Energy Consumption - Beware the Hopper

[BoatGuy]

We got a Hopper a while back (Karnie's hardly home and gets whatever she wants, when she is).

So, I'm walking by one of the Joey's (the satellites to the main unit) and put my hand on it, and felt a great deal of warmth coming from it, while it was turned off.

I plugged it into our Kill-A-Watt to see what it was drawing, and while OFF, it is pulling 8.0 watts (I actually thought it would be more, from the heat). When I turned it on, it pulled 8.5 watts.

My question is... Why even put an "off" switch on it, if you're only going to save 1/2 a watt?

Now, I'm off to measure the Hopper.

[BoatGuy]

The Hopper was even stranger...

40.8 Watts while off

41.8 Watts while on

This thing is very likely the ULTIMATE phantom load. The off switch should not be labeled "POWER". Maybe "Save A Penny" would be more apt?

[jakematic]

It's things like that which can demolish your electric bill.

That's the whole reason I had to buy a new flat panel TV. 

Seriously - was hiding some wires behind it one day and the dang thing felt like a toaster oven.

[longbskt]

I agree.  We don't have the hopper but a different dish box.  That, along w/ the internet router and modem make our media area a very warm spot in the house.  Other than unplugging at night and rebooting everything in the morning, is there another way to cut back on the energy usage and heat output?

[jakematic]

Other than unplugging at night and rebooting everything in the morning, is there another way to cut back on the energy usage and heat output?

I have one of these.
Gives off absolutely no heat  



ETA:
LED TV = 138W, standby <0.1W
Apple TV = 2W, standby 0.75W

On = 140W
Off = 0.85W

[BoatGuy]

Karnie found a use for the wasted heat. If you place a loaf of bread on the Joey, you will have bread crumbs by tomorrow.

[Night Timber]

If you would check all your appliances, T.V. radios alarm clocks and even the fridge when it's not running. You'll be surprised how much is wasted, instant on T.V.'s at one time had a switch to turn the instant on off. Seems everything we have now a days uses a lot more energy than would be necessary. My pool pump is on a timer so it shuts off in the middle of the night for while, it is saving us $20.00 a month for such a short period and the pool is still clean and working good. I have a security light on my barn, it cost $9. per month. low pressure sodium, I'm in the process of changing it to a 8 watt. Will save at least $5. a month and still be able to see what's going on, if we didn't have such a demand for power, LOL We'd save a lot of $$$$$$. 

[BoatGuy]

I agree.  We don't have the hopper but a different dish box.  That, along w/ the internet router and modem make our media area a very warm spot in the house.  Other than unplugging at night and rebooting everything in the morning, is there another way to cut back on the energy usage and heat output?

Not that I know of. For the most part, these new-fangled devices are computers. And computers have to be booted up. So, as near as I can tell, the only thing they are turning off, when I push the power button, is the video display and driver circuitry.

If anything, I am trying to figure out some way to put the whole dang house on a timer circuit, so that I can shut down the electricity at night and turn it on about 15 minutes before I get up. That would save a BUNCH of electricity, I suspect. Of course, I would leave refrigeration and air conditioning/heating alone. But, everything else would get turned off. I wonder how I would do it, and how much it would cost to do it?

[jakematic]

If anything, I am trying to figure out some way to put the whole dang house on a timer circuit, so that I can shut down the electricity at night and turn it on about 15 minutes before I get up. That would save a BUNCH of electricity, I suspect. Of course, I would leave refrigeration and air conditioning/heating alone. But, everything else would get turned off. I wonder how I would do it, and how much it would cost to do it?

Wow.... interesting idea.

Might try flipping breakers at bedtime/breakfast for a month to see how much it saves.

Now I wish I'd finished that Electrical Engineering degree - you might be on to something here.
Used to use an X10 system to control lights, so it makes sense that breakers could tell time 'over the wire'....

[BoatGuy]

That might just be the best idea, for a short period to see if it's worth the money, over the course of a month. But, those breakers aren't designed to be tripped and reset a lot. So, I guess it would be ok for a month.

And, you don't need a degree in EE. I worked as an electrical engineer for 15 years, doing concert loudspeaker design, the Department of Defense and in the space program. Never got a degree... lol

[jakematic]

And, you don't need a degree in EE. I worked as an electrical engineer for 15 years, doing concert loudspeaker design, the Department of Defense and in the space program. Never got a degree... lol

A well respected friend and plant manager I used to work for always said:
"I have two degrees. CS and HS. Common Sense and High School"

[BoatGuy]

And, you don't need a degree in EE. I worked as an electrical engineer for 15 years, doing concert loudspeaker design, the Department of Defense and in the space program. Never got a degree... lol

A well respected friend and plant manager I used to work for always said:
"I have two degrees. CS and HS. Common Sense and High School"

Well, he's one up on me. I never graduated high school...

I did get a GED though...

Funny thing is that no one ever asked to see it, until I went to work as a deckhand on a boat in the oil patch (after I had worked for Audio Technica, Peavey, Klipsch, the DoD and NASA Marshall SFC)...lol

I guess you gotta have your priorities...

[icesphere]

Thanks for opening my eyes to the insane power drawing from things that are turned "off" crazy. Going to be useful for when I design my homestead power grid.

[Johnny-Max]

I still need to buy a good digital TV antenna. The cheap POS from Walmart is a waste of money!

[icesphere]

Here are some DIY antenna one might be of interest to you Johnny http://www.instructables.com/pages/search/search.jsp?cx=partner-pub-1783560022203827%3Anpr2q7v5m6t&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=digital+TV+antenna.