"Ralph Mowery" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Chris" wrote in message
...
My girlfriend watched some show, I don't know which, & heard that
thing like coffee makers & cordless kettles use electricity if they
are plugged in, even if they're turned off.
I know things like stereos need power for memory, or some coffee
makers with timers need power for internal clocks, but do appliances
like kettles & toasters still use electricity if they are off?


Not unless they have somekind of timmer or clock in them. Then they will
use a very small ammount to keep the clock going.



All electronic / electrical equipment will draw tiny amounts of current when
plugged in, irrespective of whether they have timers or clocks or double
pole isolating switches in them. This is due to leakage in suppression
components connected across the supply, insulation leakage, and capacitive
leakage, which any AC powered equipment will exhibit.

Obviously, we're not talking anything that your household electricity
consumption meter is going to " see ", but never-the-less, enough to be
measurable with sensitive test equipment.

Arfa