Also, using common sense in unplugging devices only works if you knows what devices use power. I found two devices (a CD player and a tape player) that used 5-6 watts each while plugged in, turned off and doing nothing. (Neither had any indicator to show they were still powered, neither has a remote to turn it on, they both have a physical on-off switch, so I was amazed to find that they were also energy vampires.)

Point is – some energy vampires are obvious, and some aren’t.

Also, about pre 1992 fridge taking large amounts of power – again, not necessarily. We have a really ancient fridge in the basement. (predates things like automatic defrost.) It is almost never opened. Turns out it takes about 183 kw-hrs/year to run it (cost about $17/year). Replacing that with a modern “energy efficient” refrigerator would not only cost hundreds of dollars for refrigerator, but probably use considerably more power because it is very difficult to find refrigerators that aren’t frost free. So again – measuring is the only way to really know what is going on.

“In theory there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practice, there is.”

(But I agree that this is a tool best borrowed, rather than bought.)

Claire F (Post 49) – the UL label isn’t the whole story. It just gives a maximum usage. Many devices vary how much they use (e.g. refrigerator or electric blanket use power to heat or cool area for a while, then they switch off for a while). To find out how much such devices really use, need to leave meter plugged in for a while. Similarly for computers, monitors, televisions, printers, dehumidifiers, etc.

Joe (post #3), and in original article:
This also explains the posts about electric blankets. The posters only checked for a short time, so they just saw the blanket heating (and no matter what it heats at the same rate). The number on the dial should control the thermostat, which tells the heater at what temperature to turn off (how long to heat, in effect). e.g., If you left the blanket on #2 all night, and measured how much power it took, and then put it on #5 and left it for the same amount of time in a room with the same ambient conditions, you should find that the higher temperature setting took more power.

It draws about 17-18 Watts while turned on at the menu (I think it was at the menu, the TV was off). About 9 Watts while off in “sleep” mode (light was yellow/orange). And only 1 Watt when it was forcefully powered down with the power button for a couple of seconds and the power light went red.

My 24 hour LED kitchen light which uses 5 LEDs only uses 6 Watts in contrast.

http://www.grimaldielectric.com/services/green-tips/97-holiday-and-christmas-lighting-led-holiday-lights-versus-traditional-holiday-lights.html

Jonny, as I’ve stated, if you need a gadget to tell you to turn off items you aren’t using and it will save you money, then you must certainly need it. Just don’t forget to unplug the thing when you’re through with it, or you might be wasting more energy and money.

Of course, I have to remember that Pet Rocks were once a big fad and sucked a lot of money from peoples pockets, too.

Now, if you don’t find any value to my statements, then perhaps you should go elsewhere… like back to school, until you grow up. Unfortunately, common sense is not a subject that can be taught… you either have it or you don’t.

I borrowed a Kill-a-Watt from a friend. No $20 spent on my end. I had a very high power bill and was able to identify many things that while consuming very little power in a sleep mode adds up quickly.

I am also able to identify exactly how much it does cost me to run my big screen tv, dvd, xbox, wii, playstation, AT&T uverse router, DVR, telephone, networked printer, computers, and refrigerators.

I was able to reduce my bill from 2522 KWH to 1453 KWH, and reduce my power bill about $140 for two months.

I know I use devices which require substantial power use, but adding in a few power strips that cut power when my ps, xbox, dvd, printer, and wii aren’t being used does add up.

Jim F – Why don’t you go elsewhere, where someone might value your statements, instead of acting like you are smarter than others seeking information. You only detract from the personal experiences that others may learn from.

Jonny P

Oh yeah, and your cyber-punking sucks. Grow up.

Don’t buy another big or small appliance from super polluting Asia shipped over on super toxic bunker diesel ships.

Better yet – take a wonderful trip to Paris: eat drink & be merry with wine & cheese; lose weight walking to see all the street artists, cafes, parks, museums, & galleries; and stay in a tiny tiny hotel room where you will never couch potato or worry about a big fridge/freezer. Parisians stroll daily to the “neighborhood” market and buy local fresh items.

Then come back here and free your life from your big suburban house and yard and SUV and pantry. Ignore the $10billion of advertising to buy buy buy. Forget the past and downsize 75% to an apartment in a gentrifying downtown with public parks/libraries/etc. You’ll lower paying cash to your toxic coal fired power plant electric bill 75%; lower your car costs 100% ($5000+/car/yr); lower your cleaning fixing & furnishing costs 75%; and lower your job’s income pressure 75%.

That’s right apply for a green job at 75% less wages and 75% less stress and 1000% more earth/community friendly!!

Be part of the common sense solution, not the big giant money spending too big to fail problem.

If you have a pre-1992 refrigerator, I can guarantee that it is using more energy than the newer ones, today. New refrigerators today, are no less reliable than the older models, so you are not likely to have it break on you in 3 years, and in fact, your pre-92 model is much more likely to be ready for he scrap yard. DUH!

You have done nothing but try to present useless reasoning to justify your own silliness, in making yourself feel better about your efforts to be “green” and “energy efficient”. It is more likely that your only green with envy, that you didn’t realize your foolishness in purchasing a techno-geek gadget to tell you that you only need to use a little common sense to save all that money and be energy efficient through conscious thought processes which use much less energy… unless you’re just too lazy to think about it.

As for your inability to find any sarcastic wit, it is only likely to be from your lack of intellect. Of course, only coming here to attack my common sense analytics, doesn’t help to demonstrate your level of intellect. Now, go turn on your desk lamp and finish reading your dictionary, while you try to increase your literacy skills, so you can understand the technical instructions on how to properly use your new techno-gadget.

