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Electricity Drain?

Keebler Elf

Keebler Elf

The Original Elf
Aug 31, 2001
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The Keebler Factory
I normally leave my kitchen kettle plugged in. Does this drain electricity even when it's not turned on?

I've heard (unsubstantiated) claims that devices still draw electricity when they're plugged in and turned off. Is this true?
 
Put an ammeter in series with it and check it out for yourself.

Seriously, you can buy a decent multimeter at CTC for 50 or 60 bucks.

Jumper from one side of the wall plug to one side of the kettle, then on the other side run a lead in and out of the ammeter connecting the circuit.

Just don't touch anything if you're grounded.

Read the current level.

Determine the number of watts by multiplying the amperage x 120 volts. Then multiply by hours it's plugged in to determine the kw.hrs.

I think a kw.hr is about 4.8 cents, but could be wrong.
 
appliances that draw current all the time never really shut down, things like the TV shut down the major current draws like the display but the memory , pre heater etc stay on so your TV starts up immediatly, if you are old enough you can remember the old days of turning the tv on and waiting for a picture, the new ones stay on to avoid that. Your kettle is unlikely to draw current when it is off unless it has a display that shows date time etc like a coffee maker that you can program to turn on at a specific time.
 
Keebler Elf said:
I normally leave my kitchen kettle plugged in. Does this drain electricity even when it's not turned on?

I've heard (unsubstantiated) claims that devices still draw electricity when they're plugged in and turned off. Is this true?
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Reminds me of the cartoon where they are arguing if the light bulb goes off when the refrigerator door is shut.

There is some urban legends about ghost current but I don't think it applies to kettles designed in the last 20 years.
 
Keebler Elf said:
I normally leave my kitchen kettle plugged in. Does this drain electricity even when it's not turned on?

I've heard (unsubstantiated) claims that devices still draw electricity when they're plugged in and turned off. Is this true?
Click to expand...


An appliance like a kettle will not draw any current if it is plugged in and not heating water. If it is the electronic type with a LCD readout, it will draw very little electricity. The same goes for a microwave oven. TVs will draw a small amount of electricity when it is not on. LCD and LED displays on appliances draw very little current.
 
iamme said:
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In Ottawa, you can borrow a kill-a-watt from the Library. (Or you can buy one for $30 at The Trailing Edge.

As has been said, things like your TV, stereo, VCR, microwave (if it has a digital clock), etc, will all draw small amounts of power even while they're "off".

An electric kettle with an "off" switch? Not likely.
 
I used one of those watt meters on everything in my place.. but since everything is new, there was no phantom power usage of note..

But I've heard of lots of older stuff that draws large portions of its power (in some cases 100%) even when "off".
 
Tangwhich said:
But I've heard of lots of older stuff that draws large portions of its power (in some cases 100%) even when "off".
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That doesn't makes sense, if it's not on/running, how can it be using the full power? :confused:
 
The Bandit said:
That doesn't makes sense, if it's not on/running, how can it be using the full power? :confused:
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In one case I read about, it was an old light fixture. I can only assume the ballast inside of drawing a constant current.
 
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