I've read that Vampire loads (instant on feature that most electronics have) accounts for up to 10% of your total electric bill. It sounds a little high to me, but I guess they assume your primary heat source isn't electricity based. (like Geo).  For me you talking

TV
TV cable Box
Microwave oven
Oven
Garage door openers
Geothermal system (both water and air based)
computer
Stereo
DVD player
lots of motion senors lights
Electric Tooth brush
Electric Razor
Coffee maker
Door Bell
Central Vacuum


Wow this stuff really adds up when you start thinking about it.

 

For $30-35 getcha a gizmo called a P3 Kill-a-Watt. Wander your house, plugging all suspect loads into it for a day or so. It shows Watts, Amps, VA, Hz, Power Factor, Time since plugged in, and total Kwh used since plugged in.

An alternative name for 'vampire' loads is 'phantom' loads. Anything with low voltage control power or extensive computerization or battery charger is a suspect.

Another useful trick is to read your electric meter before taking a trip for a few days when the house will be empty. If feasible shut off HVAC and elctric water heater. Read meter again upon return, divide difference by # of days gone and you'll have your house's 'base load'

Don't forget other eqpt associated with the computer: printer, cable modem, router, surge protector and separate speakers. Also phone systems, hardwired smoke/CO sensors, alarm systems, and power tool battery chargers. Although not low voltage. a compressor might count as phantom when the compressor comes on in the middle of the night to maintain air pressure!

All good stuff, I have 2 Kill a watt units and a TED basically a whole house version of a kill a watt. Our Inverter also tells you wattage on the input and load side (could be different because of solar input or charging batteries).

Our phantom loads add up, at 300 watts an hour for us that’s 7.2 kw a day or 215kw a month and I have a lot of stuff on switches or plug strips I can turn off, but my wife will only let me take it so far. She already complains when I shutdown her laptop if she is leaving the house. When she gets back and has to turn it on to find a recipe I hear about it.  I just tell her we can buy another solar panel to power her laptop   ;)

Enjoying the thread!

On the subject of phantom loads - there is a great relatively new product that eliminates most of them. It is a smart power strip. Basically you plug your computer (or TV) into the master plug on the power strip and then plug your monitor, printer, and speakers (but not something you want left on) in to the other plugs. When the computer goes off (or into sleep mode) it cuts all power to the above items buts leaves a trickle of juice on to the computer (only if in sleep mode) so that it doesn't lose data. There are other plugs on the strip for things you want left on.

You can buy it for about 40 bucks here - http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Strip-Autoswitching-Technology-LCG4/dp/B0006Q3B2W

Or you can buy this one and read David Pogues glowing review of it here ----> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/24/technology/personaltech/24pogue-email.html?em&ex=1209182400&en=0c301119256ce134&ei=5087

Or you can buy this one ---->   http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Cable-04940-89-06-Smart-Power/dp/B001ATCBE8/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1217359543&sr=1-24

I also have one on my TV so that when you shut the TV off that the DVD player stops sucking electricity all night long. The common wisdom is that it pays for itself in one year.

I own the first 2 and can say they both work well.  I have no experience with the third.

As someone on this thread said - it is more cost effective to not use the juice than to buy solar panels.

I too want them to get wider use of day and nighttime electric rates. Then I could run geo all night long to heat/cool the house and back off on it during the day. Then when I get my electric car I can charge that all night long on the cheap.