the 'government confirmed plans' will... no really. All the others have worked out so well, right?

Those eco-gizmos do look promising, mind.

I wonder if there's one that will shut off the dishwasher (yeah, yeah... I've decided we gobble tons more juice and water manually so I've made that call) if the missus puts it on at night. I do it in the AM so I can kill it at cycle end and avoid the drying bit plus the guilt-making red dot that greets me in the morning.