Will I damage my computer and video equipment if I disconnect it overnight? I am concerned that most of my power consumption is during "standby"! Richard Beaton
There certainly used to be a feeling that leaving equipment running gave better reliability, by avoiding power surges and the mechanical strains involved in starting things like hard drives. However, I can't see any evidence that this applies today, and much equipment now "stops" to a standby mode simply to save startup time. (A PC's off switch may not turn it off, unless you hold it down for about five seconds.) You may reduce the risk of fire if you physically unplug electrical equipment.
You can get a rough idea of electricity use from the size of the item's power supply. To check standby use, it may be worth investing in a simple plug-in mains power and energy monitor such as the L61AQ from Maplin. For monitoring household use, an Australian invention has arrived in the UK as the Electrisave -- a small device that clips on to your electricity meter and tells you how much your house is spending per minute.
Footnote: If anyone knows of a better/cheaper device than the L61AQ (which seems ot have doubled in price), please let me know!
