Hardworking TVs and their faithful companion cable boxes both use around 200 kWh of electricity per year–a combined total of 400 kWh. This is about 4% of average household electrical use. At 15 cents/kWh, this is $60 worth of electricity.
Energy Star TV’s are getting very efficient. Running 5 hours daily, a 19-inch LCD might use 60 kWh/year; a 32-inch LCD–130 kWh/year; and, a 42-inch plasma TV–170 Kwh/year.
A new inefficient TV might use twice the energy as comparable Energy Star models. So it is prudent to purchase only Energy Star labeled TVs. The approved Energy Star TVs and their annual kWh usages are listed in http://www.energystar.gov/ia/products/prod_lists/tv_prod_list.xls.
Some high definition DVR cable boxes consume 446 kWh/year!!! So for optimum energy savings, it is essential to plug both cable set up boxes and TVs into a smart strip. The smart strip will turn them completely off when you are not watching. The cable boxes will take some time to reboot, but you could save a huge amount of power. For comparison, an Energy Star 21 cubic feet refrigerator might use 410 kWh/year.
By installing an Energy Star TV, along with a smart strip for TV and cable box, you could save 200 kWh to 400 kWh electricity a year. At 15 cents/kWh this would save $30 to $60 dollars. The greatest savings result from switching off high definition cable boxes and replacement of old large TVs.
American desktop computers (including monitors) use around 300 kWh of electricity per year. This is 3% of the average household electrical use. At 15 cents/kWh, this is $45 worth of electricity.
Energy Star certifications require that the computer: 1) be efficient while it is active; and 2) effectively reduce power consumption when not in use. The approved Energy Star computers are listed at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=CO.
Energy Star estimates the savings from its certified computers to be 55 kWh, 200 kWh, or 491 kWh per year. The low estimate is for people who turn off their computers at night. The medium is for people who typically leave their computers on nights and weekends. The high estimate is for replacing an old computer without adequate power management. At 15 cents/kWh, these savings correspond to $8, $30 or $74 savings annually.
Additional savings are possible by setting the computer and monitor to power down after 15 minutes, or less, of non-use. Similarly, by plugging the computer, printer, scanner etc. into a smart strip you can eliminate another 100 to 200 kWh annually, saving another $15-$30. The smart strip will turn these devices and their power supplies completely off when you are not working.
A smart strip is a surge protector on steroids. It is used to switch a group of electronic devices completely off when not being used.
Suppose you just switched off your computer and then measured the current coming through your existing surge protector. You would find that 20 watts or so of current was still running. This current originates from your “turned off” computer and its peripherals – video monitor, scanner, printer, and their power supplies—all in standby mode.
A smart strip enables you to shut off this standby current using a variety of techniques. One approach is as follows: When you switch off your computer, the smart strip recognizes this. It then sends a signal which completely entirely switches off both the computer “master” socket and the peripheral or “slave” sockets. When you turn your computer on, the smart strip re-activates all the sockets. The smart strip is also equipped with an “always-on” socket for devices, such a modem that, you need to run all the time.
The same arrangement can be used for your entertainment center. You would plug the TV into the “master” socket and your DVD player, and home-theater audio stuff into the peripheral “slave” sockets.
Another smart strip design is the all-on or all-off approach. When the smart strip senses that no socket is using much current, it switches off all the devices. When you turn on our computer or TV all the peripheral sockets are activated.
Your reward for installing these strips could be a 5 percent reduction in your total electric bill. If you have lots of electronics and computer-controlled devices you could save 10 percent.
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