Electricity use

We could get a bigger bang for the electrical buck if large industrial and commercial customers closed early today, given their significant influence at driving up peak demand. Of course, people might holler "socialism" at this suggestion, but I'll throw it out there anyways.

:-)

Pretty soon we'll be on electricity and water restrictions. My lawn is a nice shade of brown, no need to cut

We have power strips for most of our plugs and turn them off regularly to save power. Just makes sense. No reason for everything to be on standing by all the time.

meow2, you better grab a flashlight i am getting ready to dry a load of laundry in my electric dryer

what lights draw current when they are turned off?

At BGSU they have been installing these motion-activated switches in places like hallways and offices. The best part about the new system is not the cost savings, but the way the lights go on when I enter a hallway, as if the glow from my halo was lighting the way.

Assuming, of course, that this is a halo producing the light and not a burning-hot hell-flame.

I think all public buildings should take more advantage of sunlights and sun tunnels for natural lighting during the day. After dark how many lights are just left on in public building that are closed for the day?

HM -- I love those kinds of lights, too. I always feel like Michael Jackson in the Billy Jean video!

Sans one weird glove, natch.

Linecrosser, that's how they all used to be built, but we don't do that anymore now that lighting is so readily available. Still a few old industrial facilities around town that have the large roof-long skylights. It's a shame we've more or less abandoned it, since it's free lighting.

As for the lights left on, that's largely an insurance/safety issue. Not necessarily that the company just feels like leaving their lights on.

My power went out today for about 2.0 hours (they told me it would be out till 2:30 PM, they told someone a mile from me that it would be 4:00PM). The power came back about 1:30 PM. During that time I thought about using the microwave rather than the stove so the house wouldn't heat up as much (then realized that neither was available), ate a nourishing meal of cold carrots, a dill pickle, milk, and some fruit, read (no TV), and went outside to remove a piece of wood that covered a window to the basement stairs so that would be lighted. It was an inconvenience, not a disaster. Though that could be coming in a few decades since our population will age, and we will not give up "clean energy" for coal.

Any item that uses electricity for power will continue to draw current when plugged in even when not turned on. It may not be a lot but it is still wasted power. Using a power strip makes it easy, just turn it off instead of unplugging everything. Harbor Frieght has nice 4 plug units for $2.99.

so, you are telling me that if I plug in a lamp that is turned off, it still draws power?

Before I post something about that being the most outrageous thing I've ever heard, please clarify what you are actually speaking about.

If you mean a microwave, because of it's clock, then yes, I agree. If you are saying lamps and lights, I do not agree at all.

http://standby.lbl.gov/faq.html

There you go, it is exactly like microwaves, computers, and things that have displays, clocks, batteries, etc.
Not lamps and lights.
An easier way of making sure you aren't drawing any power is to open the main breaker at your electric box.

meow2 you are wrong, if a mechanical power switch is used (like a light switch) there is NO WAY for the device to draw current. when i turn off a light switch there is no way he light bulb is drawing current.

Any electricty flowing past a typical on/off switch is going to be measured in milliamps, and this is not significant enough for us to think any meaningful cost or demand savings will result. I am setting aside items that might have ancillary power needs, like my pod-based coffee maker, which will continue to heat water in the instant-brew chamber even if the machine is not actively brewing coffee at the moment.

While we are on the subject, though: an on/off switch is not the best method of protection when working on electrical items. Always disconnect from the power source (unplug and/or shut off at breaker panel), if only to prevent accidental switch-flipping or power surges that can go through electrical devices that are not surge-protected.

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/money/062411-unplug-appliances-to-save-money

In the long run, it's not going to matter. The few people who try to conserve are nothing in the face of the billions all over the world who don't. We will all be forced to use solar power the way our great-great-grandparents did soon enuff. I say enjoy it while you got it and keep candles and a lot of wood in storage. Wouldn't hurt to have a cellar full of canned goods and a loaded gun, too. Oh, and a non-electric can opener. :)

With regards to brown outs... its not necessarily how much energy (kwh) you user per day, but how much stress is on the grid. One person unplugging a toaster or turning off the air isn't going to do anything. To relieve stress form the grid large industrial and commercial accounts would have to reduce usage or shut down early, which will never happen.

Might wanna avoid elevators on heat advisory days. ESP around 3 - 5pm.