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Home -> Resources -> Twenty-One Green IT Tips -> 9. Eliminate Phantom Power Wasters
9. Eliminate Phantom Power Wasters Some equipment uses power – even when switched “off”. In terms of energy efficiency, such equipment is often reffered to as "phantoms" or "vampires". Whichever term you prefer, the observed behavior is the same Electical power is being used when none is actually needed. For example, the power supply on a desktop computer continues to draw 5-10 watts -- even when the system itself is shut-down. (To observe this behavior, it helps to have a power meter -- a topic discussed in Tip-2.) Web search:  phantom power wasters
Simple Solutions There are several ways you can take to eliminate this waste. The simplest involves unplugging electronic devices that you are not currently using. Another approach is to use a standard power strip, which works well when dealing with all of the devices at a typical computer workstation. The Smart Strip Solution You might even consider one of the new breed of "smart" power strips that sense when a main device (like a desktop computer) changes from "on" to "off". When a smart power strip sense that a computer has been turned off, it automatically turns off power to devices plugged into the specially marked "peripheral" plugs. A smart power strip would allow peripherals such as printers, scanners, phone chargers, and computer speakers to be completely turned off, thus eliminating the phantom power drain that would otherwise occur. Web search: Smart Power Strips |
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