Turning mains power on/off - will it damage my router?

[Tech9]

modem, ip-phone, printer, desktop-pc, NAS

Careful with the above listed devices. Modem and IP phone off may indicate service issues to your provider(s), no emergency service as well. Ink-jet printers have to stay powered to maintain the print head, many do automatic maintenance cycles. All PCs with no battery backup have to be properly shut down. NAS has to be powered down before the power is cut off. Devices with no time keeping circuits will have to synchronize the time on every power cycle. Power strip off switch is not a good idea. You have to follow some power down/up procedures every day.

 

[L&LD]

Yes, numbers and 'stats' are great and used very effectively to scare people into compliance.

For $1.36 (even at USD prices) a day, I wouldn't change one thing I'm doing now (with regards to powering things down/off, daily). My time, sanity, and the 'conditioning' the gov't is looking to induce aren't worth it for me.

Even if that 0.1kWh of energy consumption is correct (I have my doubts here), that will be mostly for other things like heating, fans, a refrigerator, etc. (which I hope you're not considering turning off).

Of course, I'm just as energy conscious as the next person. I don't leave lights burning. I don't have the house as hot as an oven. I don't even have A/C. Sure, get the most efficient lighting, heating, appliances, etc. (and that is more than enough).

But going around several times daily to turn things on/off is not going to make one iota of difference, even if a whole country does it. In the end, the prices will keep going up, the scare tactics with numbers will continue, and nothing will change except how we live inside our own homes. Not for me. Thank you.

If I'm charging $xx an hour for my time to others, I feel that I'm worth at least $xxx to myself.

 

[sfx2000]

If you use a lot of chargers for mobile devices, maybe look at getting a modern GaN (Gallium Nitride) charger from a manufacturer like Anker. Modern power pack technology are much more efficient these days.

+++ on the Anker recommendation - I've used their stuff for years now and their new GAN devices are pretty good - both battery packs and wall chargers - I've been very happy, and highly recommend them.

I would also consider smart plugs/lamps - I've had decent luck with TPLink's Kasa devices... their newer smart plugs can measure energy usage, and some are alexa/homekit compatible - obviously this would need WiFi to work, which goes back to keeping the modem/router-ap on a UPS, but again, value add for utility is high there.

 

[follower]

Power consumption? It doesn't matter. I turn off devices because of LED lights, fan noise, heat something like that. If you have only few devices it's ok for you maybe. However, if you have a lot of devices it may bother you a lot. Why some people think some users turn off devices because of Power consumption? I hate LED lights LED lights LED lights LED lights LED lights.

 

[Tech9]

Why some people think some users turn off devices because of Power consumption?

Because some people read more carefully what is this thread about.

 

[follower]

Because some people read more carefully what is this thread about.

What are you talking about?

 

[RMerlin]

Why some people think some users turn off devices because of Power consumption?

Because that's precisely what the original poster wrote as his goal.

 

[follower]

Because that's precisely what the original poster wrote as his goal.

Of course I know about it. That's why I replied him about On/Off on power strips.

 

[elorimer]

And then there is Florida, where common sense died years ago. We are snowbirds with a condo in the St Pete area that we mostly power down when we are not there, except for the very efficient refrigerator, the a/c, the Nest thermostat, the hideously inefficient Spectrum modem, my trusty AC56u, my backup NAS and a backup PC. We learned the hard way that thunderstorms wake up a lot of devices (ceiliing fans & lights!), so most breakers are off. A not insignificant part of our electric bill is the added amount to bring us to a minimum $30/month charge. Literally no market forces at work to reduce our energy use.

When we are down there, we do the opposite at the other house up north, except we don't have a minimum charge. As I think, though, there are at least 20 devices I turn off (I know who you are, with your beady little red evil eyes waiting for a remote control signal) that I could get in the habit of turning off when not in use. On top of what we've accomplished over the years reducing our electricity use by half, and our oil use by more than that.

Also: the high electricity price in EU is because it is indexed to the price of natural gas, not because of supply costs. That's why Portugal is being screwed even as it is an energy island.

 

[elorimer]

Out of curiosity I measured the power draw of my RT-AX86U. In normal operation it draws 9.0W. With both radios turned off it's 6.2W.

