Global electricity needs have been growing steadily since the advent of the industrial era. However, this daily energy consumption leads to a considerable increase in our electricity bills. Even when everyday electrical appliances are switched off, they continue to consume electricity because they remain connected to the source, ie the socket.
What do the connected devices consume?
It is common to think that a switched off device no longer consumes energy, but unfortunately this is not always the case. In reality, some devices can continue to consume electricity even when switched off, this is called hidden consumption. This phenomenon is due to the presence of a transformer which remains in operation permanently, even when the device is in OFF mode. This transformer converts alternating current to direct current, but it continues to draw electrical current even when the device is not turned on. It is therefore important to take this hidden consumption into account when you want to save on the bill.
Should all devices on standby be unplugged?
It is important to think about the consequences of systematically unplugging all electrical appliances in the house.
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It can be counterproductive to unplug certain appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers because they use standby time to detect water leaks.
Regularly unplugging devices can also cause damage to outlets.
However, it is recommended to unplug certain appliances when you are away from home for a long period, such as hot water tanks, refrigerators and freezers.
A balance must therefore be found between energy saving and device safety.
What is the hidden consumption of appliances?
Devices that are turned off but left plugged in continue to consume energy, called hidden consumption. This is because the main switch is after the transformer, so it remains energized until it is disconnected. This may include chargers for phones, televisions, printers and computers. To check this, you can use a power meter. It is also important to note that devices on standby also consume energy. This contributes around 11% of a household’s average electric bill. To reduce this consumption, you can use a power strip with a switch to disconnect several devices at the same time.
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Which devices consume energy even when switched off?
Some devices consume power even when not in use. The devices that consume the most power in standby are:
- The desktop computer and its screenwhich can consume up to 23 euros of energy per year when in standby
- The dryer, the oven and the televisionwhich can consume up to 29.3 euros of energy per year when in standby
- The washing machine and the DVD playerwhich can consume up to 12.2 euros of energy per year when in standby
- The Hi-Fi system, the game console and the laptopwhich can consume up to 14.4 euros of energy per year when in standby
- WiFi router, according to a study by ADEME, the average annual electricity consumption of a Wi-Fi internet box is around 97 kWh/year if it is used 22 hours a day, all year round. This represents an average annual cost of €16, or approximately 2% of the total electricity consumption of French people. Interestingly, this consumption is similar to that of a 7 kg washing machine used 198 cycles per year, which is estimated at 101 kWh/year and costs €17.60.
It is necessary to take this energy consumption into account when using these devices and to unplug them when not in use to reduce this unnecessary consumption.
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Via SPM