standby mode consumption vs longevity
 

i was horrified when after reading here that the standby mode of most
tv/vcr/cable boxes is around 4-10w.
if an 80w tv is on 2 hrs a day and standby 22, then you have standby
consumption which approaches that of usage!

my question is, does standby mode prolong the life of the device? if i
add a timer to cut off power from the wall socket during the night
will it theoretically shorten the life of the tube/vcr or cable box?

i will pay much more attn to the standby wattage specifications next
time.

thanks,
Sam

The standby power of a typical TV set is about 5 to 7 Watts. It is the
about the same for most cable boxes, VCR
and etc. At about this amount, the power usage meter from the power
company may not even respond. It is when you get many of these 5 Watt
loads around the house, they can add up. Having 10 units that work at 5
Watts, adds to about 50 Watts. Then this is noticed. Even a small
electric alarm clock can consume about 3 to 5 Watts.

It is not good to unplug your units from the AC line. Some of these
types depended on the standby power to maintain their set-ups and
configurations. If you have a pay TV cable box, it will probably have to
re-initialize itself each time the power us cut off. As for the
lifespan, it is best to not have a complete shutdown each time it is
used. In many industrial centres, they leave their equipment on 24/7,
and generally get a better lifespan out of it.

I have a cable TV pay box at home. It has been sitting on top of the TV
for about 3 years now, and has never failed. It is never unplugged from
the power. The TV is from 1993, and it is still going strong. The TV is
in standby all the time when not used. It is used about 6 to 10 hours
per week to watch the odd thing.

I have computers at some locations that are running 24/7, and rarely
have failures. I simply blow the dust out of them every year in the
spring time. I have a few machines that are going in to their 5th year
with a zero failure. I never had a hard disk fail. I did however in one
machine have a sound card failure, and in another one, I had to change
the power supply. This is a good average.

--

Jerry G.
======

"Sam" wrote in message
om...
i was horrified when after reading here that the standby mode of most
tv/vcr/cable boxes is around 4-10w.
if an 80w tv is on 2 hrs a day and standby 22, then you have standby
consumption which approaches that of usage!

my question is, does standby mode prolong the life of the device? if i
add a timer to cut off power from the wall socket during the night
will it theoretically shorten the life of the tube/vcr or cable box?

i will pay much more attn to the standby wattage specifications next
time.

thanks,
Sam

"Sam" wrote in message
om...
i was horrified when after reading here that the standby mode of most
tv/vcr/cable boxes is around 4-10w.
if an 80w tv is on 2 hrs a day and standby 22, then you have standby
consumption which approaches that of usage!

my question is, does standby mode prolong the life of the device? if i
add a timer to cut off power from the wall socket during the night
will it theoretically shorten the life of the tube/vcr or cable box?

i will pay much more attn to the standby wattage specifications next
time.

thanks,
Sam

It really is a growing problem as the numbers of these devices increase.
Quite possibly the worst offenders are the class II transformers that are
everywhere, the old style heavy block wall warts and VCR's using magnetic
transformers, these usually have high resistance primary windings so they
can never draw enough current to overheat. If you look at the wattage input
and output ratings they rarely exceed 50% efficiency and a typical house has
at least 5-10 of them.

It is not good to unplug your units from the AC line. Some of these
types depended on the standby power to maintain their set-ups and
configurations.

Furthermore, if you have any items that use a linear power supply, constantly
unplugging and plugging in the device could strain various parts in that power
supply, including the bridge rectifier module or rectifier diodes. - Reinhart