A Power strip, which has an on/off switch, is a great way to save energy and thus reduce your electricity bill. If the power strip is switched off, all electrical appliances connected to it are also completely disconnected from the power supply. These power strips are particularly suitable for the living room or office – there are many devices here that are in standby mode.
Saving electricity intelligently
Who isn't interested in saving electricity these days, as electricity costs are rising enormously almost every year? Especially computers are real power guzzlers and yet you can't avoid using them every day. Many people need a PC for work after all, and yet even new, modern computers draw several hundred watts of electricity – even when switched off, the electricity meter keeps turning, because on average the PC needs another 0.3 watts – and even more for older computers.
How can you avoid such power guzzlers?
Of course, it's not just the beloved computer that is to blame for the high electricity bill: the television, the DVD player, the stereo system and many other devices that are supplied with power non-stop every day and even at night also consume a lot of electricity. However, this doesn't have to be the case, and so the waste continues with every minute. Simply connect the devices you don't always need to a switchable power strip. Even better are master-slave power strips. If, for example, the PC is switched off when using the master-slave strip, the power supply to all other electrical appliances connected to the socket is also cut off.
In this way, for example, not only the computer but also the monitor, speakers, fax machine, printer and scanner are switched off. This kills several birds with one stone and even saves hard cash. Does that sound like nitpicking? A TFT monitor consumes an average of 2-3 watts, an inkjet printer sometimes even reaches 4 watts – that adds up over time.
Are there good and bad power strips?
Stiftung Warentest has of course tested this and found that not all power strips are equally good. However, in many cases, the user is to blame for the misery themselves. If you don't want to burden yourself with too many power strips, the strips get particularly hot and could develop into a potential source of fire. It is particularly important not to connect several power strips to each other and also not to plug too many electrical appliances into one strip.
Especially in old buildings, however, there is a tendency to use these power strips because permanently installed sockets are often in short supply. It can happen that a computer, television, home cinema system and sound system are all hanging from a single power strip. If you now add a receiver and even a game console, overloading can cause the fuse to blow or even a short circuit.
Are power strips actually childproof?
As with all sources of danger in the household, you should also pay attention to safety with power strips, especially if there are small children. The curiosity about power strips in particular is likely to magically attract little ones, as the glowing switch looks quite tempting to babies and little explorers. However, this can have dramatic consequences and even lead to serious accidents. Therefore, use special protective caps for the sockets or buy the childproof version right away. Pay attention to the note when buying the power strips.
Overall, experts do not advise the permanent use of power strips, but recommend permanently installed sockets. The load limit of the strips should also be checked regularly and the smooth functioning of the power strips should be checked at regular intervals.
Read also: 10 useful tips for saving money in the household
Photo by Janine, meinhaushalt.at
Yes, I have power strips with toggle switches everywhere too. That is very practical. Now you just have to make sure that the electricity that comes out of the socket is not electricity from nuclear energy. Not so easy when you hear what kind of stories certain energy providers are getting up to.