But if you don’t have those labels, the data tag on the refrigerator will only list maximum amps at 115VAC (or an other specified voltage). That lets us compute power used at max draw, usually when the motors start up. I wonder what the normal running power draw is? How many hours a day will the motor be running? How much power does the defrost heater draw, and for how long each day? How much energy will be saved by a new refrigerator each year? Will the purchase cost and energy saved by the new refrigerator will break even in 3, 5, 10, or 15 years?

But wait! There is a $20 meter that will answer the question in 24 hours, using less that 10 cents of electricity! And it can be used on all other appliances in the house! And my brothers house! But not your house!

You need to look up the definition of analogy. There are no analogies in either of your messages, only literal examples. Using ludicrous examples does not make them analogies.

Also look up sarcastic wit. You will find that wit requires clever use of words and ideas and a demonstration of intellect.

I’m weary of this exchange.

Goodbye

Now, your concept of a “rant” is as realistic as your understanding of an analogy. If you refuse to except the ideas, because of the way someone tries to provide an example to make their point, then it is you that can’t be taken seriously. So, as you attempt to glue your nose back on your face, don’t allow a little sarcastic wit to seem so spiteful, that you ignore the facts presented and refuse to acknowledge the validity of the information.

So, if you have an old refrigerator, check the label and it will tell you how much power it uses (keep in mind, they become less efficient with age). Then check the label on a new one and you should be able to determine if it’s worth buying the new one. Now, turn off your computer and head to the store to check those labels. YES… SERIOUSLY! Don’t waste the electricity. It doesn’t take that long to boot up.

I understand your point. It’s you who fails to support it with your comparison of using the meter for a full year (ludicrous) to unpluging your MW to keep the clock from using power (ludicrous) and not using your desk lamp (also ludicrous).

Around the house, initially using the meter for what adds up to a couple months is more realistic.

Examples of more realistic uses of the meter would be:

1. To find the power used by a computer system (pc, monitor, printer, scanner, UPS, etc.) when the system is in sleep/low power mode, to determine if it is worth the hastle of turn-off and reboot.

2. To find out how much power a 10 year old refrigerator is using compared to a new energy star refrigerator, to determine if it makes sense to buy the new one.

Your ranting in the last paragraph makes it hard to take your ideas seriously.

For that matter, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist, much less a gadget, to understand that if you turn off those unnecessary lights, clocks, gadgets, computers, etc., you won’t be using as much energy. I don’t need to pay the cost of electricity to operate a gadget that is going to show me that unplugging the microwave will save me a whopping $3/year or by turning off a desk lamp might save me a whole $6/year.

So, how much are you really saving per year to run a gadget that uses electricity to tell you how much each device will save you, by turning it off? This is ludicrous.

Such things are nothing more than a waste of money, time, and plain old common sense. If you have plenty of money and no common sense, then get a hobby to take up your time. At least, you’ll probably have something more worthwhile to spend all that money on. For that matter, instead of using all that electricity to run that computer, so you can just surf the web and post illogical nonsense, just turn it off and save the energy. Of course, you won’t know how much you’re saving without a fancy gadget to help you save all that energy and money. But who cares… remember what a previous poster said, “every little bit helps”. So, how does running another gadget that uses more electricity help?

The correct conclusion is that at $.14/kwh the Kill-a-Watt will cost $12.26 a year to measure all of your equipment/appliances, not just the MW display clock and desk lamp.

A penny save today can be spent tomorrow!!!

Reducing power used even by a small amount by millions of homes is a real big deal overall.

Good to be informed so I recommend everyone know how much energy they are using and react accordingly.

Upon reading the users manual for the Kill-A-Watt, it indicates that it uses 10Watts, which comes to 87.6KWH per year. At a low rate of 14-cents/KWH, that comes to 12.26/year.

So, to find out that your microwave oven display clock is costing you $2/year or that your desk lamp is costing you $6 year (if left on 24/7), you have used more power trying to determine how much you can save, than it cost you to determine the costs of those units.

When you’re doing your cost analysis, don’t forget to add in the $20 average cost of the unit… after all, those pennies add up. Has anyone asked how much energy the manufacturer is using in a year, to build these units? How much is this adding to the “greenhouse effect” on the Earth’s environment.

And while we’re calculating the costs to the consumer… it would be interesting to find out if the company received any federal grants to design & build the device and if they get tax credits/deductions for their contribution of an energy-saving device. If so, then we would have to determine how much this is costing the average taxpayer each year.

The other improvement I recommend is a whole house fan. We live in a climate where it gets very hot in summer and have been able to delay using the air conditioning much longer (even turn it off at night). They don’t cost much. I think you might need a certain amount of know-how to install them but again you can get them at Home Depot/Lowes/whatever and my husband installed ours in a weekend. I think in a hot climate it pays to install the best AC you can. We can usually hear air conditioners running all around us at night when ours is off.

I’ve been hearing about toxic gas released from the compact fluorescents that everyone has been urging us to buy. Maybe LEDs are a better solution? They last a really long time and I think they draw less power. Boats and airplanes are using them already.

[...] Measure and target phantom loads- They suggest getting a product called the Kill-a-Watt. My cheap ways kick in and I keep thinking I will find this product someplace that is on clearance or sale (below $15) or that I can borrow from a friend, because I don’t want to spend that money money for a one-time use. Right now I just go with J.D’s finds on what hogs energy. [...]

[...] packet of tomato seeds. I’ll keep track of how much she uses her grow lights (using my handy Kill-a-Watt electricity usage monitor), how much water and fertilizer we consume, how many tomatoes we harvest, and how much that would [...]

I live in Alberta, and I bought a kill a watt online at http://www.greengadgets.ca. Took about 3 days to ship here.

Thanks much!