Saving electricity

[DealorNoDeal]

From what I've read, the efficiency of small transformers used in consumer electronics can be as low as 85%.

The ones in old mobile phone chargers were particularly bad. I've got an old Nokia charger. When charging the phone, it gets hot but it even gets pretty warm when not connected to the phone.

The US Govt and EU made manufacturers change them due to the power that was being wasted because people were leaving them plugged in all the time. The transformers were replaced with solid state PSUs.

[DealorNoDeal]

Something in the background is still consuming about 10W (0.25kWh/day).

I've narrowed it down to the ground floor socket ring main. If I turn this off at the consumer unit, the electricity meter stops moving.

AFAIK, I've turned everything off.
Fridge freezer
Router PSU
Car trickle charger
TV
Laptop chargers
Oil level monitor

The C/H controller and boiler are on a separate circuit, so it's not them. I did wonder if it could be the 3 smoke detectors but it turns out they're on the lighting ring main.

Currently stumped as to what it could be. I'm wondering if there may be a wiring fault somewhere.

[d000hg]

From what I've read, the efficiency of small transformers used in consumer electronics can be as low as 85%.

The ones in old mobile phone chargers were particularly bad. I've got an old Nokia charger. When charging the phone, it gets hot but it even gets pretty warm when not connected to the phone.

I just got a Flir thermal imager. I was interested to note my router, Mesh Wifi units, heating control panel, etc, are all pretty warm.

You don't have any sort of security lighting type things on your circuit do you? Extractor fans?

It could just be a fault though. Are you in an old house?

[DealorNoDeal]

I just got a Flir thermal imager. I was interested to note my router, Mesh Wifi units, heating control panel, etc, are all pretty warm.

That may be normal if they are in use.

You don't have any sort of security lighting type things on your circuit do you? Extractor fans?

No, nothing like that

Are you in an old house?

The house was originally built in the 60s but it was extended/renovated, including a total rewiring, in 2007.

[_V_]

The only other stealth users of leccy can be if you have those mains sockets with usb charging ports built in (we have those in our house).

Pond pump?
RCD on external sockets or even on the fuse board? (no idea if they use power)
Aerial booster in the loft (had one of these in previous house)

[DealorNoDeal]

The only other stealth users of leccy can be if you have those mains sockets with usb charging ports built in (we have those in our house).

Pond pump?
RCD on external sockets or even on the fuse board? (no idea if they use power)
Aerial booster in the loft (had one of these in previous house)

None of the above.

One thing I have discovered though is that not all sockets are on the ring main they should be. For example, some of the downstairs kitchen sockets are on the 1st floor ring. So, even though I've narrowed it down to the ground floor ring, it doesn't necessarily mean the electricity "thief" is on the ground floor.

[DealorNoDeal]

Still haven't found a culprit, and I'm starting to think it's just the cumulative effect of having a bunch of stuff switched on at the mains all the time.

Either that or the house has been bugged.

[mallisarealperson]

Remember reading but cannot find the article that America (on average) uses for appliances on standby, in total as much as the total electricity usage of Argentina.

Equates to 8 or so power stations.

There is supposed to be a patent for a power cable that uses a capacitor in the cord to then cut the power from the wall, when in standby. Would stop the trickle of electric powering nothing, but a red light.

I reckon Europe including UK would be about the same as USA.

[DealorNoDeal]

Based on what I'm seeing, I can believe that. We haven't got that many appliances/devices on all the time (on standby) but they still account for about 5% of our total consumption.

And, as I'm discovering, trying to identify the worst "parasites" is not easy with only a single meter covering the whole house.

[darmstadt]

Still haven't found a culprit, and I'm starting to think it's just the cumulative effect of having a bunch of stuff switched on at the mains all the time.

Either that or the house has been bugged.

You probably have a neighbour like me who has run an extension cord over the fence :-)