How Vampire Power Works

Vampire Power Causes

In the average U.S. home, 25 percent of electricity use by home electronics occurs while the products are off [source: Pogue]. Is this power used for anything? Do electronics manufacturers hate the environment?
Vampire Power
Vampire power causes usually include one of the following:

  1. The gadget, such as a cell-phone AC adapter, constantly supplies a charge, even if the batteries are fully charged or if nothing is plugged into it. Many AC adapters, nicknamed wall warts by some critics, waste as much as 50 percent of the power they use [source: Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Council].
  1. The gadget uses electricity to power a display screen, an external time display or an internal clock. In some cases, this power usage is justified. For instance, your refrigerator needs to monitor temperature levels in order to power up at appropriate times. When it comes to your radio however, it’s not as easy to justify a constant power drain to keep the digital clock lit.
  1. The gadget never fully shuts down so that it’s ready to use at a moment’s notice. Many printers spend hours in standby mode, waiting to receive signals from connected computers. Before you even pick up your remote control, the TV is already using electricity to power the sensor that will receive the signal.

Vampire power has been on the rise during the past decade, thanks to the proliferation of rechargeable gadgets, computer networks and devices with standby power functions. The United States consumes 26 percent of the world’s energy. Of that energy, approximately 5 percent is vampire power [source: University of California, Berkeley]. To put that in perspective, that’s between 200 and 400 terawatt hours — roughly as much electricity as the entire country of Italy consumes in a year [source: Smyth].
All this energy use enacts quite a hefty toll on the environment. Coal-burning power plants produce carbon dioxide, a leading cause of global climate change. Therefore, less vampire power translates to lower carbon emissions. Even plants that run on nuclear or hydroelectric power produce emissions that can lead to smog and acid rain.

Fight Vampire Power

Ready to pick up your stake, take a stab at saving electricity and fight vampire power? Lucky for you, the battle against this energy waster comes down to two tactics:

  1. Identify which electronic devices drain power when not in use.
  2. Replace these electronic items with energy-efficient devices or cut off power when you aren’t using them.

If you’re not using an electronic device, unplug it — that’s the blanket approach to fighting vampire power. You can make this step even easier with a surge protector or power strip. Plug multiple items in the strip and simply turn it off when you’re not using the devices. If the strip is off, you don’t have to worry about leaking electricity.
A certain amount of standby power is unavoidable, especially with major appliances or other devices that are impractical to turn off. But this doesn’t mean vampire power can’t be kept to a minimum. Many electronic devices waste power in standby mode due to poor design. Purchase energy-efficient products and you’ll waste less electricity on standby functions. The governments of the United States, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan and the European Union all regulate energy-saving products and label them as Energy Star-certified products. These products are guaranteed to meet certain low-energy consumption criteria.
Electronic devices may cause vampire power, but there are also a number of gadgets on the market designed to help cut down on unnecessary power loss. The Kill A Watt digital wattage reader from P3 International allows you to check how much power your electronic devices are consuming.
For more Detail: How Vampire Power Works


About The Author

Ibrar Ayyub

I am an experienced technical writer holding a Master's degree in computer science from BZU Multan, Pakistan University. With a background spanning various industries, particularly in home automation and engineering, I have honed my skills in crafting clear and concise content. Proficient in leveraging infographics and diagrams, I strive to simplify complex concepts for readers. My strength lies in thorough research and presenting information in a structured and logical format.

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