Sustainable Building Forum

Everyone seems to leave their tv's and other devices on standby. How much electricity are they actually using? What about your phone and battery chargers? How much electricity is used for each dish washing load or clothes drying?

This neat little gadget called a Kill-A-Watt will tell you exactly. Just plug it in between the wall and your device and watch the power used. This is a very easy way of monitoring your power usage and can actually save you money!

Have a look at the comments from other satisfied users:
http://www.amazon.com/P3-P4400-Electricity-Monitor-KillAWatt/dp/B000JLOKXI

I need a device that can divert the current usage from the main power line to the solar power inverter when the devices are idle. Also it should be able to detect low power consumption devices like Mobile chargers and mp3 players and give them power from the solar power inverter. That can save a lot of energy. Please... someone make that device.

These "phantom loads" as they are reffered to are fairly insignificant however, they will add up.  My advice is put your tv and other phantom loads on a power strip and when its time to turn it off, flip the switch on the power strip,  No more phantom loads.

I have to say I like this.  Actually, I wouldn't spend my money on it, but my partner's workplace sent one to him.  Great present.  We love our new toy.  However, it hasn't changed our use of electricity at all hehe.  We've been trying to minimize it already, and we're not giving up on using what we need.  So much for saving us money...

My husband and I actually used our timer that we normally use for Christmas lights on our power strip that all of these things are plugged into and set the timer so it's off while we're at work and when we're sleeping. I figure it cuts the energy used in half.

This a very interesting post I have ever noticed on this forum.I would like to install this gadget in my house forever.