Does anyone know if you can reduce/eliminate "standby" electrical power usage of major appliances if you flip off the circuit breaker for them when not in use?

I have heard that unplugging appliances reduces the standby power but it can be a hazard unplugging it so many times...

Also frequently the plug is not even into a main, & sometimes it is not even visible!

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Originally Posted by ngasnier

Does anyone know if you can reduce/eliminate "standby" electrical power usage of major appliances if you flip off the circuit breaker for them when not in use?

I have heard that unplugging appliances reduces the standby power but it can be a hazard unplugging it so many times...

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IMO the only "danger", for lack of a better word, is wearing out the plug and receptacle.

I don't think you'd EVER see a noticeable difference in your bill by unplugging things that are in standby mode. These things do not draw more than a couple of watts while in standby.

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Originally Posted by ngasnier

also frequently the plug is not even into a main, & sometimes it is not even visible!

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I have NO Idea what this means.

Concur with StanFortyMan. Little would be gained by disconnecting devices in standby.

If you are this serious about conserving electrical energy, replace all incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent replacements. The investment can be considerable up front but will pay for itself in one year. The additional benefit are that they last a lot longer and produce a lot less heat which reduces the energy required for cooling.
The biggest killer is leaving lights on in an unused room. The missus is constantly coming behind me turning off lights.

There is a device called the "kill a watt" YOu plug anything into it and it tells you what it consumes in electricity. It can be programmed to your utility rate and tell you exactly what something is costing you. They are about $30 - 40 depending on the model. But I'll bet Bones is right regarding lighting... a bunch of small loads add up fast.

I found, when my brother stayed with me for a season, that leaving the TV on will run up your bill faster than most other things. I like to use a lot of lights, but as most of my bulbs are CFLs, it doesn't affect me more than a couple dollars.