I put the kill-a-watt on an RT-AX88U and measured 8/5 watts. So $2.20 a year for me if I turn the wireless off for 8 hours a day.

 

[BreakingDad]

I have become like my own father, following my children around the house, turning off lights, screens, chargers, fans, dripping taps, closing doors etc.

One thing I noticed the other day was the wife is paying 1.75 a month for a paper bill from one of our suppliers, I mean that's a joke, a charge of 1.75 to send us a bill asking for money. Trying to convince her to change to email is also hard work.

 

[Tech9]

I found by accident a solution to the gas supply shortage. It's called kimchi and comes from our South Korean friends. Fermented cabbage continues the fermentation process inside untrained digestive system and produces amounts of methane enough to power an entire household for quite some time. As additional savings no need to add garlic smell chemicals to the gas produced. It's a renewable energy source.

 

[dosborne]

I put the kill-a-watt on an RT-AX88U and measured 8/5 watts. So $2.20 a year for me if I turn the wireless off for 8 hours a day.

$2 x (x number of such devices) x (y million population) I would wager = valuable energy savings for a country that is struggling to find a supplier regardless of the cost.

 

[L&LD]

The country doesn't pay for energy savings, as always, the consumer will.

Regardless of any decrease or increase in the consumption.

That outcome has been determined already.

 

[BreakingDad]

I found by accident a solution to the gas supply shortage. It's called kimchi and comes from our South Korean friends. Fermented cabbage continues the fermentation process inside untrained digestive system and produces amounts of methane enough to power an entire household for quite some time. As additional savings no need to add garlic smell chemicals to the gas produced. It's a renewable energy source.

If only we could attach every cow to the gas network, believe they produce more methane than anything else. Even me and my colleague on a Monday morning.

Just heard the UK has allowed fracking to go ahead, a shame it will be sold at world market prices and not benefit us at all. Just awaiting those earthquakes.

 

[elorimer]

$2 x (x number of such devices) x (y million population) I would wager = valuable energy savings for a country that is struggling to find a supplier regardless of the cost.

If every household in CT did it, it would be 365 Mwh,

Can you imagine fifty people a day, I said, fifty people a day turning off their wifi in the middle of the night and posting here. And friends they may thinks it's a movement. (Apologies to Arlo Guthrie.)

 

[OzarkEdge]

One thing I noticed the other day was the wife is paying 1.75 a month for a paper bill from one of our suppliers, I mean that's a joke, a charge of 1.75 to send us a bill asking for money.

After 40 plus years, I just realized that my wife turns the faucet knobs to full HOT every time she rinses her hands... for a few seconds. The HOT water runs about 20' in the plumbing and stops there to cool down to room temperature. I'm not concerned about the habit... just that it took me 40 years to notice the energy waste.

OE

 

[BreakingDad]

After 40 plus years, I just realized that my wife turns the faucet knobs to full HOT every time she rinses her hands... for a few seconds. The HOT water runs about 20' in the plumbing and stops there to cool down to room temperature. I'm not concerned about the habit... just that it took me 40 years to notice the energy waste.

OE

I think you need a serious discussion with your good lady there

Yes the amount of people (including me until recently) that run the hot tap, and don't wait for the water to get hot, using gas up for nothing on a combi boiler. I to have recently become aware of this, I now use the cold tap for my face flannel in the morning. More and more I am noticing that I have now almost 100% turned into my father ( I even grew a beard ). Something I swore I never would.

 

[BreakingDad]

If every household in CT did it, it would be 365 Mwh,

Can you imagine fifty people a day, I said, fifty people a day turning off their wifi in the middle of the night and posting here. And friends they may thinks it's a movement. (Apologies to Arlo Guthrie.)

I just took the plunge and joined the movement. My 5ghz band now goes off between 2:30am and 6am. Can't turn off the 2.4 as the smoke alarms need it.

This thread seems to have become a money savers paradise. Both hilarious and valid.

Another top tip - squash your toilet rolls a bit, it stops excess from the roll spinning out of control. I am not sure what the annual saving is.

 

[OzarkEdge]

roll spinning out of control

This must be a Brit thing... like beans and toast.

OE