Your TV, your printer, your stereo, they draw power even when off. Standby mode costs German households an average of 100-150 € annually. With 3-4 switchable power strips you bring this classic energy leak under control.
Step by step
Devices in standby mode have small circuits running constantly: TV remote receiving, smart device keeping WiFi connection, printer waiting for print job. These idle currents are small (0.5-2 watts per device), but they add up: 20 devices × 1 watt × 24 h = 480 Wh = 0.48 kWh per day = ~170 kWh/year = ~43 €. With switched power strips you break these standby circuits completely.
Source: Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena), average household wastes 100-150 € per year on standby
Step by step
- 1. Identify standby problem zonesYour entertainment area (TV, receiver, printer, sound system) is hotspot #1. Your office (monitor, PC, peripherals) is #2. In the living room 1-2 switched strips suffice.
- 2. Buy switchable power strips (no dimming needed!)You don't need smart sockets (expensive, WiFi overkill). Simple switched power strips for 10-15 € each are perfect. 1-2 per room is enough.
- 3. Group devices per stripLiving room: TV + receiver + sound system on 1 strip. Office: monitor + printer + peripherals on 1 strip. So you switch entire clusters on/off at once.
- 4. Power strip behind furniture, switch in frontPosition the power strip behind the TV stand, but mount the switch with double-sided tape so you can reach it easily. That makes switching off a habit.
- 5. Exclude important devicesRefrigerator, WiFi router, telephone stay on of course. Only entertainment, office peripherals, hobby gear on the switches.
- 6. Check frequentlyAfter 2 weeks you notice switching off becomes routine. After 1 month it's automatic. Your next electricity bill drops 8-12%.
Worked example
Before: 5-person flat, 25 devices on standby: TV (1 W), receiver (1.5 W), printer (0.8 W), sound system (0.7 W), 2 × gaming consoles (3 W), 3 × monitors (2 W each), 5 × phone charger (0.3 W), coffee maker (0.5 W), microwave (2 W), oven (1.5 W), etc. = ~25 watts constantly = 600 Wh/day = 180 kWh/year = 45 €/year (at 0.25 €/kWh).
After: With 4 switched strips in critical zones: entertainment (off) = 0 W, work (off) = 0 W, hobby (off) = 0 W, only permanent devices + router = ~5 W = 120 Wh/day = 36 kWh/year = 9 €/year, savings 36 €/year.