If you turn off the switch to a plug, does it still use electricity?

Question

We have our tv plugged into an outlet that is connected to a switch. If we turn off the switch at night and when we leave for work are we saving electricity? Or should we plug everything into a surge protector and turn that off?

Answer 1

Absolutely! But it still is using power. It is not using half the power it would be though. When the power goes to the switch box, that used up energy, although the energy gets rejected and sent back as a different current.

Hope This Helps!

Answer 2

yesss sir

Answer 3

If it switched off it not wasting energy..although it wastes a small ammount if left on or on stanby it adds up over a year also over the whole planet its a HUGE ammount of waste.when you consider all the offices that leave their computers running day and night

think globally/act locally.

Answer 4

Well...Anything plugged into an AC outlet is using electricity. Say...a toaster, it's up but still plugged in, it's still using electricity.

Answer 5

No absolutely not. And Yes you are saving electricity.A switch breaks the path that electricity flows from source to ground. It's like turning off you faucet, it breaks the path from your water pipe to the drain.

Plug a light into the same outlet., it goes out when you turn off the switch.

Many appliances have "keep alive" memory or "stand by" current draws that you can stop by using some sort of switch, be it a wall switch or a power strip.

You can calculate just how much energy you will save by adding up the currents listed on the back of appliances that have those type of loads. Honestly, unless you are a bare minimum energy user, or have many of these items, you may not even notice the difference in your bill.

If you had an appliance with a 4 watt standby draw, you would need to have it turned off for 272 hours to save 12 cents (at a 12 cent / KWh electric rate)

Answer 6

Turning off the switch cuts the circuit, so it can't use any electricity.  

But most appliances these days use only a miniscule amount of power when turned off anyway.

Answer 7

nether, just unplug every thing to save energy