Is it true that turning lights off and on it takes more energy then leaving them on?

Question

I could not even possibly care much less about the enviroment, i'm just interested, and maybe would like to save a little money.

Answer 1

Traditional style fluorescent lights, yes, but not any modern types.

Answer 2

why would you even add a ridiculously ignorant comment like "I could not even possibly care much less about the enviroment"?  it must be that childish, too cool to care attitude.  you will hopefully grow out of that.  but in the meantime try to use your brain a little bit.

Answer 3

no its not true.

When you dont' use lights, you don't use energy!

When you leave on all the time, you are using energy all the time.

Answer 4

God no.  Turning a light switch off doesn't take any power, other than the energy your body produces to move your hand.  This misconception come from computers, which do take power to shut down.

Answer 5

There is a loss of energy that takes place when the coils of a light bulb are shutting down.  It comes from the fact that the resistance of those coils slow the electrical current in them.  When you turn the switch off there is still electricity in the wires connecting the switch to the bulb so all that electricity is going to be wasted.  But since electrons travel so fast in those wires the time loss is very insignificant.

Answer 6

NO

Answer 7

It's a myth perpetrated by the utility companies.

Answer 8

I love when it comes to conserving energy at home, people are always quick to mention light bulbs...and, yet, light bulbs only account for a very small fraction of your energy usuage.  Turning off a single light bulb for a month?  Wow, that saves you about 25 cents, if not less.  Big whoop-de-doo.

Most people seem completely ignorant of the real energy hogs in their homes.  That is, heating and cooling, the stove, the toaster, the microwave oven, the washer and dryer, the water heater.  And that is not even getting into the issues of doors and windows and drafts and loss of energy thusly.

Light bulbs??  Give me a break!!  Want to really save energy?  Cook less.  Dry clothes on a clothesline instead of the dryer.  Don't blow dry your hair.  Insulate your doors and windows.  Turn down the heat.  Those things will make a noticable difference on your electric bill...turning off a few light bulbs will not.

Answer 9

no.  on an episode of mythbusters, they concluded that unless you are leaving the room for .3 seconds or less, it saves more electricity (and money) to turn the lights off when you are not in the room.

Answer 10

That may have been true with the old style florescent lights with magnetic ballasts, but probably not true now.

Turn off the lights when you do not need them.

Answer 11

no for the record it isnt unless you have dimmer switches where the light has to gradually brighten.

so you in it for the money? typical human. just f*ckin typical

if i turned your life support off and then turned it back on would it save the hospital money???

Answer 12

No.  This is a myth.

Turning on the lights takes a fraction of a second.  The increased electricity surge is small (otherwise it would trip the circuit breaker or blow the fuse).

Turning fluorescent lights on and off rapidly can shorten their lifetime, but it doesn't use any more energy.

Answer 13

I doubt this is true, unless maybe you are constantly flipping them on and off just to make a point  (even then I doubt it).

Just a guess based on my understanding of how things work.