While Arizonans are going “green,” becoming more mindful of recycling, reusing grocery bags, cutting fuel use and switching to more energy-saving appliances and other products, “vampires” that survive on tiny bits of energy may still be lurking in their homes and offices. They operate in both daylight and at night, are immune to garlic and contrary to popular belief, can indeed be photographed and reflected in mirrors.
According to the Arizona Department of Commerce’s Energy Office, they do not prey on humans or other mammals, instead, these vampires suck energy from unsuspecting electric outlets. They are known as the “phantom” loads, electrical cords for appliances, device chargers, electronics and other items left plugged in that sap energy, even if they are turned off or not in use. The most likely culprits are appliances with power clocks or timers that can be turned on or off with a remote control. Vampire loads are estimated to account for 10% of household power-consumption.
A few examples and ranges of ghostly loads, in watts:
Compact audio system: 9.7 watts
Cell phone charger: varies, 3 watts
Computer, in sleep mode: 1.7 watts
Computer printer, turned off: 5 watts
Microwave: 2.9 watts
Television w/remote: 5 – 20 watts
DVD player: 4.2 watts
Digital cable/satellite box: 4.4 – 24 watts
Vacuum cleaner: 2.1 watts
While one watt is but a drop of electricity, several drops add up to a full vial, and many drops add up to pints, eventually allowing a vampire to get its fill. According to the U.S. Department of Energy:
• National residential electricity consumption in 2004 was 1.29 billion megawatt hours (MWh)
• Phantom loads nationwide that same year added up to approximately 64 million MWh, or the equivalent of the output of 18 typical power stations.
• Arizonans use approximately 73 million MWh annually; this means the nation’s aggregate vampire loads represent 87% of all the electricity used in Arizona
The solution is wickedly simple: unplug appliances as soon as they are turned off, and leave them unplugged until their next use. For home office areas, plug printers, modems, computers, monitors and accessories into a power strip that can be turned off and on at the flick of a switch.
Keeping the vampires away can potentially add up to many dollars in cost-savings and cleaner air.
Happy Halloween from the Arizona Energy Office. For more information, visit www.azcommerce.com/energy.
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