Saving $ on the cost of electricity by powering down the fuse box?

Question

I have a very "green" relative who insists that by powering down specific fuses that supply areas not being used on the fuse box it will cut the electricity that is used as well as your cost. Is this true? Everything I have read suggests that by using power strips and powering those off you are saving, however, this was the first time I had heard of just powering off a fuse that applied to an area of the house that was not in use. Is this effective? Is power still running to an outlet even if nothing is plugged in there? My husband insists that it is false and that my greenie is incorrect. Please help!

Answer 1

Your husband is right.

Answer 2

no sense of turning it off or doing anything at the main panel.... if the switch is not turned on there is no light..... Plain and simple!!!!! Just use the power strips to save those couple of penneys each month!!! So tell Greenie to go set up a solar panel and a wind turbine!!!! LOL

Answer 3

If there is nothing pluged in then no power is being consumed.  The outlet has no way of making a connection inside itself.

Answer 4

a circuit that has nothing plugged into it will not consume a measurable amount of power.  using the power strips like you do is the easiest way to conserve power on those items like tv's and vcr's that have clocks and standby circuits.

circuit breakers are not intended to be used as power switches.  sure, they can be, but they will wear out prematurely if you turn them on and off all the time.  this will cost you way more money in the long run.

Answer 5

The only way that will save any $ is if there is something on the circuit that is using power. For instance, a television will still use a small amount of electricity even though it is powered off. Even a surge suppressor may use electricity if it has a lighted power button. Either way, the amount that those items use is hardly worth the effort it would take to power off the circuit.

Answer 6

The "greenie" is wrong (as usual) Your husband is correct.